Great Britain and Ireland need just two more points to secure victory in the 2025 Team Cup after a dominant Saturday in Abu Dhabi.
Justin Rose’s team built on their overnight advantage to win both sessions and establish an 11-4 lead heading into Sunday’s 10 concluding singles matches.
Leading by two points after Friday’s four-balls, Great Britain stretched their advantage to 7-3 after the morning session on the middle day.
And a 4-1 win in the afternoon foursomes – led by an opening 3&2 win for Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Wallace over Rasmus Hojgaard and Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen – left them firmly in control.
“The lads kind of finished every match off, every match that got tight we either got back to a half or turned them around to win matches,” said Rose afterwards.
“We had a full day of golf on Friday, but it was only 20 per cent of the point total. Today was the big day, 10 points up for grabs. They have done an unbelievable job just keeping the momentum going.”
Tom McKibbin maintained his 100pc record with two foursomes wins.
The Newtownabbey talent (22), who is widely expected make a shock move to Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII team on the LIV Golf League this season, partnered Aaron Rai to a 4&3 win over Rasmus Hojgaard and Rasmus Neergard-Petersen in the morning.
GB&I won the session 3-5-1.5 to double their overnight lead and head into the second foursomes session leading 7-3 in the race to the 13-point finishing line.
In the afternoon, McKibbin teamed up with England’s Matthew Jordan and while they were one down with three to play, they birdied the last three holes to win one up.
GB&I won the session 4-1 to lead 11-4 overall, leaving them needing just two wins from the ten singles for victory.
“Yeah, that was an amazing finish,” said McKibbin, who also has a fourball win with Tyrrell Hatton on Friday. “We both sort of struggled out there a little bit, but we really dug in there and gave it all we had till the very last hole. And thankfully, it paid off.”
McKibbin was pleased with the morning match, where wins at the first three holes proved crucial.
“Yeah, very valuable,” he said. “Going out there with that mindset of trying to get up early, and we did that.
“We had had a couple of solid holes and the course can be very tricky, so I think we kept the ball in play the first couple of holes ask sort of let them make a few mistakes.”