GB&I retain Seve Trophy

Colin Montgomerie beat Seve Ballesteros at El Saler on Sunday for the first time in three attempts at the Seve Trophy as Britain and Ireland beat Continental Europe 15-13.

Montgomerie's team had gone into the last-day singles matches 10-8 ahead and they won three of the first five before Irishman Padraig Harrington squared a tense contest with Jose Maria Olazabal to retain the trophy.

The Europeans had already been dealt a blow before Sunday's start when Denmark's Thomas Bjorn pulled out of his encounter with Paul Casey with a neck injury. Englishman Casey was awarded the full point for victory.

Seven-times European number one Montgomerie, who had lost to Ballesteros in the singles at the first two editions of the Ryder Cup-style team event, then set the tone for his side by crushing his opposite number 5 and 4.

Spaniard Ignacio Garrido earned Europe's first point of the day with a 3 and 2 victory over Scot Paul Lawrie, but Englishman David Howell and Justin Rose won two of the next three matches before Harrington's half with Olazabal.

Howell edged a tight affair with Germany's Alex Cejka by a hole while Rose, who had stormed ahead of Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin by five with five to play, lost the next two holes before triumphing 3 and 2.

Continental Europe won the inaugural competition at Sunningdale in England by 13-1/2 points to 12-1/2, but Britain and Ireland levelled the series last year at Druids Glen in Ireland by 14-1/2 to 11-1/2.

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