Mickelson, who has never missed a Presidents Cup, tied a tournament record with his 11th foursomes victory.
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Ultimately, the US halved the match, in part because Mickelson played the next several holes in spectacular fashion, including a bomb of a putt on the 11th hole and holing out his second shot on the 12th for eagle from a fairway bunker. We’re in a good position now. The penalty is known as a one-hole adjustment. He was not sure what kind of reception he would receive at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea.
The worldwide team went from all square to 2 up by just playing one hole in a freakish incident involving Phil Mickelson at the Presidents Cup.
Here are the nuts and bolts of the situation: Mickelson put a different model ball into play than he had started with on the par-5 hole, one which would potentially offer extra yardage off the tee.
The second mistake was from the rules committee.
After a few deliberation, Mickelson was informed that he had indeed breached four-ball regulations and was disqualified from that hole, leaving Johnson to play it on his own against Day and Scott. He should have been allowed to finish the seventh hole with his illegal ball, then the penalty of the one-hole loss should have been applied, meaning the USA should have been given full opportunity to win a hole they’d then automatically lose after the fact because of the violation.
Mickelson was critical of the mistake by Young. So, Phil picked up his ball.
The episode appeared to start up the 45-year-old, who required a skipper’s pick this year surprisingly since 1994, and he conveyed the day’s shot at the twelfth, his fairway shelter shot from 136 yards dropping close to the pin and turning sideways into the gap.
The worldwide team didn’t have to do much to take control as the Americans made nothing better than par for the opening 13 holes.
For the worldwide team, every point matters.
Bubba Watson and J.B. Holmes vs. Adam Scott and Marc Leishman, 6:16 p.m. Friday.
The lessening of the amount of points available with the dropping of two fourball matches and two foursomes matches is being promoted as a possible advantage for the Internationals but history has shown that the Americans have not been too disadvantaged in the early phases of the contest.
The Americans, up 4-1 after the opening session, had their lead cut to 5½-4½.
“I must admit, that putt that Sangmoon made on No. 18 today, was probably the highlight of the last two days for us”, said Price, whose team won their first session since 2011.
The South African pair of Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace were again the heroes for the Internationals, while the four Australians were less successful. With Johnson in tight for a certain birdie on the 18th, Day made an 8-foot birdie putt for a half-point.
“A tough day for us”, Price said. “Get out there quick, change the shading so alternate fellows see that and it sparkles them going ahead”.
The big moment belonged to Bae, who was shaky with his putter until it mattered.
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In the Solheim Cup last month in Germany, Lee was in tears after Suzann Pettersen called for the American to be penalized for picking up her ball when she mistakenly thought a short putt had been conceded in the completion of a fourballs match.
