Tiger, Kuchar win twice on marathon Saturday
Playing from sun-up to sundown, the United States put itself in prime position to capture its eighth Presidents Cup on Saturday at rainy Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio.
For the third consecutive day, play was delayed by inclement weather. Friday’s foursomes (alternate shot) matches were completed Saturday morning, with Tiger Woods and Matt Kuchar of the U.S. downing Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel of the International team, 4 and 2. That helped give the Americans a one-point advantage.
Woods and Kuchar teamed up again Saturday in four-ball (best-ball) competition against Adam Scott and 21-year-old Hideki Matsuyama, and rallied for a hard-fought 1-up victory.
Matsuyama recorded two early birdies to give the International team a 2-up lead, but Woods reeled off three consecutive birdies.
Kuchar birdied the 14th hole and Woods reached the green in two at the par-5 15th with a brilliant 5-wood from 238 yards. Tiger’s three-foot eagle putt was conceded to give the Americans a 2-up cushion.
Matsuyama poured in a clutch birdie putt at the par-4 17th to close the gap, but Kuchar clinched the win with a big birdie at the par-4 18th, with Scott poised to halve the match with a birdie putt from just inside him.
“Kuch, man, what a birdie at 18,” Woods said after the duo climbed to 3-0 together in the competition.
Added Kuchar, “This guy is a horse. He played some incredible golf today. I was just along for the ride.”
Their victory gave the U.S. a four-point lead heading into afternoon foursomes. With light rain falling and golf balls plugging on most of the soggy greens, Woods and Kuchar partnered again against Ernie Els and Brendon de Jonge, but they were unable to finish their match due to darkness.
When play was called, both teams were putting for birdie on the par-4 10th green — Tiger from about eight feet — and the International team held a 2-up lead.
Only one afternoon foursomes match was completed: Zach Johnson and Jason Dufner of the U.S. defeated Richard Sterne and Marc Leishman of the International team, 4 and 3, giving the Americans an 11.5 to 6.5 advantage.
In other foursomes matches:
• Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickelson (U.S.) and Jason Day and Graham DeLaet (International) are all square through 13 holes
• Bill Haas and Steve Stricker (U.S.) are 2-up through 10 holes against Scott and Matsuyama (International)
• Oosthuizen and Schwartzel (International) are 3-up through 12 holes against Webb Simpson and Brandt Snedeker (U.S.)
The Saturday foursomes matches will resume play Sunday morning at 7:35 a.m. ET. U.S. captain Fred Couples and International team captain Nick Price will reveal their lineups for the 12 singles matches at 8 a.m.
The singles matches, which were originally scheduled to begin at noon local time, have been moved up to 9 a.m. in case of more weather delays.
It will take 17.5 points to win the competition.
