Hosts fight back in Seve Trophy

With captain Colin Montgomerie now watching rather than playing, Britain and Ireland made a fine start to the third day’s play in the Seve Trophy at The Wynyard near Middlesbrough today.

After a 30-minute frost delay there were winning eagles at the 485-yard first hole from David Howell and Paul Casey and then Stephen Dodd and Graeme McDowell.

Continental Europe led 6-4 overnight, but there were still 18 more points up for grabs – four morning greensomes, four afternoon foursomes and then 10 singles tomorrow.

Greensomes is where both players drive and then select one ball for the rest of the hole and it was a format which seemed to suit Howell and Casey in particular.

Howell’s pitch to eight feet on the second gave Casey the chance to follow their eagle with a birdie, which he did, and then Casey struck his tee shot to the 208-yard third to within a few inches of the cup.

There was no need for Howell to tap it in and with Swedish opponents Niclas Fasth and Peter Hanson unable to birdie – neither even found the green – the home pair went three up.

Dodd and McDowell took the lead against Miguel Angel Jimenez and Emanuele Canonica, while in the top game Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley shared the first three holes with Continental captain Jose Maria Olazabal and Thomas Levet.

At the tail Ian Poulter and Nick Dougherty were all square after one with unbeaten pair Thomas Bjorn and Henrik Stenson.

Montgomerie had rested himself from a session for the first time since the contest began five years ago. This is the fourth staging and it broke a run of 17 successive games.

He was expected to return after lunch.

When Harrington and McGinley birdied the 365-yard fifth Britain and Ireland led in three of the four games, but they fell behind in the other when Bjorn and Stenson birdied the third against Poulter and Dougherty.

Dodd had a chance to increase his lead but missed from under five feet at the 426-yard fourth.