The battle is on between Asia-Pacific and Europe in the Patsy Hankins Trophy. La Manga Golf Club saw consistent golf shots on day 1, as the home team took a three-point lead built entirely in the afternoon fourballs.
The Europeans drew first blood in the morning foursomes, simultaneously scoring two quick points to give the whole team the momentum. Cayetana Fernandez and Rocio Tejedo clinched match number 3 on the 16th, as England’s Lottie Woad and Patience Rhodes beat Japan’s Mizuki Hashimoto and Nakano Inagaki, 4&3.
Asia-Pacific scored their first full point in the last match, thanks to Fiona Xu and Ting Hsuan Huang. The par 5 18th was only visited by the top two matches. And both times, the outcome went Asia-Pacific’s way. Sweden’s Kajsa Arwefjall and Meja Örtengren held a one-hole advantage walking down the last fairway. But Australia’s Maddison Hinson-Tolchard and Caitlin Peirce held firm until the end, winning the last hole and halving the match.
Helen Briem and Celina Sattelkau gave themselves a good opportunity in match number 2, leading by one hole through 16. But the Germans lost the final two holes against Korea’s Minsol Kim and Yeji Park.
Both teams started the afternoon fourballs with 2,5 points. But the session quickly went Europe’s way, and didn’t shift back. Asia-Pacific’s only success of the afternoon was an impressive one nonetheless. Trailing by several holes at the beginning of the back nine, Hinson-Tolchard and Inagaki went into birdie mode in match number two against Helen Briem and Savannah de Bock. The Australian closed the match by hitting a nerve-wracking putt on the final green.
A few minutes prior, Kajsa Arwefjall and Patricie Mackova had scored the first point of the session for Europe. Two convincing wins quickly followed, one by Cayetana Fernandez and Francesca Fiorellini in match number 3, and the other one by Rocio Tejedo and Meja Örtengren in match number 4.
The two teams were able to gather around the 18th green to witness the outcome of the final match. Leading by one hole through 17, Lottie Woad and Beth Coulter were forced to make birdie to secure a full point, which they did. After a solid second shot, which hit the green, Coulter nearly saw her eagle putt drop, but left it close enough for a gimmie birdie and a full point.
Europe and Asia-Pacific will face the same program on Friday, with foursomes in the morning, and fourballs in the afternoon. The matches are all but over, with a total of 22 points still available.