Britain and Ireland grabbed a 6-4 lead in the Seve Trophy team event after edging Continental Europe 3-2 in Friday’s four-balls.
Simon Dyson and Oliver Wilson earned captain Paul McGinley his first point of the day by overcoming Swede Henrik Stenson and Spaniard Alvaro Quiros 2 and 1.
A nine-foot putt from Wilson allowed the English pair to earn their second point of the week, having been 11-under through 17 holes.
Ross Fisher and Nick Dougherty picked up their first point by defeating Dane Soren Hansen and Swede Peter Hanson 3 and 2.
A curling 20-foot eagle putt by Fisher ended the hopes of the Scandinavians. The Englishmen were nine-under at the denouement.
McGinley had tipped Northern Irishmen Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell to “lead his charge to the trophy,” but the duo went down 3 and 1 to Denmark’s Anders Hansen and Italian Francesco Molinari.
Britain and Ireland rookies Chris Wood and Anthony Wall continued their winning ways. After crushing world No. 5 Stenson and last year’s European No. 1 Robert Karlsson 6 and 5 on Thursday, they downed Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez and Dane Soren Kjeldsen 3 and 2.
Karlsson, continuing his rehabilitation after spending four months on the sidelines with eye problems, partnered Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano to a one-hole success over England’s Robert Rock and Steve Webster.
“That was a very important point,” Continental Europe captain Thomas Bjorn told reporters. “I wouldn’t call two points behind a disaster and we’re not out of it for sure.”
Dyson contracted food poisoning on Wednesday and Bjorn said one of his players was also suffering.
“Soren Kjeldsen was suffering from food poisoning and was very poorly from quite early in his round,” Bjorn said. “He had run out of energy at the end.”
Bjorn will leave out Kjeldsen for the four greensome matches to allow him to recover.
The captain paid particular tribute to Molinari, who collected seven birdies.
“They [Britain and Ireland] were on a roll and that put a stop to it,” Bjorn said.
Britain and Ireland skipper Paul McGinley was wary of being over-confident.
“We’re halfway there in days, but not in terms of points,” the Irishman said. “We have to make sure we don’t burn ourselves out before Sunday. We were the underdogs at the start and we know the quality we are up against. The standard of golf is very, very high. Simon Dyson and Oliver Wilson played unbelievable today to win their match.”
McGinley sprang a surprise when announcing his greensome pairings, leaving out two-pointer Wall for Rock who has lost both his matches.
“I have a strategy,” McGinley said. “I’ll talk about it tomorrow afternoon. I don’t want to show my hand now.”
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