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Tiger tamed but US closes in
Source: Agencies |
November 20, 2011, Sunday
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SOUTH Korea's Kim Kyung-tae drained a clutch putt on the 18th hole to beat Tiger Woods in their four-ball tie and give the Internationals a glimmer of hope with the Americans closing in on a seventh Presidents Cup victory yesterday.
Partnered with Yang Yong-eun, Kim's six-foot knee-trembler in front of a massive gallery at Royal Melbourne sealed a 1-up victory over Woods and Dustin Johnson as the Internationals edged the United States 3-2 in the four-ball matches.
Having dominated the morning foursomes 4-1 on a wet and windy day, the US carries a 13-9 point lead into today and needs only five wins from the 12 singles matches to clinch its fourth straight trophy at the venue of its sole loss in 1998.
"We will get the old guys, as we did get a couple of guys on the team bus to tell them, this isn't far from over, and you need to go out and everyone needs to win a point," US captain Fred Couples told reporters. "That's kind of the game plan ... Once they tee off on No. 1, they are pretty much on their own."
Kim and Yang's personal triumph marked a banner day for South Korea as KJ Choi partnered with Australia's Geoff Ogilvy to defeat Steve Stricker and Matt Kuchar 1-up.
But the Internationals' traditional weakness in the alternate shot format may ultimately prove decisive as the disparate band of nations once again failed to gel.
Having lost 2-4 in Thursday's foursomes, they finished 3-8 for the tournament in the format, which the US plays on alternate years in the Ryder Cup. "It's a hell of a tough task. I've seen so many captains come and go, and you know, we still haven't got the formula right," said South Africa's Ernie Els.
Retief Goosen and fellow South African Charl Schwartzel ended the dream run of Webb Simpson and Bubba Watson in the first four-ball match but the Americans hit back through Billy Haas and Hunter Mahan. Mahan rolled in a 22-foot putt on the par-4 17th to seal a 2&1 win over Australians Aaron Baddeley and Jason Day.
Adam Scott, who partnered Els, had a chance to steal a late half-point against Jim Furyk and Nick Watney on the 18th, but the Australian's long putt slid right off the hole as the Americans won the final match-up 1-up to snatch back the momentum at the close.
The US was earlier sparked by a third lead-off win by Cup debutantes Watson and Simpson, who marched to a 3&2 win over Australians Robert Allenby and Ogilvy, their third straight victory.
Mahan and David Toms had teamed up to thrash Goosen and Schwartzel 5&4 while Woods broke his points drought by teaming up with Johnson to down Scott and Choi 3&2.
Phil Mickelson and Furyk closed out their third successive win with a 2&1 victory over Baddeley and Day.
Japan's Ryo Ishikawa provided a rare bright patch on a gloomy morning for the Internationals with some brilliant clutch putting late in his match-up with Els to win a point against Haas and Kuchar.
He finished off nervelessly sinking a five-footer to seal the win and give the pair a breakthrough win after two straight losses to Watson and Simpson in their opening matches.
Staring at his second straight Cup defeat as captain against Couples, this time on home soil, Greg Norman tried to keep positive in the face of the mammoth task to upend the Americans today.
"Right now, we have got our backs against the wall, no question about it, and you've got to believe that you can come back. I believe the guys can."
Partnered with Yang Yong-eun, Kim's six-foot knee-trembler in front of a massive gallery at Royal Melbourne sealed a 1-up victory over Woods and Dustin Johnson as the Internationals edged the United States 3-2 in the four-ball matches.
Having dominated the morning foursomes 4-1 on a wet and windy day, the US carries a 13-9 point lead into today and needs only five wins from the 12 singles matches to clinch its fourth straight trophy at the venue of its sole loss in 1998.
"We will get the old guys, as we did get a couple of guys on the team bus to tell them, this isn't far from over, and you need to go out and everyone needs to win a point," US captain Fred Couples told reporters. "That's kind of the game plan ... Once they tee off on No. 1, they are pretty much on their own."
Kim and Yang's personal triumph marked a banner day for South Korea as KJ Choi partnered with Australia's Geoff Ogilvy to defeat Steve Stricker and Matt Kuchar 1-up.
But the Internationals' traditional weakness in the alternate shot format may ultimately prove decisive as the disparate band of nations once again failed to gel.
Having lost 2-4 in Thursday's foursomes, they finished 3-8 for the tournament in the format, which the US plays on alternate years in the Ryder Cup. "It's a hell of a tough task. I've seen so many captains come and go, and you know, we still haven't got the formula right," said South Africa's Ernie Els.
Retief Goosen and fellow South African Charl Schwartzel ended the dream run of Webb Simpson and Bubba Watson in the first four-ball match but the Americans hit back through Billy Haas and Hunter Mahan. Mahan rolled in a 22-foot putt on the par-4 17th to seal a 2&1 win over Australians Aaron Baddeley and Jason Day.
Adam Scott, who partnered Els, had a chance to steal a late half-point against Jim Furyk and Nick Watney on the 18th, but the Australian's long putt slid right off the hole as the Americans won the final match-up 1-up to snatch back the momentum at the close.
The US was earlier sparked by a third lead-off win by Cup debutantes Watson and Simpson, who marched to a 3&2 win over Australians Robert Allenby and Ogilvy, their third straight victory.
Mahan and David Toms had teamed up to thrash Goosen and Schwartzel 5&4 while Woods broke his points drought by teaming up with Johnson to down Scott and Choi 3&2.
Phil Mickelson and Furyk closed out their third successive win with a 2&1 victory over Baddeley and Day.
Japan's Ryo Ishikawa provided a rare bright patch on a gloomy morning for the Internationals with some brilliant clutch putting late in his match-up with Els to win a point against Haas and Kuchar.
He finished off nervelessly sinking a five-footer to seal the win and give the pair a breakthrough win after two straight losses to Watson and Simpson in their opening matches.
Staring at his second straight Cup defeat as captain against Couples, this time on home soil, Greg Norman tried to keep positive in the face of the mammoth task to upend the Americans today.
"Right now, we have got our backs against the wall, no question about it, and you've got to believe that you can come back. I believe the guys can."
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