Austin all wet as Internationals cut U.S. lead

Woody Austin provided comic relief that instantly became part of Presidents Cup lore when he lost his balance and fell into the lake along the 14th fairway Friday at Montreal. But he picked himself up, dried himself off and found redemption with three consecutive birdies to earn an important halve on a day the International team dominated.

The International team won four matches to cut the Americans’ lead to 7-5 after two days, and it was truly a team effort.

Vijay Singh and Stuart Appleby led the way by handing Tiger Woods, whose partner was Jim Furyk, his worst loss in team competition, 5 and 4.

Singh holed out from a bunker and chipped in for eagle, Appleby made a long eagle putt at No. 12 and they combined to go 11 under through 14 holes.

Retief Goosen chipped in for par and Angel Cabrera made a 10-foot birdie on the 18th for a 1-up victory over Phil Mickelson and Hunter Mahan. It was the first match since 2003 in South Africa that the International team won on the 18th hole.

Geoff Ogilvy picked up another point with a five-foot birdie on the 18th, right after Lucas Glover made a 15-foot birdie. Mike Weir made seven birdies as he and Ernie Els won on the 17th hole.

Rory Sabbatini and Trevor Immelman were 2 up with three holes to play when Austin stuffed his approach into six feet on the tough 16th for a birdie, then holed a 15-foot birdie on the next hole to square the match.

Austin’s approach on the 18th just cleared a ridge and settled five feet from the hole. After Sabbatini made his birdie from eight feet, Austin closed out the match with his third straight birdie.

David Branshaw made 11 consecutive pars, then birdied his final two holes to shoot a four-under-par 68 and take a one-stroke lead over Bill Haas and former champion Cameron Beckman in the Viking Classic at Madison, Miss.

Branshaw is at 10-under 134. Eighteen players were within four strokes of the lead and eight others were another stroke back when play was suspended by darkness.

After setting an opening-round record with a 63, first-day leader Briny Baird fell to three under after a six-over 78.

Lorena Ochoa finished with three birdies and shot a four-under 68 to stay within striking distance of Stacy Prammanasudh at the Navistar LPGA Classic in Prattville, Ala.

Prammanasudh made a 12-foot eagle putt on the par-five eighth hole en route to a 68 that left her at 13-under 131, three strokes ahead of Ochoa.