HUA HIN, Thailand: Europe captain Colin Montgomerie suffered a humiliating defeat in fourball play Saturday as Asia stormed to a 6-2 lead in the Royal Trophy with a clean sweep of all four matches. Montgomerie, again taking on the dual role of player-captain after leading Europe to a narrow win last year, and Welshman Rhys Davies were thumped 5 and 4 by Noh Seung-yul of Korea and China's Liang Wen-chong. Noh and Liang dovetailed superbly with a combined nine birdies as they handed Montgomerie one of the heaviest defeats of his illustrious matchplay career. Japan's Ryo Ishikawa handed out another lesson to fellow teenager Matteo Manassero after winning the battle of the young guns Friday. He teamed up with Shunsuke Sonoda to inflict a second successive defeat on the highly rated Italian youngster and partner Pablo Martin of Spain. Former Asian Tour No. 1 Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand and Japan's Yuta Ikeda, a four-time winner on the Japan Tour last season, collected 14 birdies between them in their 3 and 1 triumph over Ryder Cup star Peter Hanson and Fredrik Andersson Hed. India's Jeev Milkha Singh restored his battered pride after a poor performance with Thongchai in their 7 and 5 loss to Hanson and Hed Friday by partnering Kim Kyung-tae of Korea to a one-up victory over Sweden's Henrik Stenson and Johan Edfors. Garrigus ahead In Kapalua, Hawaii, Robert Garrigus, the biggest hitter on the PGA Tour, took the leading at the Tournament of Champions Friday. Garrigus holed out a wedge for eagle on the 16th hole, then finished with two big drives to set up easy birdies for a 10-under 63 in the second round to take a one-shot lead at Kapalua going into the weekend of the season-opening tournament. Garrigus was at 14-under 132 and had a one-shot lead over Carl Pettersson, who birdied the last hole for a 67. Jonathan Byrd also made birdie on the finishing hole of the Plantation Course for a 68 and was another shot back. Ernie Els, who set the tournament record at Kapalua in 2003, got back into the mix with a 9-under 64. Steve Stricker didn't make a bogey in calm conditions and shot a 67. Francesco Molinari of Italy recovered from a bogey-bogey start with eight birdies for a 67. Jim Furyk had another 68. Oosthuizen, Brier share lead British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen bogeyed his last hole to fall into a share of the lead with Markus Brier of Austria heading into the final round of the Africa Open Saturday. Oosthuizen carded a 4-under-par 69 while Brier hit 70 as they finished the third round at 13-under 206, a stroke ahead of defending champion Charl Schwartzel and three others on a packed leaderboard. Jaco van Zyl joined countrymen Schwartzel, Jbe Kruger (67) and Spain's Manuel Quiros (68) a strike off the lead.
