Asia-Pacific won the Patsy Hankins Trophy with a day to spare when they went unbeaten in all 10 matches in the fourballs and foursomes at the Doha Golf Club yesterday.
Of the 10 matches – five fourballs and five foursomes – they won eight, and halved the other two to guarantee them the title. They now have 16.5 points against Europe’s mere 3.5 leaving them in an unassailable position even with 12 singles matches still to be played today. Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul, who won the inaugural Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Golf Championship earlier this year, and Yuka Saso have a perfect record in Doha so far, winning all four of their matches together.
On the European team, Puk Lyng Thomsen and Annabell Fuller were the only pair not to lose on day two. They halved their fourball match in the morning and their foursomes match in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, Europe will take a two-point lead into the final day of the Bonallack Trophy. Of the ten matches on day two, Europe won five and halved three to better Asia-Pacific by three points. Finnish pair, Sami Valimaki & Matias Honkala, who halved their fourball match on Thursday morning, went one better in the Friday fourball session, defeating Australians Min Woo Lee and Shae Wools-Cobb by one hole.
Robin Dawson & Marc Hammer halved their match, although were leading 6up at one stage. English pair, Matthew Jordan & Todd Clements also halved their match in the morning. Kristoffer Reitan & Rasmus Hojgaard, playing in the last match of the session, scored another point for Europe, winning 2&1 to level the match at 7.5 points each.
In the afternoon foursomes session, French duo, Frederic Lacroix & Catherine Edgar, who lost 4&3 in the morning fourballs, won their match by the same score. Robin Dawson & Marc Hammer won by two holes, while Matthew Jordan & Todd Clements won 3&1.
Oliver Gillberg & Angel Hidalgo, who played in the first match of the session, scored half a point, while Sami Valimaki & Matias Honkala lost by one hole, leaving the match score at 11-9 to Europe heading into the last day.