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The United States team clinched the Presidents Cup for the first time on foreign soil when they staved off the Internationals here today.
The International team, which included four Australians, had to win 10 of 12 singles matches on the final day at Royal Montreal and it was always going to be too tall an order.
The Americans delivered the killer blow without haste, winning the first three matches to be decided, with Stewart Cink clinching the cup when he beat Australian Nick O’Hern 6 and 4.
The International team have won just once in seven stagings of the event, but until today the Americans had not won outside the US, beaten in Australia in 1998 and earning a tie in South Africa in 2003.
“Our guys can hold our head up high,” said International captain Gary Player.
“They won more singles matches today but congratulations to America.
“They played extremely well and deserved to win.”
Phil Mickelson got the Americans on the board in the first match to be decided, dusting out-of-sorts Vijay Singh 5 and 4.
Scott Verplank took the US within one point of victory by outlasting Rory Sabbatini 2 and 1, before Ernie Els finally picked up a point for the Internationals, 2 and 1 over Lucas Glover.
It seemed Tiger Woods would clinch the Cup by beating Canadian Mike Weir in the day’s biggest match, but Cink beat him to the punch.
Woods, in fact, ended up losing to Weir, who surrendered a big lead before recovering to win the final two holes for a 1-up victory.
Australian Adam Scott posted his first victory of the week, 2 and 1 over Zach Johnson, while Geoff Ogilvy won the final hole to outlast Steve Stricker 1-up.
But Stuart Appleby remained winless in Presidents Cup singles, beaten 2 and 1 by Charles Howell.
The Internationals won seven of 12 singles matches, their best ever result, but the foursomes proved to be their downfall, failing to win in 11 matches in the alternate shot format.
The next Presidents Cup will be held at Harding Park in San Francisco, California, in 2009.
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