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.”
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
RSS