Team Europe took a huge step towards winning the inaugural EurAsia Cup on Thursday when they crushed Asia 5-0 in the opening day four-ball matches of the Ryder Cup-styled event.
European captain Miguel Angel Jimenez and fellow Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal gave them the perfect start by beating Team Asia leader Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat 2 and 1 in Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur.
Three of the other five matches were as easily won by the Europeans at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club
Only Malaysia’s Nicholas Fung and his South Korean partner Kim Hyung-Sung had a good opportunity to give Asia a point after going three-up through seven holes.
But Europe’s pairing of Graeme McDowell and Jamie Donaldson went on the offensive and turned it around to register a 3 and 1 victory.
“We somehow managed to make the turn at one-down which was huge,” McDowell said. “And this guy (Donaldson) had a phenomenal back nine... It was great to watch.”
Danish pairing Thomas Bjorn and Thorbjorn Olesen beat Japan’s Koumei Oda and Hideto Tanihara 2 up while France’s Victor Dubuisson and Joost Luiten of the Netherlands defeated Thai Prayad Marksaeng and Bangladesh’s Siddikur Rahman 3 and 2.
Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Stephen Gallacher of Scotland enjoyed the biggest win of the day, defeating India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar and Anirban Lahiri 4 and 3.
Before tee-off, Malaysia’s prime minister led a minute of silence together with the two team captains as a tribute to Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
Malaysia says the Beijing-bound flight that lost contact shortly after take-off from Kuala Lumpur on March 8 crashed into the southern Indian Ocean with 239 people aboard.
All players and officials wore black ribbons, and visitors were able to leave a message on a wall of condolence, the organisers said.
The new Ryder Cup-style team tournament has incensed the administrators of a rival tournament, the Royal Trophy, a similar Europe versus Asia competition launched in 2006.
The run-up to the cup has been overshadowed by a war of words between the European Tour and organisers of the Royal Trophy.
The EurAsia Cup continues with five foursomes pairings on Friday and finishes with 10 singles matches on Saturday.
Europe only need another five-and-a-half points from the 15 that will be available over the next two days to claim the trophy.
Thongchai, who has been bullish about his team’s chances, said he was still hopeful of better days ahead.
“We will make changes to our partnership for tomorrow ... as it is a tricky format,” the Thai said.
“We have to be at our best if we are to close the gap. The Europeans have more experience playing in this situation.”
Donaldson too said he was not underestimating Asia, despite the first round whitewash.
“To be five-nil up is a fantastic start. We have always said we can’t underestimate them, because at the end of the day, we are playing in Malaysia,” the Welshman said.
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Name: Almnssa
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Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Destroyer
Director: Karyn Kusama
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Sebastian Stan
Rating: 3/5
UAE release: January 31
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
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Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
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Total funding: Self funded
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6.30pm Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
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Amith's predicted winners:
6.30pm: Down On Da Bayou
7.05pm: Etisalat
7.40pm: Mulfit
8.15pm: Pennsylvania Dutch
8.50pm: Mudallel
9.25pm: Midnight Sands
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
