Golf – Royal Trophy:Asia made a solid start to their defence of the Royal Trophy as they held the lead midway through the opening day's foursomes.
The European team lost to Asia for the first time in the tournament’s four-year history last year and captain Colin Montgomerie had stressed the importance of not falling behind on the first day.
Montgomerie - who has included himself in the team - and partner Pablo Martin teed off first at the Amata Spring Country Club near Bangkok and they were two-up after two holes with Asia’s Ryo Ishikawa and Koumei Oda double-bogeying the first before Ishikawa’s putt for par on the second lipped out.
However, the Asian duo hit back to win the next two holes before claiming the eighth and the ninth to go two-up at the turn.
Robert Karlsson and Alexander Noren were faring better after nine though and were two-up against Charlie Wi and Liang Wed-chong.
Wi and Liang started well and were one-up through five but Karlsson and Kjeldsen combined to claim three holes and take the lead up at the turn.
Soren Kjeldsen and Peter Hanson were all square in their match against Jeev Milkha Singh and Gaganjeet Bhullar after nine while Thai pair Thongchai Jaidee and Prayad Marksaeng were doing a solid job of anchoring the Asian charge and were one-up at the turn against Henrik Stenson and Simon Dyson.
Foursomes Results at the Royal Trophy in Chonburi, Thailand
Asia 2½ Europe 1½
Ryo Ishikawa/Koumei Oda (Asia)
beatColin Montgomerie/Pablo Martin (Europe)
3 and 2
Jeev Milkha Singh/Gaganjeet Bhullar (Asia)
halved withPeter Hanson/Soren Kjeldsen (Europe)
Robert Karlsson/Alexander Noren (Europe)
beatCharlie Wi/Liang Wenchong (Asia)
4 and 2
Prayad Marksaeng/Thongchai Jaidee (Asia)
beatSimon Dyson/Henrik Stenson (Europe)
3 and 1
-PA/Reuters
