Asia stay one point clear in EurAsia golf

Asia have split the EurAsia Cup golf foursomes with Europe to maintain a one-point lead over the defending champions in Malaysia with one day remaining.

Asia have made a strong comeback to split the EurAsia Cup foursomes with Europe, as the hosts maintain a one-point lead over the defending champions going into the final day's 12 singles matches.

Trailing 3.5-2.5 after Friday's fourballs, Thomas Bjorn's side quickly erased the deficit and moved ahead by winning three of the first four matches on Saturday at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club.

However, the Arjun Atwal-captained Asia team finished with a flourish to pick up the remaining three points to end the day with a 6.5-5.5 lead, retaining their hopes of winning a first EurAsia Cup title at the third attempt.

In 2016, Darren Clarke's European team romped to an 18.5-5.5 blowout victory over Asia after the inaugural matchplay contest was tied two years earlier.

Race to Dubai winner Tommy Fleetwood and Henrik Stenson put Europe on the board as they tied the overall score on Saturday by handing the visitors a 3 and 2 win over Indian pairing Anirban Lahiri and SSP Chawrasia.

"It was a really good morning; we played really solid. We didn't make a bogey, we made quite a few birdies and, in foursomes, that's going to be hard to beat, really," Englishman Fleetwood said after the match.

"I won't mind playing doubles again. I have really enjoyed playing this team game ... Looking forward to the singles and we will see where we are at the end of the day."

Britons Paul Casey and Tyrrell Hatton picked up a 2 and 1 win against An Byeong-un of South Korea and Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat as Europe moved ahead.

Matthew Fitzpatrick and Thomas Pieters gave Europe a two-point lead with a 3 and 2 win over Kang Sung-hoon and Poom Saksansin in the fourth match.

Asia needed something special and the Japanese-Malaysian pairing of Yuta Ikeda and Gavin Green stepped up, winning three of the last four holes for a rousing 1-up win over Alex Levy and Rafa Cabrera.

Thai teen Phachara Khongwatmai and Hideto Tanihara levelled the score with a 2 and 1 win over Paul Dunne and Alex Noren, before Li Haotong and Nicholas Fung put Asia back in front with a 3 and 1 victory against Bernd Wiesberger and Ross Fisher.


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Source: AAP


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