U.S. Has Internationals Safely Behind Eight-Ball
The eight countries that make up the International team are indeed playing under one flag in the Presidents Cup.
Right now, it’s a white one.
The Americans didn’t need Tiger Woods to build a seemingly insurmountable lead Saturday, winning four of five best-ball matches at Gainesville, Va., to take a 14-6 edge into the final day, which should be packed with as much drama as watching grass grow.
“We haven’t surrendered, but we’re suing for peace,” International captain Peter Thomson said. “We haven’t heard back from the other side yet.”
Hal Sutton led the early effort, and Kirk Triplett and Stewart Cink, the unheralded and undefeated rookies, brought up the rear on a day that demoralized the International team.
The Americans need only 2 1/2 points from today’s 12 singles matches to reclaim the cup.
“We just wanted to make a game of it,” Nick Price said. “Tomorrow is going to be boring for everyone.”
It isn’t the largest lead in the short history of this cup. Two years ago in Australia, the International team holed shots from all over the course to build a 14 1/2-5 1/2 lead after team play, and won the Presidents Cup after only two singles matches.
It became known as the “Massacre in Melbourne,” and the Americans were criticized for not caring and not trying.
The International team must now know how they felt.
“It stings,” Price said. “It’s going to be difficult to try our hardest.”
Sutton and Jim Furyk made nine birdies in 13 holes in the first match, soundly defeating Greg Norman and Michael Campbell and setting the tone for the day.
“I made a little kidding remark before we played,” Sutton said. “We’ll go start the fire, and everybody else throw gasoline on it.”
Woods was paired with Notah Begay III in the only match the Americans failed to win. And that was the most thrilling of the day, as Woods matched Vijay Singh’s eagle putt, birdied the next hole and had a chance to square the match until missing a six-foot birdie on the 17th. Singh and Retief Goosen won, 2 and 1.
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Carl Paulson had birdies on two of the final four holes en route to a one-under-par 70 and a two-shot lead over Len Mattiace after three rounds of the Tampa Bay Classic at Palm Harbor, Fla. Paulson, looking for his first PGA victory, is 11 under at 202.
Steve Lowery is third, after a 69, and trails Paulson by three shots.
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Jose Maria Canizares came within a shot of the Senior PGA Tour record with a 10-under 61 that gave him a four-stroke lead over Hale Irwin after two rounds of the Kaanapali Classic on Maui. Canizares nearly matched Isao Aoki’s tour record of 60 in the 1997 Emerald Coast Classic. He’s 13 under for 36 holes at 129.
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Sherri Steinhauer birdied four of the last five holes for an eight-under 64 that moved her into a tie with Solheim Cup teammate Nancy Scranton at 14-under 202 after three rounds of the LPGA’s Tournament of Champions at Mobile, Ala.
Birdies at Nos. 14, 15 and 16 gave Scranton a 68. Karrie Webb, who also shot a 68, is two shots behind. If Webb finishes in the top 10, she’ll clinch the LPGA player-of-the-year award.