Flair and experience complemented by the ability to step up a level when needed saw the visiting European team sweep the board 5-0 on the first day of the EuraAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM here on Thursday.
Leading from the front was the 50-year-old European skipper himself, Miguel Angel Jimenez, who has the experience of 26 years of pro golf and four Ryder Cup appearances. Looking satisfied, he said: "It was a perfect result. Everything went right. I don't want to change anything."
The Indian duo of Anirban Lahiri and Gaganjeet Bhullar shot a combined seven birdies and still lost 4 and 3 to Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Stephen Gallacher. Summarising Asia's performance, Lahiri said: "I guess we have our backs to the wall. There's only way we can move from here. We can't get any worse, can we? We have to hope that the Europeans get a little complacent and we have to up our games and play our best over the next two days, especially tomorrow, try and win at least four of the matches or bag 3.5 points.
"In our match, we had our chances but we did not take them. They (Gonzo and Stephen) holed 20 and 25-footers and we missed our 10-footers. There were times when we could have got back into the match, like in eighth, ninth and 10th, but we missed."
Gonzolo and Gallacher won the first, fifth, 11th, 12th and 15th holes while Indians' lone success came on 14th with Lahiri's birdie.
For Friday's foursomes, where the players alternate shots with the same ball, Thongchai made three changes. Among them were Lahiri pairing with Siddikur Rahman and Bhullar going out with Nicholas Fung.
Thursday's Fourball results: Europe bt Asia 5-0 (MA Jimenez/ P Larrazabal bt T Jaidee/ K Aphibarnrat 2 & 1; T Bjorn/ T Olesen bt K Oda/ H Tanihara 2 Holes; V Dubuisson/J Luiten bt P Marksaeng/S Rahman 3 & 2; GF Castano/ S Gallacher bt G Bhullar/A Lahiri 4 & 3; G Mcdowell/J Donaldson bt KH Sung/N Fung 3 & 1)
Friday's draw: MA Jimenez/P Larrazabal vs T Jaidee/ K Aphibarnrat; T Bjorn/T Olesen vs P Marksaeng/ KH Sung; V Dubuisson/ J Luiten vs K Oda/ H Tanihara; GF Castano/ S Gallacher vs S Rahman/ A Lahiri; G Mcdowell/ J Donaldson vs G Bhullar/ N Fung
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