BANGKOK, Jan 7: Seve Ballesteros-led Europe took a commanding 6-2 lead over a faltering Asia in blustery conditions after the first day of the Royal Trophy matchplay duel on Saturday.

The experienced Europeans built on a two-point advantage from the morning foursomes with a repeat 3-1 triumph in the fourballs at the 7,453-yard Amata Spring Country Club.

Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn starred with two victories in different partnerships to put Europe on the brink of victory with just two-and-a-half points required from the eight singles on Sunday.

Bjorn, who has tasted success in two Ryder Cup contests, combined with Sweden’s Henrik Stenson to edge Zhang Lian-wei of China and Yasuharu Imano of Japan by a hole in the foursomes and then fired seven birdies in 17 holes to bring Asia’s early session heroes Thaworn Wiratchant and Thongchai Jaidee crashing back to earth.

Bjorn and Ian Woosnam beat the Thai duo 3 and 2 to give the Welshman some degree of revenge after he and England’s Nick Faldo, who starred together for Europe in Ryder Club clashes in the late 1980s, were crushed 6 and 5 by Asian number one Thaworn and Thongchai in the morning matches.

The only bright spot for Asia in the afternoon fourball matches was a one hole win for the talented Indian duo of Arjun Atwal and Jyoti Randhawa over Englishmen David Howell and Kenneth Ferrie.

Atwal, rated the best putter on the US PGA Tour last season when he earned just under one million dollars, praised playing partner Randhawa for his afternoon performance.

Ireland’s Paul McGinley, a hero for Europe in past Ryder Cup matches, formed a great partnership with Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland with the duo contributing two points to the European cause.

They beat Atwal and Randhawa 4 and 3 in the foursomes before edging matchplay specialist Zhang, who had a nightmare on the greens with several missed putts, and Korea’s Hur Suk-ho 2 and 1.

Stenson, unbeaten in five matches for the Continentals in last year’s Seve Trophy, further underlined his potential as a team player with a 100 percent record on Saturday.

He followed up his win with Bjorn by shooting six birdies alongside Faldo as they pipped the battling Japanese duo of Keiichiro Fukabori and Yasuharu Imano by one hole.

Ballesteros said he was happy that his decision to split up Faldo and Woosnam after their heavy loss had paid dividends.

There is total prize money of US$1.5m for the first Royal Trophy, with the winning team sharing one million and the runners-up 500,000.

Team scores after day one: Asia 2 Europe 6

Foursomes

David Howell (ENG)-Kenneth Ferrie (ENG) bt Hur Suk-ho (KOR)-Keiichiro Fukabori (JPN) 2 up

Paul McGinley (IRE)-Graeme McDowell (NIR) bt Arjun Atwal (IND)-Jyoti Randhawa (IND) 4 and 3

Thomas Bjorn (DEN)-Henrik Stenson (SWE) bt Yasuharu Imano (JPN)-Zhang Lian-wei (CHN) 1 up

Thaworn Wiratchant (THA)-Thongchai Jaidee (THA) bt Nick Faldo (ENG)-Ian Woosnam (WAL) 6 and 5

Fourball

Arjun Atwal (IND)-Jyoti Randhawa (IND) bt David Howell (ENG)-Kenneth Ferrie (ENG) 1 up

Paul McGinley (IRE)-Graeme McDowell (NIR) bt Hur Suk-ho (KOR)-Zhang Lian-wei (CHN) 2 and 1

Ian Woosnam (WAL)-Thomas Bjorn (DEN) bt Thaworn Wiratchant (THA)-Thongchai Jaidee (THA) 3 and 2

Nick Faldo (ENG)-Henrik Stenson (SWE) bt Keiichiro Fukabori (JPN) Yasuharu Imano (JPN) 1 up.—AFP