Europe romps to emphatic victory

KUALA LUMPUR — Europe demonstrated its matchplay superiority over Asia Sunday, claiming an emphatic 13-point victory in the EurAsia Cup here. Europe won 10 of the deciding 12 singles matches for an 18.5 to 5.5 points triumph on the Glenmarie Golf and Country club course. Darren Clarke’s Europe team was leading by three points after Friday’s opening four-balls and extended its lead to six following Saturday’s foursomes. The Asian team, which had forced a dramatic 10-all draw in the inaugural event in 2014, had no answer to its European rival, winning just two of the singles and halving another. England’s Danny Willett claimed the crucial point, defeating last year’s European Tour “Rookie of the Year” An Byeong-Hun 3 & 1 to give Europe an unassailable 13 to 3 advantage, before Clarke raised the trophy as rival Asian captain Jeev Milka Singh looked on. “I feel really sorry for Jeev and his team as they just came up against a red-hot, a very hot European team this week,” said Clarke. He added: “Guys are proud to represent Europe and that’s why we are Europeans and that’s why they are all here because we want to win.” Ian Poulter claimed the opening point on the closing day with a 4 & 3 win over local hero Danny Chia. Englishman Andy Sullivan remained undefeated in his three matches, claiming a 4 & 3 triumph over Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee. Lee Westwood made it 12 points for Europe after thumping Malaysia’s Nicholas Fang 7 & 6. Sweden’s Kristoffer Broberg defeated Japan’s Shingo Katayama 5 & 4. Current Asian Tour number one Anirban Lahiri from India then defeated Ireland’s Shane Lowry 2 & 1, while Korean K.T. Kim silenced Austrian-born Bernd Wiesberger 3 & 2. Lahiri called on the Asian Tour, the world’s third largest, to step up to the challenge of competing on the global stage. Snedeker, Blair share lead Zac Blair had six birdies in a six-under par 64 Saturday to grab a share of the third-round lead alongside Brandt Snedeker at the US PGA Tour Sony Open in Hawaii. Blair had a chance to take sole possession of the lead in the $5.8 million tournament at Waialea Country Club in Honolulu, but missed a birdie putt from inside three feet at the 18th. “I hit a bad putt, nothing more to it than that,” said the 25-year-old, who goes into the final round in search of his first PGA Tour title tied with seven-time tour winner Snedeker on 16-under par 194. Overnight leader Snedeker carded a bogey-free four-under par 66. The leaders were one stroke in front of American Kevin Kisner, who carded a 66 for 195. Kisner shook off a bogey at the par-three 17th, where his five-iron ended up on the wrong side of a hospitality tent, to birdie 18. South Korean Kim Si-woo, 20, capped his round with a birdie at 17 and an eagle at 18 for a 65 that left him two off the pace on 196 — two shots in front of Argentina’s Fabian Gomez, who carded a 65 for 198. The leaderboard, tightly bunched all week, spread out just a bit at the top on Saturday, but with seven players tied at 199, there were still 10 players within four shots of the 16-under lead. — Agencies