Internationals take 4-1 lead after stunning first day of action at the Presidents Cup
The Internationals hold a 4-1 advantage after the opening day of the Presidents Cup but they know Team USA will come out fighting in the foursomes format as Tiger Woods keeps faith in his pairings. Recap the action and see who will play on Friday.
A record opening day win for the Internationals was enough to ease the heaving nerves of first-time skipper Ernie Els.
But it was a long way short of the Presidents Cup dagger Els team has to drive through the heart of Team USA to end two decades of complete domination.
Tiger Woods, Els opposing skipper, scored his team’s only point in the opening match and was showing little signs of concern at the 4-1 deficit as he laughed and smiled watching the rest of his players lose.
Maybe Woods knows that the foursomes format, which was moved to the second session for this incarnation of the event, is clearly the Internationals team’s worst, opening the door for a day two American comeback.
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Woods stuck with three of his day one teams for day two, including paring himself with Justin Thomas again, and the 15-time major champion was a long way off panic mode despite worst day one in US history.
“Well, this is a long four days. I mean, we have to go earn this Cup. Just because we lost the session doesn't mean the Cup's over,” he said.
“There's a long way to go. A lot of points available. The guys will regroup and we'll come out ready to go.”
Despite yellow and black numbers dominating the scoreboard for nearly the entire opening day Els, so cool and calm as a player, likened his nerves as captain to those his wife must have felt watching him for so many years.
“There were a lot of tight matches and a lot of crucial putts,” Els said.
“As a captain not playing, yeah, it's nerve-racking. I can see what my wife's gone through for many years and people that care for you.”
Els said there was no way he could have predicted the near-perfect start, which was just the third time in Presidents Cup history that the Internationals finished in front after the opening day.
But he remained all business, even creating five entirely new pairings for day two’s matches, sticking to the plan of attack he had coming in to an event in which he knew demanded a different approach after seven-straight defeats.
“I didn't envision 4-1, no. So it's a nice start. You know, we haven't had a start like this for many, many years,” he said.
“We've gone this route (with the pairings), and we keep going. I mean, the guys played well today in their respective pairings, and tomorrow we've got whatever pairings we have.
“We feel comfortable with them. The guys have practised this way, so going with that process.”
Woods opted to keep three of his opening day pairs together for day two, including himself, and said he wasn’t just playing again because he was his team’s best Thursday performer.
“Yeah, we have a couple different options rolling into this entire Cup,” Woods, the second-ever playing captain said.
“The guys have known the game plan, different possible options, and this is one of the scenarios.”
“We're excited about getting out there tomorrow and winning some matches, and turning this thing around.”
DAY TWO MATCHES:
Dustin Johnson / Matt Kuchar V Adam Scott / Louis Oosthuizen
Adam Hadwin / Joaquín Niemann V Patrick Cantlay / Xander Schauffele
Webb Simpson/ Patrick Reed vs Marc Leishman/ Abraham Ancer
Justin Thomas/Tiger Woods v Ben An/Hideki Matsuyama
Gary Woodland/Rickie Fowler v Sungjae Im/Cameron Smith