EURASIA Cup 2014: Daily Scores, Analysis, Highlights and More

The inaugural EurAsia Cup saw Europe and Asia share the trophy after a stirring comeback from the hosts in Kuala Lumpur.

The event offered the European team's top golfers a vital and competitive opportunity to jell ahead of the forthcoming Ryder Cup at Gleneagles. 

Europe were captained by cult hero Miguel Angel Jimenez, who fronted a relatively inexperienced side in terms of Ryder Cups played.

Despite the team featuring such luminaries as Graeme McDowell, Thomas Bjorn, Victor Dubuisson, Jamie Donaldson and Stephen Gallacher, they showcased a little naivety on the final day's play, allowing Asia to recover from a four point deficit to take a share of the spoils.

Team Asia were captained by Thongchai Jaidee and they will take great heart from the fight they showcased here

Here, we covered all three days of action that took place at the Glenmarie's Garden course.

Five fourball matches were played on the opening day, followed by five foursomes on the second day and 10 singles matches on the final day of the tournament.

Day 3 Recap

Joshua Paul

Team Asia recovered a from a four point deficit on the final day of the EURASIA Cup 2014 to share the trophy, the final score tied at 10-10.

Knowing that 10.5 points would be enough to secure the inaugural EURASIA Cup win, team Europe were unable able to secure the 3.5 points required from the ten singles contests on the final day of action.

Asia won six and halved one of the final day match-ups in a remarkable days play. The drama continued right up until the final hole of the competition, with Europe’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Asia’s Hideto Tanihara sharing a point in the last game on course.

Here’s the full results from a dramatic final day’s play per BBC Sport:

Miguel Angel Jimenez (Europe) bt Nicholas Fung (Asia) 1up

Thongchai Jaidee (Asia) bt Graeme McDowell (Europe) 3&2

Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Asia) bt Thomas Bjorn (Europe) 2&1

Jamie Donaldson (Europe) halved with Prayad Marksaeng (Asia)

Kim Hyung-Sung (Asia) bt Pablo Larrazabal (Europe) 4&2

Anirban Lahiri (Asia) bt Victor Dubuisson (Europe) 2&1

Gaganjeet Bhullar (Asia) bt Thorbjorn Olesen (Europe) 4&3

Joost Luiten (Europe) bt Koumei Oda (Asia) 1up

Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Europe) halved with Hideto Tanihara (Asia)

Siddikur Rahman (Asia) bt Stephen Gallacher (Europe) 4&3

Europe’s skipper Miguel Angel Jimenez set a strong early precedent, snatching a point from Nicholas Fung on the 18th hole, leaving the European’s needing just two-and-a-half points for victory.

But the Asian team, who were 5-0 down after the opening day of play, stormed back. Their skipper Thongchai Jaidee overcame Graeme McDowell in the second match of the day, and pretty soon the scoreboard made for some concerning reading for the European team.

Kiradech Aphibarnrat overcame Thomas Bjorn 2&1, and whilst Jamie Donaldson’s halve with Prayad Marksaeng did puncture a red scoreboard, the Welshman did let a four-hole lead slip.

There was more Asian success to follow, though. Kim Hyung-Sung, Anirban Lahiri and Gaganjeet Bhulla all picked up victories over their European opponents. Then, Stephen Gallacher shanked his ball into the rough at the 15th, allowing Siddikur Rahman an easy victory. With that Asia nudged in front for the first time in the tournament.

They looked like they were about to extend their lead, with Koumei Oda reducing Joost Luiten’s lead from three holes to one, but the Dutchman held his nerve at the 18th to level the scores.

Both Fernandez-Castano and Tanihara had the chance to win the competition for their team in the last match out on course, but they were both unable to capitalise and the trophy was shared.

The Asian skipper was obviously delighted with his team’s comeback per Reuters:

"

Everyone played really well. I think the match is unbelievable, it was a good finish.

To end on the last, and on the 18th hole, it's fantastic. I have never seen a match like this. It's very close and amazing.

We had a good draw and good pairings, I think that's the key point.

"

European skipper Jimenez was disappointed not to pick up the trophy after fashioning a handsome lead over the first couple of days, but paid tribute to the resolve of his opponents per Reuters:

"

It's an amazing day of golf. It's been very tough. At the end of the week, the European team did not win the tournament but the Asian team, they played very well.

As I said in the prize giving presentation, Asia, Europe, they both win, nobody loses

"

After such an enthralling finale to the competition, it’d be fair to say the Eurasia Cup 2014 was a major success in it’s maiden outing. Both captains and both sets of players relished a new challenge and that paved the way for some marvellous golf over the course of the three days.

The next tournament is due to take place in Malaysia in 2016, and after all the drama we’ve witnessed here, expect the interest levels to be cranked up either further when these two teams meet again.

Day 2 Recap

Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

Team Asia edged their way back into contention against their European counterparts on Day 2 of the EurAsia Cup.

They won the battle on Friday, defeating Miguel Angel Jimenez's men in the foursomes 3-2 over the five matches. 

Europe now lead the overall competition 7-3, after whitewashing Asia on the first day of proceedings.

Friday foursomes
Team	Pairing	Score	Pairing	Team
Asia	Thongchai JAIDEE &  Kiradech APHIBARNRAT	All Square	Miguel Angel JIMENEZ &  Pablo LARRAZABAL	Europe
Asia	Prayad MARKSAENG &  Hyung-sung KIM	Asia win 4 & 3	Thomas BJORN &  Thorbjorn OLESEN	Europe
Asia	Koumei ODA &  Hideto TANIHARA	All Square	Gonzalo FDEZ-CASTANO &  Stephen GALLACHER	Europe
Asia	Anirban LAHIRI &  Siddikur RAHMAN	Asia win by 1 hole	Joost LUITEN &  Victor DUBUISSON	Europe
Asia	Gaganjeet BHULLAR &  Nicholas FUNG	Europe win 2 & 1	Graeme MCDOWELL &  Jamie DONALDSON	Europe

Asia's two victories came from Prayad Marksaeng and Kim Hyung-sung, who beat Thomas Bjorn and Thorbjorn Olesen 4&3, and Anirban Lahiri and Siddikur Rahman, who defeated Joost Luiten and Victor Dubuisson by one hole.

Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat thought they had got the day off to the perfect start for Asia in the first match, only to be denied by the mercurial Jimenez.

The Team Europe captain made two eagles at Glenmarie Golf and Country Club for the second day running. He produced a superb approach to the 18th green to set up fellow Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal for a birdie to square the match. 

Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Stephen Gallacher also halved their match with Koumei Oda and Hideto Tanihara, with Gallacher missing from 12 feet on the 18th hole, missing the opportunity to win the tie. 

Europe's only winners were the final pairing of Graeme McDowell and Jamie Donaldson. They came from behind for the second match running, beating Gaganjeet Bhullar and Nicholas Fung 2&1.

Overall, Jimenez said he was contented with the day's result. He was quoted by Sky Sports saying:

"

At the end of the day I am happy. We managed to half a couple of matches and win another one. It was a tough day in the heat and Asia played very well today. At one point it looked like it was going to be the opposite of yesterday but we managed to get the points and 7-3 is a good lead for tomorrow.

"

The third and final day sees 10 singles matches played on Saturday. Here is a list of the matches and tee-off times:

Asia	Nicholas FUNG	8:40 a.m.	Miguel Angel JIMENEZ	Europe
	Thongchai JAIDEE	8:52 a.m.	Graeme MCDOWELL
	Kiradech APHIBARNRAT	9:04 a.m.	Thomas BJORN
	Prayad MARKSAENG	9:16 a.m.	Jamie DONALDSON
	Hyung-sung KIM	9:28 a.m.	Pablo LARRAZABAL
	Anirban LAHIRI	9:40 a.m.	Victor DUBUISSON
	Gaganjeet BHULLAR	9:52 a.m.	Thorbjorn OLESEN
	Koumei ODA	10:04 a.m.	Joost LUITEN
	Hideto TANIHARA	10:16 a.m.	Gonzalo FDEZ-CASTANO
	Siddikur RAHMAN	10:28 a.m	Stephen GALLACHER

Europe need just three-and-a-half points from the day's play to secure victory and claim the first ever Eurasia Cup.

Day 1 Recap

Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

Team Europe took complete control of the EurAsia Cup on Thursday, crushing their Asian opposition in an opening-day whitewash. 

The opening fourballs played directly into the hands of captain Miguel Angel Jimenez and company, who take a 5-0 lead into Friday.

Here are the results of each match: 

Thursday Fourball
Team	Pairing	Score	Pairing	Team
Asia	Thongchai JAIDEE &  Kiradech APHIBARNRAT	Europe win 2&1	Miguel Angel JIMENEZ &  Pablo LARRAZABAL	Europe
Asia	Koumei ODA &  Hideto TANIHARA	Europe win by 2 holes	Thomas BJORN &  Thorbjorn OLESEN	Europe
Asia	Prayad MARKSAENG &  Siddikur RAHMAN	Europe win 3&2	Victor DUBUISSON &  Joost LUITEN	Europe
Asia	Gaganjeet BHULLAR &  Anirban LAHIRI	Europe win 4&3	Gonzalo FDEZ-CASTANO &  Stephen GALLACHER	Europe
Asia	Hyung-sung KIM &  Nicholas FUNG	Europe win 3&1	Graeme MCDOWELL &  Jamie DONALDSON	Europe

Jimenez led by example, pairing himself with Pablo Larrazabal in the first match for a 2&1 triumph.

The veteran Spanish golfer hit two eagles and three birdies at Glenmarie to show that he still has the magic touch at 50 years old.

The only tie to make it to the 18th was the Thomas Bjorn and Thorbjorn Olesen vs. Koumei Oda and Hideto Tanihara encounter. Europe's pairing eventually won by two holes to take a slim victory. 

In a tight clash, 10 consecutive holes were halved after the European duo had established an early lead at the fifth hole.

The biggest scare for Europe came for Ryder Cup hero Graeme McDowell and Jamie Donaldson, who surprisingly found themselves three down after seven holes to Kim Hyung-Sung and Nicholas Fung.

The Asian duo had birdied the third, fifth and seventh, but McDowell and Donaldson fought back to take the match 3&1. 

It capped a great day for Europe. They now can look forward to an eventful Friday.

Here are Friday's foursomes:

Foursome matches
Team	Pairing	Tee off (GMT)	Pairing	Team
Asia	Thongchai JAIDEE &  Kiradech APHIBARNRAT	9:40 a.m.	Miguel Angel JIMENEZ &  Pablo LARRAZÁBAL	Europe
Asia	Prayad MARKSAENG &  Hyung-sung KIM	9:55 a.m.	Thomas BJORN &  Thorbjorn OLESEN	Europe
Asia	Koumei ODA &  Hideto TANIHARA	10:10 a.m.	Gonzalo FDEZ-CASTANO &  Stephen GALLACHER	Europe
Asia	Anirban LAHIRI &  Siddikur RAHMAN	10:25 a.m.	Joost LUITEN &  Victor DUBUISSON	Europe
Asia	Gaganjeet BHULLAR &  Nicholas FUNG	10:40 a.m.	Graeme MCDOWELL &  Jamie DONALDSON	Europe