The Americans, it seemed were en route to another rout.
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“It’s not the panel’s deficiency, they committed an error”. Just the nature of the game. Since it was realized on the s seventh, it was just a one-hole adjustment. Things could have ended differently. Day won the hole with a birdie to go 1 up.
INCHEON, South Korea (AP) – Jordan Spieth made 7-foot putts on the last two holes to complete the biggest comeback of the week and allow the Americans to escape with a split of foursomes matches Saturday morning at the Presidents Cup.
With the huge home gallery willing him on, and Lee barely able to watch, Bae drained the putt of a lifetime to seal the match and hand the Internationals another crucial point. Leishman made his putt for par, and Watson missed the 5-foot birdie putt for the win.
On that hole, Mickelson violated the one-ball rule and then was given the wrong ruling by the official governing the match. Most amateur events allow you to change golf balls from one tee to the next, although not during the playing of a hole.
Confused? So were the players.
“That was my entire objective”, Watson said.
“Never heard of that”. The mistake by the rules committee was not letting him finish the hole.
The mistake by Mickelson was not knowing the rules. Under the rules, they said, Mickelson should have been permitted to play the hole out – even if he halved or won it – and the one-hole penalty then should have been applied. “I pick up, put the right ball in play the next hole.’ But obviously that was not what happened”.
You could call this gamesmanship on Mickelson’s part, although he was clearly trying to do something he thought was within the rules at the Presidents Cup.
“Okay. I accept total responsibility for that mistake”, Russell said.
Both captains introduced their respective teams as animated caricature “avatars” of each player were displayed on a giant screen. And in the process, Phil being Phil, provided a few bulletin board material for the Internationals.
The result? Jason Day and Adam Scott went from all square to 2 up in just one hole.
Mickelson rallied by holing another bunker shot, this time with a full pitching wedge from a fairway bunker on No. 12, and making big putts.
“I’m pretty sure he was nervous”.
“Hopefully gives the guys a little motivation behind us and hopefully press on for the last couple holes”. The Internationals represent multiple continents and countries with language and culture barriers that can be an obstacle when so much strategy is required.
Emily: Team United States ends the Ryder Cup’s nerdy kid brother of an event once and for all by wiping the course with the Internationals – 20-10.
Having claimed their team’s only win on Thursday, Oosthuizen and Grace followed up by going out first on Friday against the Americans’ star duo of world No. 1 Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson, and triumphed 4 and 3. “So I don’t have a problem with it”, USA captain Jay Haas said.
The bottom clash looked set for Thongchai Jaidee and Charl Schwartzel cakewalk early on the back nine when they edged out to a 3-up lead with five to play against Bill Haas and Chris Kirk. Despite everything we have another 25 points forgotten there.
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America have won the tournament on each of the last five occasions it has been held and they were once again dominant throughout Thursday’s foursomes session in South Korea.
