Asia and the Internationals fought a ferocious battle at the Lexus Cup yesterday, with neither side giving an inch as they ended the second day all square at 6-6.
In stark contrast to last year, Pak Se-ri’s young Asian team were unable to break the back of Annika Sorenstam’s experienced contingent of stars as they split the points 3-3 in the four-ball format of the matchplay event.
It was a gutsy effort by the Internationals, who were drubbed by Asia last year, with Sorenstam, playing her last LPGA event before retiring, determined to go out on a high.
And it was the 38-year-old who produced a magic moment to give her team an early lift.
The veteran Swede chose to partner Norway’s Suzann Petterson as the first pair out to try to get crucial early points, but they were unable to get in front after losing the opening hole.
Instead, they were always chasing South Korean pair Park In-bee and Ji Eun-hee, despite Petterson nailing an astonishing eight birdies.
But by the 17th hole they had pulled it back to all square, before Sorenstam drew on all her experience to pitch in from at least 30 feet for an eagle on the last, leaving Park an 18 foot putt to halve the match, which she missed.
“It’s amazing how close it is,” said Sorenstam, who paid tribute to her team’s achievements.
“We have a great spirit in the team. We’re all so determined to win back the cup. No one likes to lose and I’m going to rally them and hope they come out strong on Sunday,” Sorenstam said. “The golf has been spectacular so far and it’s going to come down to the last one or two holes.”
Pak was equally pleased with her team, which includes six Lexus Cup rookies, despite them not being able to take any advantage into today’s singles.
“They did really well. The rookies have been very impressive and, importantly, they are enjoying it,” Pak said. “Sunday will be a pressure situation for them, but I’m very confident in their abilities.”
Following Sorenstam and Petterson’s opening victory, Taiwan’s Candie Kung and Japanese starlet Mayumi Shimomura pulled back a point with a comprehensive four and three win over Natalie Gulbis and Angela Stanford of the US.
Coming into the four-balls, South Korea’s Lee Seon-hwa had the distinction of being the only woman to win every Lexus Cup match she had played, with a 7-0 record.
But that landmark fell yesterday during her partnership with Pak, as Cristie Kerr of the US and Sweden’s Helen Alfredsson won two up.
Asia hauled themselves back into the game when South Korea’s Sarah Lee and Kim Song-hee crushed England’s Karen Stupples and Cristina Kim of the US four and two.
They rammed home their advantage as Jang Jeong and Choi Na-yeon squeezed past Paula Creamer and Nicole Castrale of the US one up.
In the final grouping, Katherine Hull and Nikki Campbell were in a tight fight with Taiwan’s Yani Tseng and Japan’s Namika Omata, with never more than a shot separating them.
Omata had a six foot putt on the 17th to send them onto the last all square, but she missed and the Australians held their nerve on the 18th hole to win one up and send the two teams into the final day of the tournament all square.
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