Scott Jamieson keeps GB&I hopes up in Seve Trophy

David Lynn and Scott Jamieson ponder a shot during yesterdays fourballs match. Picture: Getty

Jose Maria Olazabal’s Continental Europe team looked set to extend their overnight lead for much of Friday’s play but a sterling fightback started by Jamieson left the score at 5½-4½ heading into the weekend.

Paul Casey and Simon Khan had given Great GB&I a good start with a 3&2 victory over Mikko Ilonen and Thorbjorn Olesen. But the remaining four matches threatened to swing blue and Continental Europe restored their two-point advantage when Nicolas Colsaerts and Gonzalo Fdez-Castano equalled the biggest winning margin in the tournament’s history.

They built on a 5&3 win on the opening day by recording a thumping 6&5 success against Paul Lawrie and Stephen Gallacher, which boosted Europe’s hopes of ending six straight Seve Trophy victories by GB and Ireland.

Although Jamie Donaldson and Marc Warren once again reduced the deficit with a 4&2 win over Thomas Bjorn and Miguel Angel Jimenez, both remaining matches looked like going to Europe until a dramatic late twist.

Italians Francesco Molinari and Matteo Manassero looked to be sailing home against Jamieson and David Lynn, but Jamieson’s birdie on the 17th took it to the final hole. After Manassero missed his chance from eight feet, Jamieson stepped up again to sink a six-foot birdie and steal victory in a match the GB pair seldom looked like winning to leave the standings all-square. In the final match of the day, Tommy Fleetwood and Chris Wood came up agonisingly short against Joost Luiten and Gregory Bourdy despite a brave fightback when all seemed lost. The Continental Europe pair were three up after 14 and two up with two to play, but Woods’ eagle on the 17th ensured it would go down to the final hole.

Both Wood and Fleetwood had putts to win the final pin and halve the match, but Fleetwood’s effort from six feet drifted wide.

DAY 2 RESULTS

Continental Europe 5½  Great Britain & Ireland 4½

Fourballs — Paul Casey and Simon Khan (GB&I) beat Mikko Ilonen and Thorbjorn Olesen 3 & 2

David Lynn and Scott Jamieson (GB&I) beat Matteo Manassero and Franceso Molinari by 1 hole

Jamie Donaldson and Marc Warren (GB&I) beat Miguel Angel Jimenez and Thomas Bjorn 4 & 2

Joost Luiten and Gregory Bourdy beat Tommy Fleetwood and Chris Wood (GB&I) by 1 hole

Nicolas Colsaerts and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano beat Paul Lawrie and Stephen Gallacher (GB&I) 6 & 5.

TODAY – FOURSOMES

0850: Colsaerts & Fernandez-Castano v Lawrie & Gallacher

0902: Luiten & Bourdy v Donaldson & Warren

0914: Molinari & Olesen v Wood & Jamieson

0926: Jimenez & Manassero v Casey & Fleetwood