Paul McGinley's 18th hole cock-up cost Europe the chance of a first day whitewash in the Royal Trophy in Thailand.

The defending champions took a 3 1/2 to 1/2 lead after the foursomes but it could easily have been 4-nil but for the Dubliner's late mistake.

Two down after four, McGinley and Anthony Wall rallied to go two up with three to play against Jeev Milkha Singh and YE Yang.

They were still one up with one to play but the Dubliner dumped his six-iron approach in a bunker off a perfect drive by his partner at the 18th and then missed a seven foot par putt for the match.

The Asian pair took full advantage of McGinley's mistake with Yang draining a six-footer for a winning par four and an unlikely half.

While skipper Seve Ballesteros was delighted with the first day result, McGinley warned that the match would be no walkover.

He said: "This is still a strong Asian team, and we're not underestimating them. But with this lead, we're still confident of victory."

Star-studded Europe, 9-7 winners in the inaugural edition last year, were always in command.

No 1 pairing Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke gave little way as they cruised to a comfortable 4 and 3 win over Korea's SK Ho and Japan's Toru Taniguchi.

Swedes Johan Edfors and Henrik Stenson gave Tetsuji Hiratsuka and Prom Meesawat little chance with a 6 and 5 hammering before compatriots Niclas Fasth and Robert Karlsson closed out the day's final match with a 3 and 1 win over home pairing Thongchai Jaidee and Thaworn Wiratchant.

Ballesteros beamed: "I predicted 3-1, and that was even better. I'm very happy with my players. They played flawless match play.

"It will be a totally different game tomorrow. Fourballs is totally different."

McGinley and Wall were left kicking themselves after letting half a point slip away at the death.

After racing into a one hole lead with birdies at the first two holes, they lost the next three on the spin to go two down in an exciting rollercoaster clash.

The European pair battled back to one down at the turn before taking the 11th, 13th and 14th to go two up with four to play.

But their hopes of an easy victory faded as Singh and Yang birdied the par-five 16th to cut the deficit to one hole with two to play.

The Asian pair looked certain to win the par three 17th as well after Yang's tee shot finished eight feet away.

But McGinley replied with a majestic iron shot to three feet that allowed Wall to halve the hole in birdie twos.

In the end though, McGinley's poor mid-iron to the 18th cost Europe a chance to open up a four-point lead after the opening day.

Top pairing Clarke and Westwood got the Europeans off to the ideal start with a clinical 4 and 3 win over Ho and Taniguchi.

The European pair was just one up at the turn after Clarke splashed down at the island green, par three eighth to gift the Asians a hole

But they cruised clear on the back nine with three winning birdies in the next six holes.

The second European point followed soon after as Edfors and Stenson crushed Hiratsuka and Meesawat with six birdies in a faultless foursomes display.

Compatriots Karlsson and Fasth saw their lead reduced to one hole with three to go but a birdie on the 16th by Fasth ended the Asian resistance as the Swedes finished 3 and 1 winners.

European names first:

Foursomes:
Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke bt SK Ho and Toru Taniguchi 4 and 3;
Johan Edfors and Hanrik Stenson bt Tetsuji Hiratsuka and Prom Meesawat 6 and 5;
Anthony Wall and Paul McGinley halved with Jeev Milkha Singh and YE Yang;
Niclas Fasth and Robert Karlsson defeated Thongchai Jaidee and Thaworn Wiratchant 3 and 1.

Overall Score: Asia 1/2 Europe 3 1/2