European captain Darren Clarke insisted there will be no complacency on the final day of the EurAsia Cup after his team took a commanding six-point lead here Saturday. Clarke's 12-man team doubled its three-point lead from the first round by winning four of six four-ball matches, with one lost and the other halved, for a 9-3 advantage in the sauna-like conditions at Glenmarie Golf and Country Club. Clarke, who is also the current European Ryder Cup captain, could not have been more delighted with team lynchpins Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter who again won both their matches against Asian Tour rivals. Europe now needs to secure just 3.5 of the 12 points up for grabs in Sunday's deciding singles matches to claim the trophy after the inaugural 2014 tournament ended in a 10-10 draw. Saturday's second round commenced with Europe leading 4.5-1.5 over Asia. And for the second day running Poulter, a veteran of five Ryder Cup campaigns, set the tone, teaming up with fellow Englishman Danny Willett, to win 3&2 over Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee and An Byeong-hun from South Korea. In a 10-minute period Europe then secured three quick points to race ahead 8.5-1.5 as Bernd Wiesberger of Austria and England's Ross Fisher won 2-up over the Korean pairing of Kim Kyung-tae and Wang Jeung-hun. Lee Westwood and 21-year-old Matthew Fitzpatrick snatched the biggest win of day two with a 5&4 triumph over Asian Tour number one Anirban Lahiri from India and China's Wu Ashun. Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat and India's SSP Chawrasia recorded the Asian team's only victory, finishing 2-up after a birdie on the last hole against Swede Kristoffer Broberg and England's Chris Wood. Ireland's Shane Lowry and Andrew Sullivan from England stayed unbeaten in the team format, winning 3&2 over Thailand's Prayad Marksaeng and Japan's Shingo Katayama. Snedeker sets early pace Brandt Snedeker maintained the turnaround in form he produced at Kapalua last week and delivered a short game master class to move a stroke clear in the second round of the Sony Open in Honolulu, Hawaii Friday. Long regarded as one of the best putters on the PGA Tour, Snedeker holed out from 15 feet on his first hole, chipped in from 35 feet on his 12th, and then drained a 20-footer at the next on the way to a five-under-par 65 at Waialae Country Club. The 35-year-old American, who had been in a five-way tie for the lead overnight, took advantage of relatively benign conditions as he piled up five birdies in a bogey-free round for a 12-under total of 128. Kevin Kisner was alone at 11-under after carding a 66. Reigning British Open champion Zach Johnson was a stroke further back, also after a 66, along with former world number one Luke Donald (65), Zac Blair (65) and Chez Reavie (63). Reigning champion Jimmy Walker, bidding for an unprecedented third victory in a row at Waialae, was a distant nine shots off the pace after carding a 68. Former world No. 1 and 2005 champion Vijay Singh, among the five players tied for the lead overnight, was a late starter Friday and fell four behind Snedeker after a one-under 69. — Agencies
