Britain and Ireland retained the Seve Trophy at El Saler on Sunday with a 15-13 victory over Continental Europe at Campo de Golf Parador in El Saler, Spain. Captain Colin Montgomerie set the tone in the opening match, beating his counterpart Seve Ballesteros 5 and 4, before Spaniard Ignacio Garrido earned Europe's first point of the day with a 3 and 2 victory over Scot Paul Lawrie.
Englishman David Howell and Justin Rose won two of the next three encounters before Ireland's Padraig Harrington squared a tense match with twice US Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal to clinch the trophy.
Montgomerie's team had gone into the 10 last-day singles matches 10-8 ahead, needing to win a further 4-1/2 points to clinch the third edition of the Ryder Cup-style event.
The Europeans were dealt a blow when Denmark's Thomas Bjorn pulled out of his scheduled match against Paul Casey with a neck injury. His opponent was awarded the full point for victory.
Results of Sunday's singles matches:Seve Ballesteros (Spain) lost to Colin Montgomerie (Britain) 5 & 4Alex Cejka (Germany) lost to David Howell (Britain) one holeIgnacio Garrido (Spain) beat Paul Lawrie (Britain) 3 & 2Fredrik Jacobson (Sweden) beat Lee Westwood (Britain) 2 & 1JM Olazabal (Spain) v Padraig Harrington (Ireland) - halvedNiclas Fasth (Sweden) v Ian Poulter (Britain) - halvedThomas Bjorn (Denmark) lost to Paul Casey (Britain) Raphael Jacquelin (France) lost to Justin Rose (Britain) 3 & 2Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain) beat Brian Davis (Britain) 2 & 1Sergio Garcia (Spain) beat Phillip Price (Britain) 4 & 3
(Continental Europe names first)
Filed by Shane Murray
