Collecting mates to keep Aussie alive

Good friends Stephen Prior and Shane Luke might shiver at the time, but they warmed the hearts of their Aussie teammates with a last-ditch to keep the ISPS Handa Disabled Golf Cup alive today.

After the World Team won the first two games, the New South Welshmen knew they had to win a victory against the Belgian Breath Wahbi and the Dominican Manuel De Los Santos to give the inaugural two-day race a competitive pulse.

When Prior and Luke were one by one by 14 after a bomb from De Los Santos for half, there were fears in the camp Aussie.

But they dug deep and drove home for a 2-up victory that left their team hoping after a first day marred by unpleasant weather at Metropolitan Golf Course.

"It was a hard day, really windy, but we kept fighting," Prior said.

"They played very well, were great competitors and made great photos, but in the end we did get over it, thank goodness."

Previously, the impressive combination of Brendan Lawlor from Ireland and the Spanish Juan Postigo proved too much for the Victorian Mike Rolls and the Western Australian Tony Coates

.

The Europeans were under strong pressure from the Aussies, then clicked in overdrive on both sides of the turn for a 6 & 4 victory.

German Timo Klischan and Englishman Ashley Harris found their best form late, separate from New South Welshmen Cameron Pollard and Geoff Nicholas.

Their high-quality encounters were sharp for most of the competition, but the Europeans overcame the latter for a 2-up triumph.

The world team will lead 2-1 with three games in four-ball matches tomorrow on the second and last day of play.