U.S.
four-ball rout leaves Internationals shell-shocked
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[September 30, 2017]
By Steve Keating
JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (Reuters) - The
United States were threatening to run away with another Presidents
Cup after a four-ball rout on Friday that left a International team
reeling and searching for answers.
Under the gaze of the Statue of Liberty, the United States have been
domineering hosts, winning four of five four-ball matches and
halving the other surging to a 8-2 lead to the delight of a giddy
home crowd at Liberty National.
The United States have won nine of 11 Presidents Cups, including the
last six and if the International team, comprised of players from
the rest of the world except Europe, are to end the drought they
will have to overturn the biggest U.S. advantage ever after Day Two
of the biennial competition.
So complete has been the United States dominance that they can
clinch the Cup on Saturday, leaving Sunday's singles nothing more
than dead rubbers.
With both foursomes and four-ball action scheduled for Saturday, the
United States need to collect 7.5 points from a possible eight to
decide the competition.
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"I think we saw the strength of the U.S. team come out today but in
all fairness to my guys, I don't think they played as well as they
were capable of," said International captain Nick Price, who was
refusing to wave the white flag. "There's a long way to go. I know
the U.S. team knows that.
"This is a tough American team. It's a very, very strong team and we
can't make a lot of mistakes.
"We have another 20 points left. We're not laying down. These guys
are going to come out fighting over the next two days and especially
tomorrow."
Presidents Cup debutantes Charley Hoffman and Kevin Chappell, who
sat out Thursday's opening foursomes, showed no signs of jitters as
they led the American stampede with a dominating 6&5 victory over
South African Charl Schwartzel and India's Anirban Lahiri to notch
the first point of the day.
"I took it pretty well, but yesterday was hard," said Hoffman of
having to watch the opening matches from the sidelines. "Kevin and I
were biting at the bit to get out there and play.
"It gave us a little more fire and momentum going into today."
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![](../images/093017pics/sports51.jpg)
Charley Hoffman hits a shot from the sand on the fourth hole during
the second round four-ball matches of The President's Cup golf
tournament at Liberty National Golf Course. Mandatory Credit: Kyle
Terada-USA TODAY Sports
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With the sun setting over the Manhattan skyline, Phil Mickelson, who
has played in every edition of the Presidents Cup, dropped a 12-foot
birdie putt at the par three 18th to clinch a one-up victory for
himself and partner Kevin Kisner over Australians Jason Day and Marc
Leishman, sparking wild cheers from his team mates and fans packed
around the finishing hole.
For Mickelson it was his 24th Presidents Cup victory, tying him with
Tiger Woods for the most all-time, as the five time major winning
hailed the team as the best he has ever seen.
"I just love every opportunity to be a part of these events and on
these teams," said Mickelson. "This team is a unique team from any
in the past in that the talent level is high or higher than we've
ever had, and the camaraderie amongst each other on and off the
course is a whole different environment."
Also scoring points for the U.S. were Brooks Koepka and Dustin
Johnson, who birdied the final two holes for a 3&2 decision over
Australia's Adam Scott and Venezuela's Jhonattan Vegas, and Rickie
Fowler and Justin Thomas with a 3&2 victory over South Africans
Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace.
Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed contributed a half point to the U.S.
effort when their match with Hideki Matsuyama and Canada's Adam
Hadwin ended all-square.
"It is a big lead the Americans have right now but we still have 10
matches tomorrow and we have 12 matches in the singles on Sunday,"
said a struggling Matsuyama, the Internationals highest ranked
player at world number three who will be benched for Saturday's
foursomes by Price. "I think every one of my teammates feel the same
way; that there's still a chance."
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(Editing by Andrew Both and Pritha Sarkar/Gene Cherry)
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