The European LPGA team won the debate over the tee placements and carried the same form onto the golf course to take a 3-2 lead over the senior men after the opening series of foursomes in the European Cup at Praia d'El Rey, Portugal, yesterday.
On the eve of the second tournament - which the men won 13-7 last year, the role of captain had aroused the fiercely competitive spirit within Marie Laure de Lorenzi, who fought her corner over the course set-up and was granted what she wanted, with her troops playing 620 yards fewer than the men.
The closeness of the matches suggested she was right. Two went to the final hole - the women won both - and all five reached the 16th green.
De Lorenzi could not celebrate a personal victory. Along with Alison Nicholas, she went down three-and-two to Bobby Verwey and Denis O'Sullivan.
Christy O'Connor Jnr and Eddie Polland combined to win the opening match for the seniors, and the women also lost the next match before Chorley's Lora Fairclough and Maria Hjorth claimed a onehole win over the ex-Ryder Cup men Brian Waites and Brian Huggett. Scotland's Catriona Matthew and Mhairi McKay then inflicted a two-and-one on David Jones and Jim Rhodes, and the Swedes Sophie Gustafson and Catrin Nilsmark beat the men's captain, Tommy Horton, and Neil Coles on the final green.
