Shane Lowry and Séamus Energy went pointless on day two as Continental Europe claimed the final two foursomes to take an 8.5-6.5 lead into Sunday’s singles on the Hero Cup in Abu Dhabi.
railing by a degree after the opening day’s fourballs, Nice Britain and Eire hoped to make their higher expertise inform in two classes of foursomes play.
However whereas the morning foursomes session was shared 2.5-2.5, Lowry and Energy have been effectively crushed, 3&2 by France’s Victor Perez and Italy’s Guido Migliozzi within the anchor match earlier than dropping once more with separate companions within the afternoon.
Lowry and Tyrrell Hatton have been crushed 1-up to Sepp Straka and Thomas Detry at quantity 4 and whereas Energy was reunited along with his fourball associate Robert MacIntyre they misplaced 2&1 to the spectacular Perez and Migliozzi within the anchor match.
The three-2 session win for Francesco Molinari’s Continental Europe aspect provides them a two-point lead heading into the ten singles and the Italian was delighted along with his crew and his partnership with younger Dane Nicolai Hojgaard (21), which has yielded two and a half factors from three.
“So much,” Molinari (40) stated when requested how a lot he needs to win an occasion designed to provide European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald some pointers for September’s match in Rome.
“We stated in the beginning of the week, we’re all rivals and we’re all Europeans clearly, and we all know effectively that in September, we’re all going to be collectively.
“However dropping isn’t a pleasant feeling, so such as you stated, lengthy approach to go. The boys are actually grinding it out and making an attempt as exhausting as they will. So I could not ask for extra from them, however tomorrow we have to exit and do the identical once more.”
Molinari added: “Effectively, we have to win tomorrow’s session. We have carried out an incredible job profitable two classes out of three and halving the opposite one. So we have to exit and win the session.
“Two factors is nothing. Now we have been clearly in conditions the place a lot larger margins have been eroded. However I’ve acquired full belief and confidence in all the opposite 9 guys, so trying ahead to the problem of tomorrow.”
Lowry has misplaced his three matches whereas Energy has one level from three and each will likely be eager to win their singles for Fleetwood, who gained with Hatton towards Straka and Detry within the morning earlier than serving to Jordan Smith to a 2&1 win over Thomas Pieters and Alex Noren within the afternoon.
“A few matches may have gone both means,” Fleetwood stated. “We ended the day two factors behind, however two factors behind is okay and we have now a full, single session to go.
“We are able to replicate on as we speak and we’ll all sit within the crew room and we’ll be speaking about our rounds and the whole lot, however total we exit and get a quick begin tomorrow, we’re straight again within the sport.”
Requested his message for his crew, Fleetwood stated: “Win the primary three factors and win the lead and go from there.”
In the meantime, Spain’s Juan Postigo Arce gained his maiden title after securing a two-stroke victory in The G4D Tour @ Hero Cup at Abu Dhabi Golf Membership.
The Spaniard posted a closing degree par spherical of 72 to complete on one over par after 36 holes, two away from Canadian Kurtis Barkley in second whereas Louth’s Brendan Lawlor was a shot additional again in third on 4 over par after a 71.
Eire’s Conor Stone completed in eighth place after a closing 75.
Lowry will lead off within the singles towards Molinari on Sunday whereas Energy will tackle Hojgaard within the fourth match.
Fleetwood is eager to erase the 2 level deficit rapidly and performs at quantity two towards 2016 Ryder Cup participant Thomas Pieters because the skilled Hatton takes on French rookie, Antoine Rozner at quantity three.
Sunday Singles Matches
Continental Europe (6.5) v GB&I (5.5)
1 10:35 Francesco Molinari V Shane Lowry
2 10:45 Thomas Pieters V Tommy Fleetwood
3 10:55 Antoine Rozner V Tyrrell Hatton
4 11:05 Nicolai Højgaard V Seamus Energy
5 11:15 Thomas Detry V Matt Wallace
6 11:25 Adrian Meronk V Callum Shinkwin
7 11:35 Victor Perez V Jordan Smith
8 11:45 Sepp Straka V Ewen Ferguson
9 11:55 Alex Noren V Robert Macintyre
10 12:05 Guido Migliozzi V Richard Mansell
