Asia lose Royal Trophy in a thrilling finish

CHONBURI - Jeev Milkha Singh registered one of his best matchplay wins, beating Swede Robert Karlsson but Europe still emerged 8.5 to 7.5 victors over Asia to regain the Royal Trophy golf Sunday.

The other Indian, Gaganjeet Bhullar, lost his match to Soren Kjeldsen 2 and 1.

It was the closest contest in four editions as it boiled down to one par putt on the 18th in the eighth and final singles match. There calm Swede Henrik Stenson rolled it in while Thongchai Jaidee bogeyed the hole and the match was halved.

Had Thongchai, who once led by three, won the match, the resultant 8-8 score would have led to a play-off. World No. 7 Stenson clawed his way back to level things up with three holes to go.

Thongchai had the galleries shrieking with delight when he regained the lead on the 17th with a birdie from eight feet, while Stenson saw his putt shave the hole from a few inches further away.

Needing to win the final hole and avoid a play-off Stenson coolly sank the seven-foot winning putt after Thongchai’s 15 footer for par stopped agonisingly in the jaws of the hole.

Europe last won in 2007 and before that the inaugural edition in 2006. Asia won it last year and the event was not held in 2008.

Jeev, who lost to Karlsson in 2007 Royal Trophy, produced a sensational start. Karlsson, an experienced matchplay exponent, won the World Cup with Stenson in 2008 and was second in 2009.

He has also played on four Seve trophy teams for Europe besides two Ryder Cups and four World Cups for Sweden and has won each of four team competitions at least once. In 2008 Karlsson was in top-10 in three of the four Majors besides winning the European Order of Merit.

Jeev had hat-trick of birdies as he won first three holes. The margin became 4-up as he parred and Karlsson bogeyed the fourth.

Jeev led by the margin at the turn, but Karlsson’s winning birdie on the tenth seemed to give him a new lease. Then Jeev found water on the long 11th to run up a double bogey, and the margin was down to just one hole when Karlsson birdied the 14th.

Jeev regained his composure with a wonderful tee shot to nine feet at the 17th to set up the decisive birdie.

Bhullar went down to the experienced Kjeldsen after putting up a great fight. Bhullar produced a great chip-in to keep the match alive at the 16th, but when Kjeldsen nailed a 10-footer for birdie at the 17th, the young Indian could not match him.

Even though Asia at one time were leading in five of the singles and all square in one more, the fight came down to the wire.

European captain and veteran Ryder Cup player, Colin Montgomerie also had to call on a

all his experience to fight back from a two holes deficit after 10 holes to square his match with 2008 Asia No. 1 Liang Wen-chong for another crucial half point.

Earlier Charlie Wi won the first singles beating Simon Dyson 1-up with a birdie on the 18th.

Koumei Oda thrashed Alexander Noren 5 and 4 in the most one-sided match with six birdies, including three in a row from 13th to 15th.

Europe hit back as Pablo Martin won 2-up on the 17th against Prayad Marksaeng and then Peter Hanson whipped young Ryo Ishikawa 5-up on the 14th with six birdies during the day.