Americans split fourballs; take seven-point lead into singles

Golf Betting Lines

09/29/2007 - Montreal, QC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The American team pulled out a split of Saturday afternoon's fourballs matches, but will take a huge lead into Sunday's singles at The Presidents Cup.

The U.S., which swept the morning foursomes 5-0, leads the competition 14 1/2 - 7 1/2, but it looked like it might be closer. Four of the five matches were in the Internationals' favor on the back nine, but the U.S. closed better.

"This afternoon, we turned the tide on them," said Tiger Woods, whose 3-1 mark in the team format is his best in 10 Presidents or Ryder Cups. "We try to keep them at bay because we know how dangerous they can be in the singles."

History is certainly not on the International side come Sunday. It has never won the singles session outright in the six previous Presidents Cups, but twice tied 6-6.

The Internationals were down by eight in 2000, but the U.S. won 7 1/2 points in the 12 singles for the most lopsided victory in tournament history, 11 points.

Gary Player's International team will need a historic comeback, rivaling the American rally on Sunday at the 1999 Ryder Cup at Brookline. That was the biggest comeback in that event's history, but even that was only four points.

Stewart Cink rode a hot putter to two late wins and partnered Jim Furyk to a 1-up victory in the first match against Angel Cabrera and K.J. Choi.

Phil Mickelson holed a clutch birdie putt on the last hole to steal a halve with Woody Austin against the International team of Retief Goosen and Adam Scott.

Mike Weir continued to validate both Captain Player's selection of him and his Canadian hero status. He and Ernie Els trounced Lucas Glover and Charles Howell III, 4 & 2. Weir leads the International team with 2 1/2 points.

The final match on the course nearly caused more problems for the Internationals. Vijay Singh and Stuart Appleby were 2-up with two to play, but lost 17 to a Stricker birdie. Stricker nearly duplicated the magic at 18, but Singh converted a clutch four-footer to pull out a 1-up win over Stricker and Hunter Mahan and keep it at a seven-point margin.

In the anchor match, Woods and David Toms played together for the first time in international team competition and Nicklaus' decision paid off huge. They destroyed Nick O'Hern and Geoff Ogilvy 5 & 3.

"This afternoon looked like Tiger was going to be the only point we were going to get," said American captain Jack Nicklaus. "The guys grinded it out. Getting a split, walking into the clubhouse, I'm quite happy."

Down seven, Player went out first with the two golfers who sat in the morning, Cabrera and Choi.

Cink and Furyk were 2-down with six to play, but Furyk ran home a long birdie putt at 13 to cut the deficit in half. Cink, who missed a short par putt that cost his side on Friday afternoon, took over the match.

He rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt at the 16th to square the match then exorcised the demons from Friday on 17. Cink holed a six-foot birdie putt at 17 to put the Americans 1-up.

Cabrera missed an 18-foot birdie putt at the last that could have halved the match.

Mickelson and Austin were in some trouble late. At the 15th, Mickelson found the water, but had a shot at his ball. Austin, who fell backwards into a lake at 14 on Friday, tried to persuade him to play it, but Mickelson elected to wait to see what Austin did.

Austin made bogey, so Mickelson went in the water and tried for a miracle up- and-down. It did not happen, so the U.S. fell 1-down with three to play. Goosen holed out for a birdie from a bunker at 16, and the Internationals were assured a halve.

But Austin, who birdied his last three on Friday afternoon to get his side a halve, rekindled the magic. He drained a nine-footer for birdie at the 17th to take his side 1-down with the difficult 18th to play.

Goosen drove into the trees and was basically out of the hole. Austin missed a birdie chip, so the 18th came down to Mickelson and Scott. The Aussie left himself with three feet for par after his 40-footer never threatened the cup. Mickelson holed an impressive 25-footer for birdie and a big halve.

"We made some birdies down the stretch," said Mickelson. "Woody's birdie on 17 was big. To make the one on the last hole sure feels good."

Els and Weir built a 3-up lead at the turn, but back-to-back birdies by Glover got the margin down to 1-down. Els tapped in a short birdie putt to win the 12th, then Weir rolled in a long birdie putt to win the 15th and go 3-up with three to play.

Els hit a spectacular approach from the mud at 16. Neither American managed a birdie, so the Internationals took the point.

"I played with Mike yesterday, he played unbelievable. He played great today," said Els. "It's a privilege to play with him every year."

Singh and Appleby made a mess of the closing hole, both hitting in bunkers. Appleby barely advanced his and was out of the hole as he left himself with 12 feet for par. Singh blasted out to four feet and watched Mahan never come close with his birdie putt.

Stricker also missed his birdie effort. Singh had to hole his to save a valuable full point for the Internationals. He did just that to keep the faint International hope alive.

Toms was the man who carried his team in the final game. He birdied two and three for wins, then a couple of Woods' birdies at eight and nine put them 4- up.

The U.S. closed it out on the 15th.