Colin Montgomerie’s Britain and Ireland side will take a 10-6 lead into the final day singles after doubling their overnight advantage in difficult wet conditions during two long sessions of fourballs in the Seve Trophy at Druids Glen today.
"We’d have taken 10-6 at the start of the day," explained a delighted Montgomerie who praised his team "for excelling in all of the closely contested matches."
Ballesteros’ response illustrated the magnitude of the task ahead but he remains confident:
"We are further behind than I expected, we know it will be difficult but it is still possible," he said. His desire to win is unquestioned, this morning’s performance was proof alone but he did say, "I don’t mind losing my game tomorrow as long as seven of my guys win."
The glamour tie of the afternoon was arguably captain Montgomerie and Darren Clarke narrowly losing by one hole to Jose Maria Olazabal and Miguel Angel Jimenez in the final match. The former were slow to gel, dropping three shots in the first six holes and trailed by one hole. Clarke then found direction on the greens and made two 10footers for birdies at eight and nine to level matters at the turn.
Clarke’s touch continued when he holed a 25foot birdie putt across the 13th green to edge in front but the Spaniards replied with a birdie of their own at the next. The telling difference came at the 16th, Clarke tried to hit a wood from the bunker but found the gorse in front of him. Unable to respond, Montgomerie conceded the 18th and the match 1-down when the Europeans had two putts for victory from 10feet.
Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley, the only players to have played all four rounds together, bided their time before Irish fortunes changed against Alex Cejka and Niclas Fasth. They were never up in the match until the 15th when the German chunked his second into the water. On the previous hole Harrington stroked home a 15foot birdie putt to level the match.
Harrington and McGinley lost the 16th to go back to level but it was Fasth’s turn to hit the water on the 17th, and with McGinley safely on the green, it forced the Europeans to concede. The Irish duo were made to sweat on the last after Fasth hit his approach into eight feet but Cejka missed, and went with it the chance to level the match.
"It has been a long day. Obviously we are pleased with the win," said Harrington who excelled on the greens. "I was happy with my putting and comfortable with the wet greens where you can give them a chance."
Ian Woosnam holed a six foot putt at the last to gain a half match with the Scandinavian giants, Robert Karlsson and Thomas Bjorn in the top match. The home pair made a birdie at the 16th to get back on level terms after chasing most of the day and from there closing pars completed the level par rounds.
Having been two down after three, the Scottish duo, Andrew Oldcorn and Paul Lawrie, clawed their way back to level by the sixth. Oldcorn sank an 12 footer for two at the eighth to go 1-up, from there the Scots refused to relinquish their lead halving the next eight holes. Aside from exchanging wins at the 16th and 17th the game was halved with pars at the last, a fair result on reflection.
Earlier, Britain and Ireland won the fourball ties 3-1 but Ballesteros, playing alongside Olazabal, stood out producing some of the old magic to record Europe’s only win (2&1) of the morning against Harrington and McGinley in a highly entertaining matchplay tussle.
"It was vintage Seve and Ollie, they had five putts in eight holes. What can you do against that," said McGinley after the famous Spanish partnership covered the last eight holes in six-under.
How Ballesteros played the difficult 13th epitomised his present game. A carved tee shot necessitated a penalty drop away from the stream. From a hanging lie he then produced a miraculous three-wood, found the green and held a 20footer for par and the half.
Two up with as many to play, Ballesteros set up the grandstand finish by holing his bunker shot at the 17th rendering Harrington’s four foot birdie chance redundant.
"Seve did what he’s done so often in the past and I had to get down on my knees to applaud the shot," said Olazabal who gestured a worship to the great man. You couldn’t have scripted it.
"Yes it was a memorable day for us both playing together," said Ballesteros afterwards. "It was a fantastic way to finish a special match, the Irish boys played really well too."
Ballesteros was late for the singles draw in the media centre after today’s play, but when he arrived and heard Montgomerie requested Harrington to play Olazabal Ballesteros joked "that was my choice too." Of the ties this one stands out as the main attraction tomorrow.
A four point cushion should be enough for the home side but if the Europeans demonstrate anything close to the determination their captain did today, there may be plenty of drama still to come.