European fightback held off to delight of McGinley

Europe began the day at a frenetic pace, recovering from 11.5 points to 6.5 down overnight to pull level at 11.5 each by mid-day.

But Great Britain & Ireland, captained by Paul McGinley, had enough in the tank in the later matches to pull away to a 15.5 to 12.5 victory, and their sixth in succession.

David Horsey finished all square against Nicolas Colsaerts to halt Europe’s run of five straight wins at the start of the day, while the European fightback further derailed when Scott Jamieson finished one up against Pablo Larrazabal to swing the momentum back in GB&I’s favour.

Ian Poulter sank a crucial birdie on the 18th to seal a one up victory over Matteo Manassero, and victory was assured when Mark Foster sneaked home by the same scoreline against Raphael Jacquelin to take GB&I past the winning 14.5 point threshold.

The final pairing of the day, Ross Fisher and Peter Hanson, ended all square.

“It feels amazing and I’m pleased for the boys,” said Foster after his victory-clinching round against Jacquelin.

“I was playing really well and then lost the pace of green for four or five holes and I left Raphael back in and I knew I was in for a game then and I had to refocus.

“It would have hurt a lot if we hadn’t won and I’m glad to pull through.”

Victorious captain McGinley was delighted that his cocktail of experienced hands and rookies had come good when the pressure was on – and in particular reserved special praise for Vivendi Trophy newcomer Jamieson.

“Lucky I had the team well balanced out, and had not just experience but guys in form balanced throughout the team, so they came through in the end,” said McGinley.

“Scott Jamieson’s match was huge, that kind of turned the tide in our favour.

“I actually focused mostly on Scott’s game, I walked every shot with him from the 14th. I knew how pivotal that match was going to be and he was brilliant.

“I wanted Scott to keep playing pretty conservatively coming in there because it was difficult conditions, and he did exactly as I said.

“I’m so proud of the way he’s come through this week, and he’s just one guy. David Horsey as well, a huge half point there.

“I get a huge sense of satisfaction seeing someone like Scott or David Horsey coming though the way they did. Mark Foster as well, it was pivotal that his game stayed one up, that it stayed in the red or it stayed in the green and it never got into the blue, and he did that. And of course Ross Fisher was a rock at the end.”

McGinley always had faith in his players to produce a strong finish despite their nightmare start to the final day.

“It worked out well in the end,” he said. “As much as things went against me, winning only half a point out of the first six matches and losing the first five, I still was confident that, with only three points to win, we had enough guys in form coming at the end.”

Before GB&I regrouped, Europe captain Jean van de Velde’s tactics were paying off handsomely after opting to field his in-form players in the top order. Thomas Bjorn led the way as he came from three down to beat Lee Westwood 2&1.

There were also wins for Anders Hansen, by one hole against Malton’s in-form Simon Dyson, Francesco Molinari, 4&3 against Jamie Donaldson, Alexander Noren, 4&3 against Robert Rock and Miguel Angel Jimenez, 4&2 against old friend Darren Clarke.

n England’s Melissa Reid won her third Ladies European Tour title after clinching the Open de Espana Femenino.

Reid, who turns 24 today collected four birdies and two bogies in a final-day two-under-par 70 to finish the tournament on eight-under at La Quinta Golf Resort in the Costa del Sol.

That left her one stroke clear of Lee-Anne Pace, Tania Elosegui and overnight leader Beth Allen at the top of the final scoreboard.

Pace might have sent the tournament to a play-off but bogeyed on the final hole to card a 71.

Spaniard Elosegui shot a 69 for her third sub-70 round – the only player to achieve the feat – but she was ultimately unable to repair the damage caused by her 79 on Saturday, while American Allen finished with her second successive round of 72.

Reid, who also won Deloitte Ladies Open in the Netherlands earlier this year, can now head into the Solheim Cup later this week with confidence high.

“It’s my second win of the season which is obviously nice preparation before the Solheim Cup. It has let me know the things I need to sharpen up next week but all in all I’m happy with the way I’m swinging it so I’m a happy, happy girl,” Reid said.

“I’m going to have a few beers on the plane but I think I’m pretty much going to go straight to bed. Its Solheim week, so it’s a big week and it’s going to be a tiring week, so not too many celebrations.”

On Pace’s bogey on the final hole, she added: “I didn’t think Pacey would three-putt the 18th so I did think going into the 18th that I would need to birdie it to win, so in the back of my mind I was thinking it was going to be a play-off.”