Kim Kyung-tae proved Asia's man of the moment as he sank an improbable birdie from 15 feet in the fourballs play-off match to defeat Europe in the sixth Royal Trophy at the Empire Hotel and Country Club here yesterday. It was a famous second victory for Asia after their initial success in 2009.
Nicolas Colsaerts, who stole a crucial half a point on the 18th hole against Bae Sang-moon and Wu Ashun in the fourballs on Saturday, had a chance to excel again and keep the match alive. The five-foot distance was child's play for the Belgian, who not only bombs his drives but also put on a putting exhibition here.
Golf, like life, can be cruel sometimes. It lets you down when you need that little luck most. The 30-year-old, who had earned two and a half points for his team in the three days, did the unthinkable by pushing it to the right, to the joy of the Asian team, who went wild, pouring cold water on one another and doing an impromptu Gagnam-style dance.
Captain Naomichi Ozaki could not hide his delight and jumped like a youngster. "I am so proud of all my players, especially Kim.
"It was a great Royal Trophy and a great way to finish," he said.
Europe's captain Jose Maria Olazabal, who halved his match with Kiradech Aphibarnrat owing to a neck injury, admitted his team were hugely disappointed. "You saw how close this match was by the fact six of the seven singles matches came down to the final hole.
"In the play-off, Nicolas hit two wonderful shots and was actually closer to the hole than Kim.
"The margins between victory and defeat are tiny, and I have told my players I am very proud of them and they should leave with their head held high."
In fact, pundits predicted the battle would go down to the wire as it had in the previous two editions, though Europe had a thin 4 ½-3 ½ advantage. It did, and made the atmosphere simply electrifying.
Europe were clutching at straws and hoping that Henrik Stenson would deliver them the eighth point in the seventh match and take them to the play-off. Ryo Ishikawa, who fought back from 3 down at the 13th hole, gave them fresh lease of life by a poor tee-shot into the bunker and hitting his approach to the right on the 18th green. Stenson chipped close, halved the hole and sewed up the match.
It all boiled down to the fourballs play-off where Kim hit a superb second shot while partner YE Yang, who had a great tournament, uncharacteristically drove into the bunker and compounded the mistake with a terrible approach shot.
Colsaerts, who hit a huge drive, had just a short iron. He hit even closer than Kim and made it appear that Europe would take the honours once again.But Kim tore the script apart with his putting heroic and achieving a sensational victory.
Earlier in the day, Asia's hopes hinged on a fast start and on the shoulders of the two South Koreans Bae Sang-moon and Kim.
When it looked it like the two would fetch two crucial points against Europe, Nicolas Colsaerts delivered the killer blow on the 15th hole with a sensational eagle and took the lead away from Bae, who led until hole 11 but frittered away the advantage.
Fernandez-Castano, who was poor all day, came to life in the last two holes with birdies and snatched half a point from Kim, who was leading until the 16th hole. It was a cruel end to a one-sided match.
Yoshinori Fujimoto looked down and out against Marcel Siem, who led until the 13th hole, but picked up the pieces on the downward stretch with a hat-trick of birdies from the 12th setting up a thrilling turnaround. Siem's game surprisingly went south and the Japanese enhanced his credentials with a win on the 17th hole.
China's Wu played near-flawless golf as he charged into a three-up lead against Francesco Molinari.
But Molinari's renowned iron play came to the fore as he made birdies at both par threes on the back nine - the 14th and 16th, and when Wu made his only bogey at 17 after finding the greenside bunker it was honours even.
In a nerve-shredding duel, Jeev Milkha Singh effected the sucker punch on Miguel Angel Jimenez with a 25-feet birdie putt to go one-up on the 17th. It all came down to a chipping contest on 18 with both players pulling their shots. Singh closed the door on the Spaniard with a fantastic chip and giving Asia a great point.
"Miguel was excellent all day. He has experience on his side and I am fortunate to win the match. There was more pressure than winning a tournament. Birdies on the 16, 17 and 18 was the turning point.
"Though I said I feel like 21 yesterday, today I felt like a 42-year-old," said Singh, who was the most popular Asian in Brunei.
YE Yang simply blew away Francesco Molinari, who was listless. Asia's only major champion stamped his class on this match right from the start, with four birdies in the first eight holes earning him an advantage he never looked like surrendering. The Korean star, who had five birdies, gave the point that put his team into the play-off.
Results
Asia bt Europe 8-8*
(*Play-off on the 18th hole with Asia winning 1-0 through KT Kim and YE Yang over Nicolas Colsaerts and Francesco Molinari)
Singles
Kiradech Aphibarnrat v Jose Maria Olazabal, all square
Bae Sang-Moon lost to Nicolas Colsaerts, 1-up
KT Kim v Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, all square
Yoshinori Fujimoto bt Marcel Siem, 1-up
Wu Ashun v Edoardo Molinari, all square
Jeev Milkha Singh bt Miguel Angel Jimenez, 1 up
Ryo Ishikawa lost to Henrik Stenson, 1 up
YE Yang bt Francesco Molinari 21.
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Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2012/12/17/kim-the-hero-as-asia-celebrate-royal-trophy/
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