United Arab Emirates
Asia-Pacific took the early initiative in both the Bonallack & Patsy Hankins Trophy matches on Day 1 at Al Hamra Golf Club in the UAE. They lead the Patsy Hankins Trophy 7-3, while nothing yet separates the men's contest which stands at 5-5.
After a fast start in the opening foursomes session, the home teams opened a two-point advantage (3.5-1.5) over the Europeans.
English duo Lottie Woad and Patience Rhodes, playing in the top match of the women's competition were the first pairing to score a point today. An emphatic 5&4 win drew first blood for the visitors, but would be the only full point of the session in favour of Myrte Eikenaar's European side. Francesca Fiorellini (ITA) and Rocio Tejedo (ESP) clinched a half-point against Vivian Lu and Huai-Chien Hsu.
The opening session followed a similar pattern in the men's competition. Spanish duo Jose Luis Ballester and Pablo Ereño Perez claimed the top match 2&1, but Asia-Pacific took 3.5 out of the 4 other points available.
Joachim Fourquet's team fought back in the afternoon fourballs however. The Spanish pair put another point on the board for Europe's men, as did Algot Kleen (SWE) & Gunnlaugur Arni Sveinsson (ISL) and Filip Jacubcik (CZE) & Benjamin Reuter (NED).
In the last match of the day, Lev Grinberg (UKR) and Richard Teder (EST) entered the final hole 1 -own but crucially clinched a half-point to leave the score tied at 5-5 after the first day in the Bonallack Trophy.
In the Patsy Hankins Trophy, Asia-Pacific kept the initiative in the afternoon. Another 3.5 - 1.5 scoreline leaves the Europeans four points behind after the first of three days of matches.
Carolina Melgrati (ITA) and Carolina Lopez-Chacara (ESP) score Europe's only full point of the session with a 1-up win, while Lottie Woad (ENG) and Rocio Tejedo (ESP) scored Europe's other half-point.
The contests will see another session of foursomes and fourballs on Thursday before Friday's 12 singles matches.
