Golf: Kiwi pair steeled for fightback

New Zealand golfer Mark Purser believes this morning's second day will prove pivotal for his Asia Pacific team's chances against Europe in the Sir Michael Bonallack Trophy in Auckland.

Asia Pacific fought back from a morning towelling in fourball competition to complete day one trailing 6 1/2 games to 3 1/2 with further rounds of fourball and foursomes today and 12 games of singles tomorrow.

The Kiwi pair of Purser and Josh Geary were delighted with their afternoon effort, winning 4 and 3 over European champion Marius Thorp (Norway) and Joost Luiten (Netherlands), who is the national champion of Spain and Germany.

Purser said his Asia Pacific teammates believed they had the ability to win but could not let the three-match deficit blow out.

"We knew we needed to salvage some pride this afternoon or we could get smoked," the Hamilton player said. "The second day will be very important, especially the morning fourball. We must be moving forward from here or it is going to make it very hard for ourselves."

Geary (Mt Maunganui) said they were frustrated in their morning loss to Anitti Ahokus (Finland) and Pedro Oriol (Italy) 2 and 1. "We played quite solidly but did not make ... the most of our opportunities."

But the pair have played a lot of golf together in recent years which proved a key factor in their afternoon effort.

Thorp and Luiten birdied the first two holes for a 2-up lead but the Kiwis gradually worked their way back into the match to be square at the turn.

The turning point came with a brilliant eagle on the par-4 12th after Purser drove the green and Geary snaked a 15m side-hill putt.

"That was the spark that really lifted us. From that point on we really kicked it home."

Europe dominated the morning fourball winning four matches and halving the other with some extraordinary golf. They blitzed 19 birdies and an eagle between the five matches. The best the Asia Pacific team could salvage was a half from the Korean pair of Kyung Tae Kim and Sung Hoon Kang against Luiten and Julien Guerrier (France).

The best comeback went to Ben Leong (Malaysia) and Anujit Hirunratanakorn, who recovered from 4-down after five holes to edge Scotland's Rory McIlroy and Richard Ramsey 1 up.

Two rounds of fourball and foursomes are scheduled today.