STEPHEN GALLACHER LOSES AS
EUROPE ARE HELD TO A 10-10 DRAW
NEWS RELEASE FROM EUROPEAN TOUR
A
stunning fight back from Team Asia saw the inaugural EurAsia Cup three-day match-play contest end in a 10-10 draw after a thrilling final day
at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club in Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia.
Trailing
7-3 overnight going into the singles session – and having been 5-0
behind after the first day’s four-ball session – not many observers gave
Thongchai Jaidee’s team much realistic
hope of turning matters around.
But
they did just that, winning the session 7-3 to see the gleaming silver
trophy shared at the end of the day with Miguel Angel Jiménez’s European
troops.
Hailed
as ‘The Ryder Cup of the East’ before the tournament started, the event
certainly lived up to that lofty billing, producing drama of the kind
normally reserved only for the biennial
contest between Europe and the United States.
As
well as capturing the imagination of the spectators on course and the
millions watching on television around the world, the event also
thrilled the Malaysian Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak who,
at the closing ceremony, announced the Malaysian Government’s support
of the contest to return to the country in both 2016 and 2018.
In
the end, the fate of the EurAsia Cup – with the score tied at 9 ½ - 9 ½
- lay in the hands of Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño and Hideto
Tanihara
Fernandez-Castaño ara of Japan, whose ding-dong battle saw them all square playing the last hole in the last match on the course.
With both players on the 18th
green in two, Fernandez-Castaño putted down to four feet while
Tanihara’s effort stopped a foot and a half from the hole. Under intense
pressure,
the Spaniard held his nerve to roll his par effort into the back of the
cup before sportingly conceding the Japanese player’s putt.
“I'm
happy the way I performed under pressure but I have to say that was the
most nervous I’ve ever been,” said the seven time European Tour
champion. “However you just need to look around you at what is going on
here: This is big. This
is going to be the next big thing in golf and I'm really proud of being
part of the first edition.”
Opponent
Tanihara agreed. “There is not really much match play played in Japan
so as a result this was a really great experience for me and all the
members of the Asian team,” said the
35 year old. “It was fun being here but I must admit my heart rate was
pretty high over those final few holes!”
Asian
captain Jaidee – who got Asia off to the perfect start with a 3 and 2
win over 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell – echoed the sentiments.
“Every
member of my team was a hero today,” he said. “Everyone played really
well but the match itself was unbelievable. It was a great finish and to
end the contest on the final holes in the final match, I’ve never seen
anything like
it. It was amazing.”
Opposite number
Jiménez – who was one of only two outright winners for Europe when he
nervelessly holed an 8ft birdie putt on the final green to beat
Malaysia’s home favourite Nicholas Fung in the first match – agreed.
“It was tough for us today but it was an amazing day of golf and the Asian team played very well,” he said.
“All
the European players gave everything they had and I have respect
for them all – it was a pleasure to be here with them this week. As I
said at the closing ceremony, nobody lost – we both won.
"For this to be
the first edition of the EurAsia Cup that was excellent and I wish all
the best for the future.”
With
the captains’ points in the bag for their respective sides, the next
hour on the golf course firmly belonged to the hosts as they threatened
to repeat the ‘Miracle of Medinah’ where
Europe came from four points down on the final day to clinch The 2012
Ryder Cup from the United States.
Respective
wins for Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Kim Hyung-sung, Gaganjeet Bhullar and
Anirban Lahiri over Thomas Björn, Pablo Larrazábal, Thorbjørn Olesen and
Victor Dubuisson, allied to Prayad
Marksaeng’s half point against Jamie Donaldson, saw the overall scores
levelled at 8 ½ - 8 ½.
Bangladesh’s
Siddikur Rahman then moved Asia ahead for the first time in the three
days with a 4 and 3 win over Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher before
Dutchman Joost Luiten held his nerve
to hole a four footer for a winning par four against Koumei Oda of
Japan to bring parity once again.
It
left the outcome of the entire contest on the match between
Fernandez-Castaño and Tanihara – the half point being a fitting
conclusion.
Final Day Singles
(Team Europe first)
Miguel Angel JIMENEZ bt Nicholas FUNG 1 hole
Graeme McDOWELL lost to Thongchai Jaidee 3 and 2
Thomas BJORN lost to Kiradech APHIBARNRAT 2 and 1
Jamie DONALDSON halved with Prayad MARKSAENG
Pablo LARRAZABAL lost to KIM Hyung-sung 4 and 2
Victor DUBUISSON lost to Anirban LAHIRI 2 and 1
Thorbjorn OLESEN lost to Gaganjeet Bhullar 4 and 3
Joost LUITEN bt Koumei ODA 1 hole.
Gonzalo Fernandez-CASTANO halved with Hideto TANIHARA
Stephen GALLACHER lost to Siddikur RAHMAN 4 and 3.
TOTAL: Europe 10; Asia 10
Labels: PRO GOLF
