Team Cup: Tommy Fleetwood earns winning point as Great Britain and Ireland dominate Ryder Cup-style event

12 January 2025, 06:32 | Updated: 12 January 2025, 14:13

Tommy Fleetwood claimed the winning point as Great Britain and Ireland completed a convincing 17-8 victory over Continental Europe in the Ryder Cup-style Team Cup.

Fleetwood secured the point that confirmed Team Europe's 2023 victory in Rome and repeated the feat in this week's Ryder Cup-style team event, being played as part of preparations ahead of September's trip to Bethpage Black to face Team USA.

Justin Rose's GB and Ireland had won each of the first three sessions to take a seven-point lead over Francesco Molinari's Continental Europe team, leaving them requiring just two points from the 10 singles matches to win the biennial contest.

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Laurie Canter claimed the first singles point after thrashing Romain Langasque 5&4, ending the Frenchman's 100 per cent record in the event, before Fleetwood took GB and Ireland to the 13 points required for victory when he beat Matthieu Pavon 3&1 in the top match.

Tyrrell Hatton finished the week unbeaten after seeing off former Ryder Cup team-mate Thorbjorn Olesen by the same margin, with Rose and Paul Waring also picking up singles victories, as GB and Ireland won six points on the final day to close out a resounding win.

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Pavon had won three of Continental Europe's four points alongside Langasque over the first two days, although quickly found himself three down against Fleetwood in the top match despite playing his first seven holes in four under.

Canter had been sent out in match three by Rose and got his point after winning five holes in a six-hole stretch on his way to beating Langasque, with GB and Ireland's victory assured when Fleetwood and Hatton were both two ahead with two to play.

Fleetwood's victory was confirmed when Pavon took two attempts out of a greenside bunker at the par-four 17th and conceded the hole, leaving the Englishman - who was on the green in two - the only player to win all four of his matches.

"It obviously feels great," Fleetwood said, who was player-captain during GB and Ireland's 2023 Team Cup loss. "I always find it very motivating and inspiring being around the lads in a team environment, you want to get the best out of yourself. Happy that we got it done this time."

Hatton completed his win over Olesen on the same hole, having won three consecutive holes from the eighth earlier in their high-qualify match, with Rose adding another point when he closed out a 3&2 win over Julien Guerrier.

Waring rounded off a memorable week by seeing Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen 4&3, with GB and Ireland's winning margin looking set to be even bigger until Continental Europe battled back in the closing matches.

Niklas Norgaard saw off Matthew Jordan 3&2 and Matt Wallace squandered a commanding lead over the closing holes to give Antoine Rozner a shock 1up victory, with Matteo Manassero also defeating Tom McKibbin on the final hole.

The final two matches on the course finished as ties, with Rasmus Hojgaard coming back from three down with five to play to earn a half-point against Aaron Rai and Molinari also needing a late comeback to finish level with Jordan Smith.

Rose: Team Cup experience will help in Ryder Cup

"There's a lot of awesome lessons for all the guys come September," Rose said. "Match play is unique, we don't do enough of it. You can't just turn that tap on immediately so having these opportunities is really important and there are plenty of lessons to remember.

"You can't simulate the intensity of a Ryder Cup with the crowd and energy but you want to win. The environment is hard to replicate but that competitive match play is so valuable.

"I've loved the challenge, experience and the lads have made me look incredibly good at it with the way they've played. We had one clear message, to go out on the front foot, to try and be relentless, play wave after wave.

"We had a big lead coming into today and everyone felt like we could get the job done but just to grow everyone's individual pride. Every credit to Continental Europe, they fought till the very end."

What's next?

The DP World Tour stays in the Middle East for the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, the opening Rolex Series event of the year, where Rory McIlroy returns as defending champion. Featured Group coverage begins on Thursday from 4am on Sky Sports Golf, ahead of full coverage from 7am.

Several of this week's Team Cup line-up are likely to feature at the Ryder Cup later this year, exclusively live from September 26-28 on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, majors and more with NOW.

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