Britain & Ireland dominates Continental Europe to win Team Cup as Fleetwood claims clinching point

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ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Britain & Ireland completed a 17-8 win over Continental Europe in the Team Cup, an event that gave European players valuable matchplay experience ahead of the Ryder Cup in New York this year.

Tommy Fleetwood secured the point that clinched the expected victory for Britain & Ireland, which led 11-4 heading into Sunday’s singles after a dominant first two days at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort.

Britain & Ireland needed just two more points from the singles and after Laurie Canter beat Romain Langasque 5&4, Fleetwood defeated Matthieu Pavon 3&1. Fleetwood also claimed the winning point for Europe when beating the United States outside Rome to reclaim the Ryder Cup in 2023.

“Slightly different circumstances this time, but it feels great,” Fleetwood said. “What an unbelievable group of lads we had again this week and an unbelievable captain, so it was good to be a part of it.”

Justin Rose was the Britain & Ireland captain and he said his message before play was “to go out on the front foot, try to be relentless, to play wave after wave.”

His team won five of the first six matches, with Tyrrell Hatton beating Thorbjorn Olesen 3&1, Rose beating Julien Guerrier 3&2, and Paul Waring beating Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen 4&3.

“I have loved the challenge and the experience,” Rose said, “and the lads have made me look incredibly good at it.”

Continental Europe, which won two years ago when the event was called the Hero Cup, finished strongly with wins for Niklas Norgaard, Antoine Rozner and Matteo Manassero. The last two matches — between Francesco Molinari and Jordan Smith, and Rasmus Hojgaard and Aaron Rai — finished as ties.

The event was formerly called The Seve Trophy and was played eight times from 2000-13, with Britain & Ireland winning six times and Continental Europe winning twice.

Six of the 20 players and captains from the 2023 edition wound up playing the Ryder Cup that year.

This year’s Ryder Cup is at Bethpage Black in September.

“Matchplay is unique, we don’t do enough of it,” Rose said. “You can’t just turn that tap on immediately when you need it, so having these opportunities to play that is important. There’s some lessons in matchplay that you need to continue to remember.

“You can’t simulate the intensity of the Ryder Cup, with the crowd and the energy, but at the end of the day as soon as you put a crest here,” he said, slapping his chest, “and you have 10 mates right behind you, you want to win.”

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf