The Hindu : Sport / Golf : Europe pips Asia in Royal Trophy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 09, 2006

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Sport - Golf

Europe pips Asia in Royal Trophy

BANGKOK: Arjun Atwal led the fightback for Asia, which however fell just short as Europe won the inaugural Royal Trophy by a 9-7 margin at the Amata Spring Country Club here on Sunday.

Asia, which was 2-6 down after the first day's foursomes and fourballs, won the singles 5-3.

Atwal, playing blistering golf, including two birdies and an eagle on the first six holes, beat the six-time Major champion Nick Faldo as Asia won five of the eight singles.

Atwal, who lost the first hole, kept his nose ahead from the third onwards and never took his foot off the gas pedal. He closed the match on 16th as he was three-up.

Atwal also had three birdies from 10th to 12th and that decided the match, as Faldo never recovered from there.

Jyoti Randhawa, who staged a great fightback coming back from three down to all square, then collapsed and lost three holes between the 13th and 16th to go down three and two.

``It was a great experience and I think we staged a great comeback. But the wind on the first day played a big part and gave European players a huge advantage,'' said Atwal, who flies from Bangkok to play in the Sony Open next week in Hawaii. — PTI

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