The Korean duo of KT Kim and YE Yang gave the Asian Team half a point in Friday
Olazabal's prayers answered as champs take the lead in foursomes for Royal Trophy
Not for nothing, Jose Maria Olazabal is looked up to as a leader. He brings a lot of a passion and dedication to the game. One of the characteristics that makes him a great man-manager is that he soaks up the pressure like Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho and leaves his men to do their job as if they are playing a practice round.
Yesterday, in the foursomes of the Royal Trophy at the Empire Hotel and country club, he went out on the course last like a true warrior with another oldie, Miguel Angel Jimenez, to take on KT Kim and YE Yang.
Resembling a boy scout with the towel worn like a neckerchief, he was troubled by the heat and humidity that saps the energy of best of the golfers in this tropical paradise. However, that did not deter the veterans from teaching a lesson or two to the South Koreans, who had their chances but let their poor putting get in the way of downing the Spaniards, who were supposed to be the Achilles heel of the European team. The duo was calm, composed and steadfast to the main purpose and began punching above their weight.
But when it appeared as if the Europeans would go to their hotel with a 4-0 lead with Jimenez sinking a magnficent putt on the 17th hole, Olazabal hit a wild tee-shot into a hazard on the 18th and his cigar-smoking partner followed suit with another into the bushes. To the amazement of the spectators and rival players, Olazabal graciously conceded the hole on the fairway, halving the match.
"When the first ball is out of bounds and the second ball is lost, I can't make all the people wait. Yang and Kim are not going to make a mess of it anyway," the former Masters champion laughed off. The half point was like a manna from the heaven for captain Naomichi Osaki and the Asian team, who were reeling under the onslaught of Europe.
Yang admitted his battling half alongside Kim may have lifted some of the gloom in the Asian camp.
"I don't know how much it will help, but psychologically it was important that we did not lose all four matches on the opening day.
"Naturally we are all disappointed - it was a frustrating day for all of us. The two-hour hiatus in the matches seemed to make a difference, and we did not play well enough after that."
The script was different when the teams took a two-hour break because of a government enforced law about Friday prayers and contemplation. They were equal on points and Osaki's hopes of a split verdict was a few hours away. It was not to be. What came out was a resurgent European team and a big turnaround in fortunes and a 3 1/2-1/2 score in favour of them.
Wu Ashun and Yoshinori Fujimoto, who took the lead on the first hole against the Molinari brothers Edoardo and Francesco, looked set to scalp the Italians, who were clutching the straws. On the second nine, the Molinaris rattled off four birdies at the start of the second nine, and cancelled out Fujimoto's defiant birdie from 12 feet on the short 14th with yet another birdie of their own on the 15th. The all-rookie Asian never recovered and lost 2 and 1.
Thai golfers are bred on a staple diet of pitching and chipping.
Putting is an inherent weakness. Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who muffed a chance of going up by 1 on the eighth with his long-range putt, produced a piece of magic with his wedge on the ninth and partner Jeev Milkha Singh kept a calm demeanour to coolly drop the putt from seven feet. Big-hitting Nicolas Colsaerts and Marcel Siem were clearly playing second fiddle to the Thai-Indian duo.
The break again did no favour to the hosts and soon the Europeans were leading the match. Siem was all over the place and cussing himself but the Belgian saved his blushes. Kiradech had a great chance to even the match on the 17 but he failed with a small putt and again on the 18th with a long ranger. Colsaerts made a superb downhill put to keep the score at 1-up.
The Thai was a bundle of misery. "It is my first Royal Trophy. Every putt was tough for me. I was under a lot of pressure. The 17th was really bad."
Results
Foursomes
Yoshinori Fujimoto and Wu Ashun lost to Edoardo Molinari and Francesco Molinari 2 and 1
Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Jeev Milkha Singh lost to Marcel Siem and Nicolas Colsaerts 1 up
Ryo Ishikawa and Bae Sang-moon lost to Henrik Stenson and Gonzalo Fernando Castano 5 and 4
YE Yang and KT Kim v Jose Maria Olazabal and Miguel Angel Jimenez, all square
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Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2012/12/15/asia-no-match-for-europe/
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