GB&I retain Seve Trophy 15.5-11.5

Britain and Ireland retained the Seve Trophy on Sunday with an overwhelming singles display to triumph 16 1/2-11 1/2 over Continental Europe.

Leading by a single point overnight, Colin Montgomerie's team forged clear to a comfortable victory, Welshman Bradley Dredge beating Frenchman Thomas Levet to put them in an unassailable position with three matches still out on the course.

The five-point success was a complete turnaround after Britain and Ireland had trailed 4-1 on the opening day.

"I'm delighted, especially coming back the way we did," said Montgomerie. "To win the singles 7-3 was a real team effort."

Looking forward to the Ryder Cup in Ireland next year, adding: "I expect many of this team can look forward to playing at the K Club."

Olazabal's defeat of Montgomerie in the first match 2 and 1 was his only consolation.

"If you look at the result I guess I didn't do a good job, but I'm proud of the team," said the Spaniard, standing in as captain for the unfit Seve Ballesteros.

"The Britain and Ireland team made a lot of putts. I expected each match to be much closer, but next time the boys are going to work their socks off and the rookies have learned a lot from this week."

First blood went to David Howell as he eclipsed an ailing Thomas Bjorn, suffering from influenza, 6 and 5, to secure his fourth point of the week.

Howell's Ryder Cup partner and also partner for the week, Paul Casey, soon followed-suit by drubbing Niclas Fasth 4 and 3 to be joint-top points scorer.

Olazabal then made it deja-vu 1984 when he beat Montgomerie 2 and 1. He had beaten Montgomerie 4 and 2 in the British Amateur championship 21 years ago, their only previous matchplay contest.

Montgomerie now trails 3-1 in Seve Trophy singles matches, his three previous matches all coming against Ballesteros.

Ian Poulter and Swede Peter Hanson finished all-square but the writing was on the wall for Europe when Stephen Dodd defeated Jean-Francois Remesy 2 and 1 and Graeme McDowell crushed Dutchman Maarten Lafeber 5 and 4.

Dredge, without a point from three matches, then closed out at the 17th after Levet missed the green and then chipped into a bunker to bogey and lose 2 and 1.

The remaining ties were then academic. Paul McGinley beat Miguel Angel Jimenez one-up by dint of a 17th hole birdie.

Italian Emanuele Canonica's surprise 2-up defeat of Padraig Harrington made Europe's score look a little more respectable before Nick Dougherty and Henrik Stenson of Sweden both conceded birdie putts on the last for a half.

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