The Continent of Europe is in a strong position going into day two of the St Andrews Trophy tomorrow at Prince's Golf Club in Kent, England. After winning all four foursomes in the morning and also winning four out of eight afternoon single matches, the Continent of Europe goes into the second day with an excellent 8-4 lead over Great Britain and Ireland.
Matthias Schwab and Guido Migliozzi recorded a superb 4&3 win over Great Britain and Ireland’s Jack Hume and David Boote in the opening match to claim the first point for the Continental Team.
After Hume and Boote had won two of the first three holes Schwab and Migliozzi took over and the match was finished on the 16th following a bogey from Hume and Boote.
Mario Galiano and Ivan Cantero Gutierrez won against Scott Gregory and Stuart Grehan by two holes. The Spaniards won four of the last six holes to ensure the second point for their team.
Frenchman Victor Veyret and Sweden’s Robin Petersson won 2&1 over England's Alfie Plant and Jamie Bower, before the Italian pair Stefano Mazzoli and Luca Cianchetti defeated Connor Syme and Robert MacIntyre 2&1 to ensure the 4-0 lead for the Continent of Europe going into the afternoon.
In the afternoon single matches Gregory won against Jeroen Krietemeijer 3&2 and Hume defeated Migliozzi 5&4 to temporarily shorten Great Britain and Ireland's deficit. However, the next four matches were again won by the Continental Team to re-gain a four-point lead.
Cantero recorded a 2&1 win over Grant Forrest, Austria's Schwab defeated Wales' Boote 3&1 and Galiano and Petersson both won by one hole against Plant and MacIntyre, respectively. The two Italians Mazzoli and Cianchetti both had to accept a high defeat (5&4 and 6&4) against Syme and Grehan.
The Continent of Europe is in a good position to try and win the trophy, they last could lift in 2012, going into tomorrow's remaining twelve matches.
The St Andrews Trophy was instituted in 1956 and presented in 1962 by The R&A. The International Match has been won five times by Continental Teams since then.
The 2016 Continent of Europe Team (Photo: The R&A)