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The International team produced an error-strewn performance to plunge to a record deficit after the opening day at the Presidents Cup.
The collection of the world’s best players looked anything but as the tidier American team won five of the six foursomes matches, and halved the other at Royal Montreal today.
The US opened a five-point lead – 5 1/2 to 1/2 – continuing its historical dominance of the opening day foursomes.
Four of the six matches went to the 18th hole, but that was little consolation to the shell shocked Internationals.
All four Australians lost, with Adam Scott and Geoff Ogilvy setting a dismal tone when they were hammered 3 and 2 by Steve Stricker and Hunter Mahan in the opening match.
Nick O’Hern and Korean partner K.J. Choi gave Tiger Woods and Charles Howell a good fight but the Americans, with Woods in cruise control, were too good in the end triumphing 3 and 1.
And Stuart Appleby continued his abominable Presidents Cup record, hitting an appalling shot at the par-four 18th so far left of the green that it ended in an unplayable lie, costing the Internationals any chance of eking out a half point.
In the only match that did not end in defeat for the Internationals, Canadian Mike Weir gave the home fans something to cheer about when he teamed up with Fiji’s Vijay Singh to finish all square with Phil Mickelson and Woody Austin, Austin sinking a four-metre clutch putt at the last.
The US now has a 27-11 first day record in the seven stagings of the event, so it clearly knows the elusive formula for getting out of the blocks quickly.
“Our guys were sensational today,” said American captain Jack Nicklaus, while International captain Gary Player spoke about the fine line between success and failure.
Today that fine line ended in American success and International failure.
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