McGinley secures Trophy triumph

Europe handed Asia a crushing 12.5-3.5 defeat to retain the Royal Trophy at the Amata Spring Country Club, winning five of the eight singles and losing just once in an all-conquering display.

Needing just two points for the win and one-and-a-half to retain the title, the task was achieved when Ireland's Paul McGinley guaranteed his team a share of the spoils in his encounter with Thaworn Wiratchant when he went three-up with three to play with a birdie at the 15th.

By then Lee Westwood had given the Europeans their first win when a blistering performance after the turn saw him defeat Japan's Toru Taniguchi 4 and 3.

And, soon after McGinley's birdie at the 15th, Darren Clarke completed his drawn match with Prom Meesawat to put the half-point on the board that confirmed the retention of the trophy.

Only local golfer Thongchai Jaidee could stop the European juggernaut, defeating Sweden's Niclas Fasth 2 and 1 in the day's final game but by then the damage had been well and truly done.

However, despite guaranteeing the Europeans would retain the trophy, McGinley struggled to close out his match and it was left to Johan Edfors to score the point that sealed the outright victory.

The Swede had led for most the round against SK Ho and the South Korean, already two down, conceded the 16th to hand Edfors a 3 and 2 win and leave the scoreboard reading 9-2 to Europe.

McGinley eventually defeated Wiratchant 2 and 1 on the 17th green and the Europeans added another point when Anthony Wall completed a 4 and 2 win over Japan's Tetsuji Hiratsuka.

The outcome represented an impressive turnaround by McGinley, who had fallen two behind by the second hole as Wiratchant sprinted off with a couple of birdies. However by the seventh hole the pair were level.

A wayward tee-shot at the eighth saw McGinley put his ball in the water and the Thai golfer claim the hole, but from there the European went on a charge, birdying the next four holes - including a 20-foot putt to win the 11th - to go three-up.