Europe battle back to claim EurAsia Cup
KUALA LUMPUR: Europe came from behind to convincingly defeat Asia and retain the EurAsia Cup title yesterday, in a boost for captain Thomas Bjorn as he gears up for the Ryder Cup.
Bjorn’s side entered the final day of the tournament in Malaysia trailing Asia by one point but put on a masterclass in the singles, winning eight out of 12 matches at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club near Kuala Lumpur.
They secured a 14 to 10 overall victory against Indian captain Arjun Atwal’s men, a disappointment for Team Asia who had ended the first two days of the three-day event with a slim lead.
Team Asia have never won the biennial, Ryder Cup-style match play tournament. Europe thrashed Asia the last time it was held in 2016 while the inaugural 2014 edition ended in a tie.
Europe dominated from the start yesterday and their winning point came when Belgium’s Thomas Pieters defeated South Korea’s An Byeong-Hun in a hardfought match.
Bjorn hailed his side’s victory in the US$4.8 million event: “It was a great performance today from every single one of them. There was a determination and a will of wanting to win this.”
The Dane is also Europe’s Ryder Cup captain and the Malaysian event was a chance for him to run the rule over a heavyweight European side before the showdown against the USA in France in September.
“I learned a lot about myself this week,” said Bjorn. “I learned a lot about these 12 players, and they have all got potential to be in Paris in nine months time.”
Despite the loss, Atwal said he was “very proud” of his team. “They are all awesome players, it’s just unfortunate that we ran into a buzzsaw today,” he said.
Asia salvaged some pride with three points from victories by Thailand’s Poom Saksansin, Japan’s Yuta Ikeda and China’s Li Haotong.
FINAL RESULTS Europe 14 Asia 10 Singles matches (Team Europe first)
Alex Noren (SWE) bt Nicholas Fung (MAS) 4&2; Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP) bt Gavin Green (MAS) 4&3; Tommy Fleetwood (ENG) bt SSP Chawrasia (IND) 2&1; Paul Casey (ENG) lost to Poom Saksansin (THA) 1up; Henrik Stenson (SWE) bt Hideto Tanihara (JPN) 2&1; Bernd Wiesberger (AUT) bt Phachara Khongwatmai (THA) 2&1; Alexander Levy (FRA) bt Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA) 3&1; Thomas Pieters (BEL) bt An Byeong-Hun (KOR) 1up; Tyrrell Hatton (ENG) bt Anirban Lahiri (IND) 2&1; Matthew Fitzpatrick (ENG) halved with Kang Sung-Hoon (KOR); Paul Dunne (IRL) lost to Li Haotong (CHN) 3&1; Ross Fisher (ENG) lost to Yuta Ikeda (JPN) 1up