NEWS RELEASE FROM EUROPEAN TOUR
José María Olazábal`s European Team found the going tough as Asia dominated the opening day foursomes in Guangzhou to build a 3-1 lead in the Royal Trophy.
Thai pair Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat beat Scots Stephen Gallacher and Paul Lawrie 5 and 3 in the lead-off game before Japanese duo Hiroyuki Fujita and Ryo Ishikawa edged out Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger 3 and 2.
The Asian team then went 3-0 up when K T Kim and Kim Hyung-Sung of Korea saw off the challenge of Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen and Spain's Alvaro Quiros with a 4 and 2 win.
Englishman David Howell and Scot Marc Warren pulled a point back, however, a 2 and 1 success over China's Liang Wen-chong and Wu Ashun seeing Europe avoid a foursomes whitewash at the Dragon Lake Golf Club.
The highlight of the day came in that final clash as Warren holed out from the bunker for a winning birdie on the par five eighth.
"It was a bad day for us. We didn't expect that start," said Olazábal.
"Now we have to be spot-on for the last two days - and that's our goal. We have to play aggressively and go for it. We do not have much room to manoeuvre."