Europe back close to GB&I for Seve Trophy

PARIS, Sept. 16 (UPI) -- Miguel Angel Jimenez and Pablo Larrazabal capped a big day for Continental Europe, which pulled close to Great Britain and Ireland in the Seve Trophy event.

Continental Europe grabbed 3 1/2 of the 5 points at stake in four fourball matches Friday and cut the Great Britain and Ireland team lead to 5 1/2-4 1/2 after two days of the four-day competition.

GB&I, which has won the last five Seve Trophies, needs to collect 14 points to retain the trophy. Continental Europe needs 14 1/2 to win.

The lone GB&I win Friday was by Mark Foster and Lee Westwood, who defeated Andres Hansen and Francesco Molinari 5-and-3. Foster and Westwood closed out the match by taking the 14th and 15th holes.

But GB&I's day was shown more by Simon Dyson and Jamie Donaldson, who were up three after eight holes only to have Thomas Bjorn and Raphael Jacquelin fight back to halve the match for Continental Europe.

Europe's Peter Hanson and Alexander Noren were 5-and-3 winners over Robert Rock and Ian Poulter with consecutive wins on Nos. 13-15 sealing the match. And Matteo Manassero birdied the 18th hole to give him and Nicolas Colsaerts a 2-up decision over GB&I's Scott Jamieson and Ross Fisher.

Jimenez and Larrazabal were down early against Daren Clarke and David Horsey but Larrazabal won the 14th hole with a birdie and Jimenez took the 16th with another to take the point.

There are four greensomes and four foursomes matches scheduled for Saturday with 10 singles match play matches set for Sunday.