Ireland and Britain increased their lead after the second day of fourballs at the Seve Trophy at El Saler in Spain today. And Lee Westwood improved his Seve Trophy record to a hugely impressive nine wins out of 11 with another majestic display. Westwood had two eagles and four birdies as he and Howell thrashed Thomas Bjorn and Sergio Garcia five and three in the second series of fourballs.
They were out in 29 and a brilliant 11 under par when the game finished – and this after Westwood contributed eight birdies in a first day victory over Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal.
Holders Britain and Ireland, two points ahead overnight, now lead 6 1/2-3 1/2, but there are still 18 more points to play for this weekend.
Continental Europe again had Alex Cejka and Raphael Jacquelin to thank for not allowing Colin Montgomerie's side to get further ahead - although Montgomerie played a part in that.
One down with two to play, Montgomerie and Paul Lawrie hit their tee shots to within five feet of the flag on the 213-yard 17th. Lawrie's miss meant Montgomerie had to hole his to take the game down the last, but he missed as well.
Next to the same hole were Paul Casey and Brian Davis, with a very different outcome. Casey holed out from sand to go one-up, then sealed a second successive victory over Ignacio Garrido and Miguel Angel Jimenez with a seven-iron to eight feet on the downwind 466-yard last.
Swedes Fredrik Jacobson and Niclas Fasth gave Europe their second win of the day, Fasth making a 25-foot putt on the last for victory over Padraig Harrington and Phillip Price. But in the bottom game Justin Rose and Ian Poulter hit back from their first day defeat to Cejka and Jacquelin by beating Ballesteros and Olazabal three and one.
Filed by Johnny Proby
