International team grabs early edge

MELBOURNE, Australia - Everyone was feeling the heat at Royal Melbourne. For the Americans in the Presidents Cup, the heat remained long after matches ended.

The Internationals, led by Greg Norman and Steve Elkington, took a 7-3 lead early Friday in 100-plus temperatures - the second-hottest December day in Melbourne this century.

In both previous Presidents Cups in 1994 and 1996, the Americans led 7 1/2 - 2 1/2 after the first day.

''I think the Americans are going to be a little more geared up now,'' said Norman, who won both his matches with Elkington.

It left the Americans on their heels going into Saturday's second set of five foursomes and five four-ball events. The matches conclude on Sunday when all 12 players in each team play singles matches.

''We can come back,'' said American stalwart Fred Couples, whose approach to the 18th green gave him and Davis Love III a 1-up win over Craig Parry and Carlos Franco.

''But obviously, we need to get maybe six out of the 10 matches tomorrow. It's not like it's a basketball game where you're down with 30 seconds to go. It can be done.

''But they are playing beautifully,'' he said. ''Whatever they did today was real good.''

American captain Jack Nicklaus said he told his team after play concluded that he was pleased the day ended on a positive note - Couples' shot on 18.

''We called that the tide-turner,'' Nicklaus said. ''It got the guys moving in the opposite direction.''

The forecast for Saturday is for the hot temperatures and gusty winds to continue, with thunderstorms and a cooler wind change expected by late afternoon.

Norman and Elkington won 31 of the 35 holes they had to play in their morning foursomes (alternate-shot) and afternoon four-ball (best-ball).

Couples teamed with Tiger Woods to whip Vijay Singh and Ernie Els in alternate shot, and he and Love improved to 5-3 lifetime as cup partners when Couples drilled his approach within 2 feet on No. 18 for the 1-up victory over Franco and Parry.

Frank Nobilo and Greg Turner, the two players from New Zealand added to the team as captain's picks, were in control of their alternate-shot match against the best two Americans this year, David Duval and Mark O'Meara.

But the lead was only 1-up on the 18th, and Turner's 6-iron settled on the fringe at least from the hole, and O'Meara responded with an approach within 2 feet that set up what appeared to be a halved match.

Nobilo had other ideas. The descendant of Ivory Coast pirates robbed the Americans of a half-point by rolling in a birdie putt that won the match and set off a roar that resounded throughout Royal Melbourne.

''That filtered all the way back down to the whole team,'' Norman said.

And the International team marched right on.

Norman and Elkington closed out their 2-up victory over Jim Furyk and John Huston when Elkington rifled his approach from the rough on the 18th within 3 feet for a birdie, and Parry and Shigeki Maruyama had no problem beating Scott Hoch and Lee Janzen.

The Americans had their chances.

Duval and Phil Mickelson led their match against Els and Nick Price from the seventh hole on, but had to settle for a draw when Price made a 6-foot birdie putt on the last hole and Duval, who struggled all day with his putter, missed from 10 feet.

Woods and Justin Leonard were all square with Singh and Stuart Appleby through 13 holes, but wound up losing 2 and 1.

The International team had never led after any day of matches in the three-year history of the Presidents Cup.

By The Associated Press

TRW - 19:40 11/12/98