PARIS, September 15, 2011 (AFP) - Great Britain and Ireland stormed into a 4-1 lead against Continental Europe after the opening fourballs of the Vivendi Seve Trophy at Saint-Nom-La-Breteche on Thursday.
It was a solid start by Paul McGinley’s side against a team who were heavily tipped to win the trophy for the first time in 11 years.
"It's important to pace ourselves," said McGinley. "We have had a great start but there's a long, long way to go, a lot of points to be played for yet.
"It's a very, very strong European Team and we certainly will not be underestimating them."
Ross Fisher and rookie Scott Jamieson led the way, beating Peter Hanson and Raphael Jacquelin 6 and 4 while last weekend's Dutch Open champion Simon Dyson partnered Jamie Donaldson to a 2 and 1 victory against Spanish duo Miguel Angel Jimenez and Pablo Larrazabal.
Robert Rock and Ian Poulter enjoyed 5 and 3 win over Thomas Bjorn and Alexander Noren lost to Ian Poulter & Robert Rock 5 and 3 with Darren Clarke and David Horsey taking a one hole victory over Matteo Manassero and Nicolas Colsaerts.
Anders Hansen and Francesco Molinari beat Lee Westwood and Mark Foster also by one last hole for Europe's only win of the day.
Molinari was one up with Hansen coming down the last, but Westwood holed a 20 foot putt which looked to have salvaged a half.
But the Italian putted an eight-footer to maintain their one-hole advantage.
Continental Europe skipper Jean Van De Velde said their rivals' putting was key but he was looking forward to Friday’s fourballs.
"I didn't see too many missed putts by them to be frankly honest," said the Frenchman.
"At the end of the day, you can only ask the guy to do their best and try to play their best. There is no doubt that from looking at those numbers, they are going to have to raise their level of play or, equally, maybe Great Britain and Ireland can lower it down a little bit."
McGinley has stuck with the same five pairings for Friday - Dyson and Donaldson face Bjorn and Jacquelin in game one, before Rock and Poulter take on Swedish pair Hanson and Noren.
Jamieson and Fisher will face Colsaerts and Manassero, Foster and Westwood have a chance for revenge over Hansen and Molinari and Clarke and Horsey will face Larrazabal and Jimenez.
Results of the opening fourballs of the The Vivendi Seve Trophy at Saint-Nom-La-Breteche on Thursday (Continental Europe names first):
Continental Europe 1 Great Britain & Ireland 4
Pablo Larrazabal/Miguel Angel Jimenez lost to Simon Dyson/Jamie Donaldson 2 and 1
Peter Hanson/Raphael Jacquelin lost to Ross Fisher/Scott Jamieson 6 and 4
Anders Hansen/Francesco Molinari bt Lee Westwood/Mark Foster 1 hole
Matteo Manassero/Nicolas Colsaerts lost to Darren Clarke/David Horsey 1 hole
Thomas Bjorn/Alexander Noren lost to Ian Poulter & Robert Rock 5 and 3