Internationals take narrow opening lead

The Internationals recovered from trailing in four of the six opening foursomes on Thursday to take a lead of 3-1/2 points to 2-1/2 over holders the United States on the first day of the Presidents Cup.

Although the Internationals moved 2-1 ahead early on, the U.S. appeared to be in overall control, winning the second foursomes match out and staying ahead in three others.

But the Americans, traditionally weaker in the alternate shot format, were outplayed down the stretch in two of the last three encounters as the Internationals took first-day Presidents Cup honours for the second time in five editions.

"We had a good shot at being 5-1 today and we ended up 2-1/2 to 3-1/2," said non-playing U.S. captain Jack Nicklaus. "That's disappointing obviously, but it was also very good golf played by Gary's team down the stretch."

Gary Player, captaining the Internationals for the first time, was delighted by his team's impressive fightback.

"At one stage, we would have settled for a 4-2 result," he said. "We were in trouble, but we pulled the rabbit out of the hat today."

Former major winners Retief Goosen of South Africa and Fiji's Vijay Singh provided early cheer for the Internationals, beating American rookies Jerry Kelly and Chris DiMarco 3 and 2 in a match-play contest they always dominated.

But the Americans levelled at 1-1 when Davis Love III and Kenny Perry outplayed Australia's Peter Lonard and South African Tim Clark 4 and 2. Love sealed the win by chipping in for eagle from just off the edge of the 16th green.

Nick Price and U.S. Masters champion Mike Weir then clinched a gripping encounter for the Internationals, twice coming back from two down and collecting birdies on 17 and at the last to edge out U.S. duo David Toms and Phil Mickelson by a hole.

However the Americans, who won the 2000 Presidents Cup by 21-1/2 points to 10-1/2 at Lake Manassas, Virginia, once again levelled, world number one Tiger Woods and Charles Howell III outclassing Australian Stuart Appleby and South Korea's K.J. Choi 4 and 3.

"This golf course is so difficult," said the 27-year-old Woods. "You can win a lot of holes with pars."

U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk and Justin Leonard seemed to have their match against Ernie Els and Australia's Adam Scott in control, and were two ahead with three to play.

But the Americans succumbed to the pressure and the fast-finishing Els and Scott birdied the final three holes to triumph one up.

"It was really exciting today," said Els. "I've been on the other end of some really close matches in recent years."

In the fifth match, the veteran American pair Jay Haas and Fred Funk were two up on Australians Robert Allenby and Stephen Leaney after 15 holes, but lost the last two to finish all square with their opponents.

Former world number one Price and Canadian left-hander Weir produced the most thrilling contest of the day in the first match out against Toms and Mickelson.

"It was to-and-fro, to-and-fro," said Zimbabwean Price, who is playing in his fifth consecutive Presidents Cup.

"I hit Mike in some not so choice places off the tee but he played a magnificent eight-iron explosion shot from 80 yards on the eighth hole and left me with a putt from just 12 feet. That was a huge thing for us."

Email this page to a friend | Return to top of page