Britain & Ireland lift Seve Trophy
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Montgomerie defeated Seve Ballesteros 5 and 4
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VALENCIA, Spain (Reuters) -- Colin Montgomerie beat Seve Ballesteros at El Saler on Sunday for the first time in three attempts as Britain and Ireland beat Continental Europe 15-13 to retain the Seve Trophy.
Montgomerie's team had gone into the last-day singles matches 10-8 ahead and they won three of the first five before Irishman Padraig Harrington squared a tense and controversial contest with Jose Maria Olazabal to seal the result.
The Europeans had already been dealt a blow before Sunday's start when Denmark's Thomas Bjorn pulled out of his encounter with Paul Casey with a neck injury. Englishman Casey was awarded the full point for victory.
"It is a recurring injury I have now and again and it just popped up at the wrong time," said the 32-year-old Bjorn.
"When I went down to hit some balls on the range, it just got worse and worse and it got to the stage where there was nothing I could do."
Seven-times European number one Montgomerie, who had lost to Ballesteros in the singles at the first two editions of the Ryder Cup-style team event, set the tone for his side by crushing his opposite number 5 and 4.
Ballesteros had led by two after seven holes before self-destructing and Montgomerie took full advantage, winning seven consecutive holes from the eighth.
Spaniard Ignacio Garrido earned Europe's first point of the day with a 3 and 2 victory over Scot Paul Lawrie, but Englishman David Howell and Justin Rose won two of the next three matches before Harrington's half with Olazabal.
Tight affair
Howell edged a tight affair with Germany's Alex Cejka by a hole while Rose, who had stormed ahead of Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin by five with five to play, lost the next two holes before triumphing 3 and 2.
However Harrington's match with twice U.S. Masters champion Olazabal was marred by a disagreement on the green at the par-five third.
Olazabal decided to repair some marks on the line of his putt, although the Irishman felt this should have been checked first with a referee. When Harrington raised the matter with the Spaniard, Olazabal promptly conceded the hole.
"It's not worth losing a friend over, but we had 15 very awkward holes after that," said Harrington. "I was not trying to question his integrity, but that's what he thought.
"I certainly won't be celebrating tonight, and it's not the way I would have liked to get a half."
Olazabal said: "We had a difference of opinion, but I'm not going to waste any more time talking about it."
Continental Europe won the inaugural competition at Sunningdale in England by 13-1/2 points to 12-1/2, but Britain and Ireland levelled the series last year at Druids Glen in Ireland by 14-1/2 to 11-1/2.
