Ballesteros pleased to see Europeans keep Royal appointment
Jan 15 2007
By Michael Church, Liverpool Daily Post Correspondent
EUROPEAN captain Seve Ballesteros was unsurprised by his team's crushing victory against Asia in the Royal Trophy.
The Europeans won five of the eight singles match-ups and lost just one to complete a 12.5-3.5 rout of Joe Ozaki's side and the Spanish legend felt the quality and experience of his team was the difference between the line-ups.
"That was fantastic golf from the European side," he said. "These are Ryder Cup champions. They beat the Americans very badly, so this was not a surprise. The Asian team played very well, but we played much better.
"I think a couple of things made the difference. The Asian team did not have quite the experience that the Europeans had and our side played unbelievable golf."
Ballesteros' eight-man team boasted five of the side that hammered the Americans at the K Club and needed just one-and-a-half points on the third and final day to retain the Royal Trophy and two to win it again outright after last year's 9-7 result.
Lee Westwood put the first points on the board with a 4&3 win over Toru Taniguchi. Westwood capitalised on a run of four birdies in five holes after the turn, a sequence that ended his Japanese opponent's resistance.
Paul McGinley then went three up with three to play in his match with Thaworn Wiratchant to virtually guarantee Europe's retention of the title but it was Ryder Cup hero Darren Clarke who actually put the half-point required on the scoreboard, with his draw with Prom Meesawat.
Johan Edfors then won his clash with SK Ho 3&2 to take Europe's tally to nine points and from there was also victory for Anthony Wall, who beat Tetsuji Hiratsuka 4&2.
Robert Karlsson beat Jeev Milkha Singh 3&2, before McGinley finally put his match to bed, winning 2&1.
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