Europe stun Asia to regain Royal Trophy

A brilliant fightback saw Europe come from two points behind to beat Asia 8.5-7.5 in the Royal Trophy at the Dragon Lake Golf Club in Guangzhou.

Asia had dominated the opening day and after sharing Saturday’s fourballs led 5-3.

That advantage stretched to four points when Thai duo Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Thongchai Jaidee beat Scots Paul Lawrie and Stephen Gallacher respectively to make it 7-3 and leave Y E Yang’s side a point and a half from victory.

But, just as he had at Medinah last year, José María Olazábal witnessed his side make a remarkable comeback, as five of the last six games went Europe’s way and the other between Kim Kyung-tae and Alvaro Quiros being halved.

Marc Warren finally produced some joy for the Scottish contingent by seeing off Ryo Ishikawa one up, and David Howell won his match by the same margin.

Thorbjørn Olesen and Bernd Wiesberger both won 3 and 2 against Wu Ashun and Hiroyuki Fujita respectively, and with Quiros’ half the scores were level.

With all eyes on Nicolas Colsaerts and Liang Wen-chong in the final game, the big-hitting Belgian birdied the 15th to take the lead and when his Chinese opponent three-putted the last Europe had regained the trophy.