PARIS, September 17, 2011 (AFP) - Great Britain and Ireland need to win just three of Sunday's 10 singles matches to retain the Vivendi Seve Trophy after dominating Continental Europe on Saturday.
Paul McGinley's team won six out of eight points in the greensomes and foursomes to take a commanding 11-and-a-half to six-and-a-half lead and close in on a sixth successive tournament triumph.
"We are absolutely delighted in there. It's been a great day - things went really well for us," said McGinley.
"Our concentration levels were really good, and we were really up for it. We're really motivated and really concentrated and we are really focused. We got the job done."
Great Britain and Ireland dominated both sessions.
Simon Dyson and Jamie Donaldson clinched a 2 and 1 win over Nicolas Colsaerts and Matteo Manassero in the opening greensomes while Ian Poulter was joined by Ryder Cup teammate Ross Fisher in a 2 and 1 victory over Thomas Bjorn and Raphael Jacquelin.
World number two Lee Westwood and Scott Jamieson ran out 4 and 3 winners over Spaniards Pablo Larrazabal and Miguel Angel Jimenez while Continental Europe’s only score of the morning came when Peter Hanson and Alex Noren snatched a half from David Horsey and Darren Clarke on the final green.
In the afternoon foursomes, Bjorn and Anders Hansen beat Fisher and Mark Foster 3 and 2 while Manassero and Italian compatriot Francesco Molinari stole a half on the last when Robert Rock and Donaldson three-putted the final green.
Dyson then chipped in at the 17th as he and Poulter beat Larrazabal and Noren 3 and 1.
Westwood and Horsey secured a 4 and 3 victory over Jacquelin and Colsaerts.
"The last thing we will be is complacent, because I've played in teams where you've had a big lead and it evaporates quickly if you start getting down in the early games," said Westwood.
Results on the third day of the Vivendi Seve Trophy at Saint-Nom-La-Breteche on Saturday:
Overall score:
Continental Europe 6 1/2 v Great Britain & Ireland 11 1/2
Greensomes (Continental Europe names first):
Nicolas Colsaerts/Matteo Manassero lost to Jamie Donaldson/Simon Dyson 2 & 1
Peter Hanson/Alexander Noren v David Horsey/Darren Clarke match halved
Raphael Jacquelin/Thomas Bjorn lost to Ian Poulter/Ross Fisher 2 & 1
Miguel Angel Jimenez/Pablo Larrazabal lost to Lee Westwood/Scott Jamieson 4 & 3
Foursomes
Francesco Molinari/Matteo Manassero v Robert Rock/Jamie Donaldson match halved
Thomas Bjorn/Anders Hansen bt Ross Fisher/Mark Foster 3 & 2
Pablo Larrazabal/Alexander Noren lost to Simon Dyson/Ian Poulter 3 & 1
Raphael Jacquelin/Nicolas Colsaerts lost to Lee Westwood/David Horsey 4 & 3