GB&I lead 3-2 over Continentals at

end of first day of Vivendi Trophy


So all the fears that the GB&I team had been mortally wounded by the withdrawals of Ian Poulter & Co were simply scare-mongering.
Paul McGinley's side finished the first day in Paris in what used to be the Seve Trophy NOT trailing but LEADING 3-2 over the Continentals at the end of the opening session of four-balls.
Chris Wood and Anthony Wall marked their Vivendi Trophy debuts for in record-equalling style on Thursday. The Vivendi Trophy is a Ryder Cup-style match-play event matching a team from Britain-Ireland against Continental Europe.
Wood and Wall's 6 and 5 whipping of Ryder Cup veterans Henrik Stenson and Robert Karlsson matched the biggest margin of victory in any session of the Vivendi Trophy since the event started in 2000.
In Karlsson's defense, of course, this was his first competitive action since May because of a blister behind his left retina.
But Continental captain Thomas Bjorn must have been hoping for more from his top-ranked player Stenson against a duo who would not have been in the match except for the withdrawal of some star players.
Graeme McDowell would not have played, either, yet he teamed up with fellow Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy to beat Dane Soren Kjeldsen and big-hitting Spaniard Alvaro Quiros 4 and 3 in the top game.
Britain-Ireland's other point came from Oliver Wilson and Simon Dyson.
With Dyson fit again after suffering food poisoning in the build-up, they defeated Soren Hansen and Peter Hanson 3 and 2 -- a repeat of the result when they clashed in foursomes in Ireland two years ago.
Continental Europe kept their deficit down to one point, thanks to Anders Hansen and Francesco Molinari and then Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano.
Hansen, who had a superb seven birdies in the first 12 holes, and Molinari beat Robert Rock and Steve Webster 4 and 3.
Fernandez-Castano and Jimenez -- the only player to be an ever-present since the series started in 2000 -- came from two down to beat Ross Fisher and Nick Dougherty 2 and 1.
Bjorn's men were made pre-match favourites, given that they had lost only Sergio Garcia and the injured Martin Kaymer from their strongest possible line-up.
Britain-Ireland was without six Ryder Cup-class players in all -- Paul Casey, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Luke Donald and Justin Rose -- but they have won the last four editions of the Vivendi Trophy.
"I wanted to play Stenson at some point," said Wood. "At the start of the week I was on the range and he was giving me a bit of stick and chucking balls at me."
He and Wall turned in a six-under 30 and were nine-under-par for the 13 holes played.
"I think I raise my game against really top players. You have something to prove -- they are the benchmark," Wood said. "They are the favourites and the better team, but we are going to fight all the way.
"And I don't think Robert was 100 percent -- you've got to feel for him because he's an awesome player," he added. "I hope he's getting better because Europe need him and the European Tour needs him."
McDowell and McIlroy, the only non-Englishmen on the Britain-Ireland team, were ahead from the moment the former sank a 25-footer on the first.
They were lucky not to go back on terms at the third, though, as McIlroy's chip was going a long way past until it hit Kjeldsen's ball a few feet past the flag.
"I was amazed he didn't mark it," said the 20-year-old, and his partner agreed it was a key point. By the eighth they were three up and McIlroy's birdie on the 11th stretched the gap to four.
"I hope it's the start of a long partnership," he added. "As long as we stay fit there's no reason why we can't have a partnership for the next 10 years."
Both would love to be together again at next October's Ryder Cup match at Celtic Manor, with McDowell stating: "Obviously we're great friends, but this is a chance to show we can gel on the course. There's nothing I would like better than to play with him in the Ryder Cup."
Dyson said: "I had nothing but a slice of toast yesterday and only some cornflakes and a banana before I played. "I was struggling at the end of it -- I could feel my energy levels go drastically -- but I'll eat tonight and hopefully feel better still tomorrow."
Wilson birdied the first two holes, while Dyson had four in five holes around the turn.
Jimenez and Fernandez-Castano turned two down after four into fourup after 13. Fisher and Dougherty stayed alive by taking the 15th and 16th, but both were in the trees on the next.
Five more four-balls are played on Friday, then greensomes and foursomes on Saturday and singles on Sunday.
Like the Ryder Cup, 28 points are up for grabs in total.
FIRST DAY SCOREBOARD
St Nom la Breteche, Paris
Continental names first
Henrik Stenson and Robert Karlsson lost to Anthony Wall and Chris Wood 6 & 5
Soren Kjeldsen and Alvaro Quiros lost to Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy 4 & 3
Anders Hansen and Francesco Molinari bt Robert Rock and Steve Webster 4 & 3
Soren Hansen and Peter Hanson lost to Simon Dyson and Oliver Wilson 3 & 2
Miguel Angel Jimenez and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano bt Ross Fisher and Nick Dougherty 2 & 1
Match score after Day 1:
Continental Europe 2, Great Britain and Ireland 3

FOOTNOTE FROM MARK GARROD:
Thomas Bjorn believes an opening ceremony held on the morning of the match may have contributed to his Continental Europe side losing the first session.
"There's no excuses for not being ready, but being a Scandinavian myself a few of them I know are very set in their routines," he said. "I could see a lot of things going on that maybe unsettled them a little bit and they maybe weren't quite ready when they stood on the first tee. I might not have gone over it well enough.
"It's a long time to be at the course from a quarter to nine if you're going to tee off after midday. They're not used to it and are just sitting around and end up eating breakfast three times. It's not quite what you want to do, but they should all have the experience."
Opposite number Paul McGinley stated: "I told my players not to have breakfast before they left the hotel and leave as late as possible. There are things that upset your routines, but it's part and parcel of being a team and you've got to get used to them."