Golf:Asia seized the upper hand in the Royal Trophy after thrashing Europe in today's fourballs to snatch a 6-2 lead and leave the holders with a mountain to climb on the final day.
Asia wrestled control of the competition with some precision putting to earn wins in all four matches against some out-of-sorts European pairings who never found their feet and now face a monumental challenge in the singles.
Europe's player-captain Colin Montgomerie will need wins from six of his eight players in tomorrow's singles just to secure a play-off, while Asia can lift the trophy for a second time with two and a half of the eight points available.
"I'm really proud of the players, everyone was at their best," said Asia captain Naomichi Ozaki. "It's going so well, we have no negatives to dwell on. We just have to go out there tomorrow and let things take care of themselves."
Montgomerie rued his team's poor putting but said his underperforming players were still capable of victory.
"Our backs are against the wall but if that can happen to us today, it can happen to them tomorrow," he said. "It's a tall order and would be a magnificent result if we can pull it off. Golf is a funny game and we can come back at Asia if all eight players play to their potential."
Liang Wenchong and Noh Seung-yul led the Asian charge with a confident 5 and 4 win that left Montgomerie and putting phenomenon Rhys Davies in the shade for most of the round at the Black Mountain course in Hua Hin.
Birdies eluded the European pair after the sixth hole as the Asians forged ahead, opening up a four-stroke lead soon after the turn that Montgomerie and Davies stood no chance of undoing.
The fifth and sixth holes proved to be the turning points for Asia, with three of the four pairings carving out leads of two strokes or more as cracks started to appear in the European effort on the greens.
Japanese duo Ryo Ishikawa and Shunsuke Sonoda were always in command in their 3 and 2 win over Matteo Manassero and Pablo Martin, with a cool-headed Ishikawa notching three straight birdies that helped put the Asians three strokes ahead by the seventh.
"So far, so good and tomorrow's going to be a great day," said Ishikawa. "I'll need to be at my best."
Europe tried desperately to reduce the deficit but the Asians gave little away in the final holes to shut their opponents out.
Thongchai Jaidee, who has played in all five editions, recovered from a shocking first day and birdied six times, holing twice from off the greens.
He paired up with the impressive Yuta Ikeda, who chalked up eight birdies to reverse Friday's drubbing by Peter Hanson and Fredrik Andersson Hed with a 3 and 1 win.
Royal Trophy stalwarts Johan Edfors and Henrik Stenson, who holed Europe's winner last year, were uninspiring for a second successive day against Kim Kyung-tae and Jeev Milkha Singh.
Europe's woeful day was compounded when Edfors let slip an easy chance to take a half point when he missed a simple three-foot put on the 17th.
"Obviously, it wasn't a pleasant day," said Edfors's partner, Stenson. "We just have to win all those matches tomorrow."
Draw for Sunday's singles matches at the Royal Trophy in Hua Hin, Thailand (matches to start at 3.35am Irish time):
(Asia lead 6-2 overall, Asia names first)
Liang Wenchong v Peter Hanson
Noh Seung-yul v Henrik Stenson
Yuta Ikeda v Fredrik Andersson Hed
Ryo Ishikawa v Rhys Davies
Shunsuke Sonoda v Matteo Manassero
Kim Kyung-tae v Colin Montgomerie
Jeev Milkha Singh v Pablo Martin
Thongchai Jaidee v Johan Edfors
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