Golf: Seve’s win, Monty’s trophy

Colin Montgomerie lifted the Seve Trophy at Druids Glen tonight - yet only after he suffered another amazing defeat to Seve Ballesteros.

Britain and Ireland avenged their one-point loss at Sunningdale in the augural match two years ago by beating Continental Europe 14 1/2-11 1/2.

But the clash between the two respective captains had the same result, Ballesteros winning despite hitting only one fairway all day and scoring a seven over par 78.

Two of his wayward drives did not even clear the tees after clattering into trees and he also landed on a spectator’s folding chair at one point.

But the deciding factor was that he had only 26 putts, the last of them a five-footer for the match, whereas Montgomerie three-putted three times and on the 18th missed from 10 feet.

Remarkably, Ballesteros, 1,240th in the world, finished as the one player with a 100% record from the event.

He did not play on the opening day, but his only other game was his brilliant victory with old Ryder Cup partner Jose Maria Olazabal. They were six under par for the last eight holes and Ballesteros won it by holing a 60-foot bunker shot at the short 17th.

That was against locals Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley, who won their four other matches to be the undoubted stars of the home team.

That was great news for watching Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance, surely certain now to pair them together against the Americans in September.

The other Britain and Ireland singles winners - they led 10-6 overnight - were Darren Clarke, making it a complete Irish success story, and Lee Westwood, while Andrew Oldcorn halved with Niclas Fasth.

Montgomerie dismissed the suggestion made to him by a television commentator that it was a good and bad day for him with the Ballesteros defeat, but the team winning.

’’There are no mixed emotions. It’s a team event, OK?’’ he answered.

’’Our goal was 13 1/2 points and that was achieved. It’s a happy occasion for the team and myself.

’’Seve is unbelievable and if someone could help him find the fairways he will be a major contender again, I am sure.

’’I didn’t play well - I haven’t for a number of years now. But he is magical on and around the greens and demoralising in some cases.’’

Ballesteros commented: ‘‘It wasn’t a good game. It was too difficult. My hands are frozen and it was a battle out there against each other and the course.

’’Monty lost last time and probably he was trying too hard. But nothing worked for him. I think we both looked a bit tired.’’

Some of the golf in their match had to be seen to be believed and was not a pretty sight.

Ballesteros’s drive at the third hooked so badly it hit a tree just in front of him, finishing by the ladies’ tee. He still got a half, as though, as he did on the sixth after his second shot landed on the chair.

The smiles Montgomerie had shown earlier had gone by now - he had three-putted twice - and he was having words with photographers and cameramen.

The miracles from Ballesteros continued on the seventh, which he won with a superb long bunker shot to two feet, and the ninth, where he was deep in the undergrowth, but salvaged a par and a half. He was out in a three over 38 and two up.

Montgomerie, having had another three-putt on the 10th, did win the 12th, 14th and 15th without having to putt and the 17th unexpectedly when Ballesteros missed a six-footer for the match.

But he lost the 13th when he missed from nine feet after his opponent had holed from 15 and the 16th when the 45-year-old played a superb chip to three feet.

The other match most keenly awaited was that between Harrington and Olazabal, fifth and fourth respectively in the Masters last week.

Olazabal had four bogeys in the first seven holes, however, and Harrington was too solid after that.

Clarke beat Thomas Bjorn four and three and Westwood overcame Raphael Jacquelin three and two.

Final day of the Seve Trophy match, Great Britain and Ireland v Continental Europe, at Druids Glen, County Wicklow, Ireland

(GB & Irl names first, GB and Irl lead 10-6 after first two days):

Singles

Darren Clarke bt Thomas Bjorn 4 and 3

Paul Casey lost to Miguel Angel Jimenez 4 and 3

Colin Montgomerie lost to Seve Ballesteros 1 hole

Paul Lawrie lost to Robert Karlsson 1 hole

Paul McGinley bt Mathias Gronberg 4 and 3

Lee Westwood bt Raphael Jacquelin 3 and 2

Ian Woosnam lost to Alex Cejka 5 and 4

Andrew Oldcorn halved with Niclas Fasth

Padraig Harrington bt Jose Maria Olazabal 3 and 2

Add Steve Webster lost to Thomas Levet 2 and 1

Singles result: Ireland and Britain 4 1/2 Continental Europe 5 1/2

Match result: Ireland and Britain 14 1/2 Continental Europe 11 1/2