No heroism in sight in Abu Dhabi

The Heroes Cup, held in Abu Dhabi last week, was designed as a Ryder Cup audition/rehearsal for European teams. Two 10-man teams representing continental Europe and Ireland/UK pose in front of Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald. The three-day contest was inconclusive, though Sean Lowry and Seamus Ball had some rust to shake off.

Continental Europe beat opponents from the North West Islands 14½-10½. Neither Lowry nor Ball had much to offer; only Ball scored with Robert McIntyre in Friday’s foursomes, and Lowry was completely shut out.

GB&I captain Tommy Fleetwood tweaked the lineup to give Donald a different vision of what might come together in September. Lowry and Ball were paired in a foursomes Saturday morning, but their backs were against the wall as a tandem of Guido Migliozzi and Victor Perez jumped out to a 4-point lead after eight holes.

The Irish won the first hole of the tournament on the 9th hole and the teams alternated at the 13th hole. Ball and Lowry cut the deficit to two on the 15th, but their opponents won 3-2 on the 16th.

The Fleetwood side tried to build some momentum in Sunday’s singles, putting the biggest guns at the top of the table. Lowry went first, but fell again to Francesco Molinari on a deep, early hole and trailed by three holes, four holes.

Lowry began to counterattack, starting from the seventh hole, scoring that shot, eighth and 11th, tying the score. But that’s all he can live with. Molinari won the 12th and 13th holes, then sealed the victory 3-2 on the 16th hole.

As for Ball, he won two of his first three holes against Nikola Hoigard, but only saw that disappear when the Dane won the last three holes on the front nine. . Ball leveled in 13th, but Hoigard won 16th and led him to the eventual victory.

The DP World Tour will remain in Abu Dhabi this week as the HSBC Abu Dhabi Championship resumes its 72-hole stroke play. Lowry and Ball will remain in the middle, with Padraig Harrington and Tom McKibbin at both ends of the age bracket landing as part of a four-tier Irish threat.