January 14, 2023: Francesco Molinari helped to extend his Continental Europe team’s advantage over Great Britain and Ireland after returning two points from two alongside Nicolai Højgaard at the Hero Cup.
The duo defeated Callum Shinkwin and Matt Wallace 3&1 in the morning foursomes before beating Ewen Ferguson and Richard Mansell 2&1 in the first match of the afternoon foursomes session to help Continental Europe to a 8 ½ – 6 ½ advantage at the end of day two at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
“We have had an amazing day, the two of us (Nicolai Højgaard). I didn’t really know him much before this week. We played together I think once at the Italian Open last year. Obviously got in the team sort of last minute, but he’s been absolutely amazing,” said Molinari.
“I think all the matches have been really close so far which is great to see. It’s definitely a really competitive, fair spirit. I think it’s been a great success so far. Obviously to make it a success for us, my team, we need to go out tomorrow and play some really good golf.
Guido Migliozzi and Victor Perez also contributed a two-point return as they first won 3&2 against Irish pair Shane Lowry and Séamus Power, the latter of whom was joined by Robert MacIntyre in the afternoon, but they were still unable to avoid a 2&1 defeat to the Italian and French pairing.
Great Britain and Ireland Captain Tommy Fleetwood was the fifth player to emerge from day two with a 100 per cent record as he and Tyrrell Hatton first secured a 1up victory against Thomas Detry and Sepp Straka, before he and countryman Jordan Smith won 2&1 against Alex Noren and Thomas Pieters.
“It was great, actually. I think golf-wise, and it always is going to be really a tale of two different sessions. In the morning, there was some amazing golf played and literally as guys start fatiguing and they have to get themselves back up for the afternoon, the standard of golf changes and it’s more mistakes, and it’s really important to keep your body language up and push all the way to the end. I was proud of how our guys did that,” said Fleetwood.
“A couple of matches could have gone either way. We ended the day two points behind, but two points behind is fine and we have a full, single session to go. We can reflect on today and we’ll all sit in the team room and we’ll be talking about our rounds and everything, but overall we go out and get a fast start tomorrow, we’re straight back in the game.
The morning session ended in a tie as Noren and Pieters halved the opening match of the day against Ferguson and Mansell, while MacIntyre and Smith’s 1up victory against Adrian Meronk and Antoine Rozner ensured the shares were spoiled.
Multiple DP World Tour winners Meronk and Rozner were also defeated in the afternoon session, going down 2&1 as Wallace holed a good birdie putt on the 17th hole to earn a point alongside countryman Shinkwin.
The only match to reach the 18th in the afternoon was the match-up between Great Britain and Ireland’s Hatton and Lowry and Continental Europe’s Detry and Straka. The European pair’s 1up defeat in the morning was reversed in the afternoon as Detry sunk a 52-foot birdie putt on the 17th to take the lead before matching their opponents’ birdie four at the last.
