The Australian team left The Merit Club today bitterly disappointed that they could not salvage at least half a point after being shut-out by Chinese Taipei in the opening fourball matches of the 2016 UL International Crown.

Getting the tournament underway in the first match, Karrie Webb and Su Oh found themselves 2 down after 4 holes to Yani Tseng and Teresa Lu, and fought hard throughout the front nine to stay in the match. By the time they had left the 12th green things were beginning to look up for Australia after Webb had holed from 20 metres for her second consecutive birdie to get the match back to all square.

Unfortunately, the aussie duo couldn`t maintain the momentum and lost the 13th hole to a par to go back to one down after both players had driven into the left-hand trees.
A Teresa Lu birdie from 3 metres at the 14th saw the pair from Chinese Taipei to back to 2up, and when the former word number one Tseng holed from 2 metres for her 5th birdie of the day at the difficult par 4 15th the writing was on the wall for Webb and Oh, as they fell 3 down with just 3 holes remaining.
The 16th hole was halved in birdies and Chinese Taipei had their first point on the board.

In the second match, the pairing of Minjee Lee and Rebecca Artis also found themselves 1 down early after a birdie from Ssu-Chia Cheng at the par 3 second, but fought back when Lee, the world number 14 made an impressive eagle at the par 5 9th hole to get the match back to all square. However a birdie at the par 5 10th hole from Candie Kung saw the team from Chinese Taipei take the lead once again, and when Teresa Lu made another birdie at the par 3 14th hole the Australians found themselves 2 down with just 3 holes to play.
The Aussie duo were not about to give up without a fight, a spectacular eagle from Lee, her second of the day on the par 5 16th hole gave the pair a slight glimmer of hope. The 17th was halved in pars after the young Western Australian lipped out for birdie from 4 metres, and Lee and Artis were 1 down with one hole left to play.  
Heading up the 18th needing to win the hole to halve the match, Lee disappointingly drove into the deep rough effectively leaving her partner Artis to play the final hole on her own.
The 2015 Scottish Open champion has shown in the past that she has a liking for tight situations, and didn`t disappoint driving perfectly down the centre of the fairway, followed up by a superb iron shot to 3 metres from the hole.
Unfortunately, the putt broke agonisingly across the front of the hole and the team from Chinese Taipei had their second point of the session on the board.

Australia will face the Chinese team tomorrow on day 2, and the team from the Republic of Korea on day 3. 

For results and scores from day 1, and pairings for round 2 of the UL International Crown go to www.lpgascoring.com

Day 2 will be shown live on Fox Sports channel 3 from 3:30am on Saturday morning

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