The Asia-Pacific Select team have made a blistering start to the Dongfeng Nissan Cup, dominating hosts China in the Fourball&aposs at the CTS Tycoon Golf Club in Shenzhen on Friday.
Chinese pair Zhang Lianwei and Huang Wenyi were the only Chinese pair to win one of their match-ups, with the visitors taking four of the six groupings. The battle between Australia pair Matthew Griffin and Gareth Paddison and Chinese duo Su Dong and Dou Zecheng finished all square to have the Asia-Pacific side leading 4 ½ to 1 ½ after the opening day. New Zealand's Michael Long and Australia's Scott Laycock were the most impressive, winning their contest with Wu Kang-chun and Wu Ashun 7&6 through 12 holes. Choi Ho-Sung and Kim Dae-Sub, Kazuhiro Yamashita and Masamichi Uehara, and Thaworn Wiratchant and Rory Hie were the other pairs for the Asia Pacific team to win their matches. The Chinese team are aiming to win the Ryder-Cup style event for the first time, having lost the first two tournaments 12 1/2 – 11 ½ in 2011 and 14 1/2 – 9 1/2 last year.