Japan’s Toru Taniguchi holed the winning putt as Asia completed a convincing 10-6 victory over two-time champions Europe in the Royal Trophy team competition yesterday.
Asia required just two points from the eight singles matches after dominating the first two days and they battle a spirited resistance from Europe to secure a first win, following defeats in 2006 and 2007.
The loss was a blow to European captain Jose Maria Olazabal, who wanted a victory to underline his credentials as a future Ryder Cup captain and to lift the spirits of his friend and tournament creator Seve Ballesteros, who is recovering from brain surgery.
PHOTO: EPA
“It hurts that we lost,” the two-time Masters champion said. “The guys tried hard today but it was very difficult to come back from such a big deficit. Asia have raised the bar without a doubt and we will have to come here next time angrier and more determined to beat these guys.”
“Seve is recovering from his health issues and Europe may have a different captain next year and I can tell Asia he will be tougher to beat than I was,” he said.
Asian captain Naomichi “Joe” Ozaki, on the end of a nine-point thrashing two years ago, was delighted that Asia won in style.
In the top match, Japanese teenage sensation Ryo Ishikawa secured a battling half with Soren Hansen of Denmark while Johan Edfors of Sweden beat S.K Ho of Korea 5 and 4. England’s Nick Dougherty was taken to the 18th by Korea’s Charlie Wi before winning 1 up and countryman Oliver Wilson, a member of Nick Faldo’s Ryder Cup team in Valhalla last year, beat Hideto Tanihara of Japan 3 and 2.
“I think next year Europe will bring stronger players so they can get the Royal Trophy back,” said Wi, who usually plays on the US PGA Tour.
TAIWANESE EXITS: Fellow Australian Christopher O’Connell joined Tristan Schoolkate as a winner following his 6-1, 6-2 defeat of Tseng Hsin-chun Australian qualifier Tristan Schoolkate on Monday dispatched rising Brazilian talent Joao Fonseca 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 at the ATP Toronto Masters, ensuring a breakthrough into the world top 100. The 24-year-old from Perth moved to 98th in the ongoing live rankings as he claimed his biggest career victory by knocking out the ATP NextGen champion from November last year. Schoolkate, son of a tennis coach, won his first match over a top-50 opponent on his sixth attempt as he ousted the world No. 49 teenager from Brazil. The qualifier played a quarter-final this month in Los Cabos and won through qualifying for his
Top seeds Alexander Zverev of Germany and American Coco Gauff on Tuesday advanced to the third round of the Canadian Open after both players were pushed hard by their opponents. World No. 3 Zverev, playing in his first match since his first-round loss at Wimbledon, was far from his best, but emerged with a 7-6 (8/6), 6-4 win over Adam Walton under the lights in Toronto. Momentum shifted firmly in Zverev’s favor when he won a 52-shot rally in the first set tiebreak and he sealed the win on a double fault by the Australian in the second set. “It was a very
Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko upset top-seeded Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-4 on Saturday night to reach the National Bank Open quarter-finals. “Your support was incredible,” Mboko told the crowd in French after a chorus of “Ole, Ole, Ole” chants echoed around the venue. “I’m really happy to win today ... It’s incredible. I’m so happy to beat such a great champion.” Gauff dropped to 2-3 since winning the French Open. She followed the major victory with opening losses in Berlin and Wimbledon, then overcame double-fault problems to win two three-set matches in Montreal. Gauff had five double-faults on Saturday after having 23 in
Taiwan’s top women’s badminton doubles duo, Hsieh Pei-shan (謝沛珊) and Hung En-tzu (洪恩慈), achieved a straight-sets victory over Japan’s Kaho Osawa and Mayui Tanabe at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Super 300 Macau Open on Sunday. The Taiwanese pair won the final 21-18, 21-12, marking the duo’s second title this year after their win at the BWF Super 300 Taipei Open in May. The match on Sunday was their first encounter with the Japanese duo, ranked No. 63 in the world. Hsieh and Hung, ranked No. 12, began the opening game well. Hung, who plays left-handed, performed strongly at both the net and the
RSS