Tom McKibbin helps Great Britain & Ireland establish early lead in Team Cup

Great Britain & Ireland took a 3.5-1.5 lead after the first day of the 2025 Team Cup.

Matthieu Pavon and Romain Langasque won the opening four-balls match for Continental Europe, but victories for Tyrrell Hatton and Co Down native Tom McKibbin and then Jordan Smith and Laurie Canter quickly turned the tables.

Tommy Fleetwood and Aaron Rai ensured GB&I would lead overnight at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort, before Paul Waring and Matthew Jordan halved with Thorbjorn Olesen and Niklas Norgaard in the last match to finish.

The event serves as the main European preparation event for the Ryder Cup later in the year, with Europe captain Luke Donald on site and experienced Ryder Cup players Justin Rose and Francesco Molinari as playing captains for their respective teams.

Molinari's side made a strong start, with Pavon and Langasque leading Rose and Matt Wallace from the first hole and early leads too for Rasmus Hojgaard and Rasmus Neergaard-Pedersen and Molinari himself, playing with Matteo Manassero against his old Ryder Cup friend Fleetwood and Aaron Rai.

Hatton and McKibbin were on top throughout against Antoine Rozner and Julien Guerrier in a 3 and 2 win and the other British and Irish pairs gradually turned the momentum too.

Smith made three birdies in a row as he and Canter went two up on Hojgaard and Neergaard-Pederson through 13, eventually winning one up, while Fleetwood and Rai came from one down after 10 to win 4 and 2.

Rose said: "I'm really, really pleased with that. The team rallied well.

"I thought Laurie and Jordan closed it out beautifully down 17 and 18. Paul Waring holing a great putt to halve 17 and Matty Jordan, nice tricky up-and-down on 18 to halve that match after Thorbjorn hit two great shots.

"I would have snapped that