U.S. dances in fourballs
JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Kevin Kisner and Phil Mickelson rehearsed the dance from “Three Amigos.” The only question was whether to use it at the Presidents Cup, and as the veteran of 23 team events, Mickelson concluded it would need to be a big moment.
Their match was all square on the 18th hole Friday. Mickelson was 12 feet away for birdie. A victory would give the Americans a record lead.
“If this putt goes in,” Mickelson said he told his rookie partner, “we’re going to dance.”
This turned out to be one big dance party for an American team that has gone nearly two decades without losing. They hammered the International teams on the back nine to go unbeaten in fourballs and build an 8-2 lead, the largest margin after two sessions since the Presidents Cup began in 1994.
Mickelson had his 24th match victory to tie the event record held by Tiger Woods, and he set a record with his 10th victory in fourballs.
As for that dance? It looked a little awkward, though Mickelson did slightly better than when he missed most of his face while taking a selfie with the past three U.S. presidents during Thursday’s opening ceremony.
“I’m clearly the worst selfie taker. I’m the worst ‘Three Amigos’ dancer,” Mickelson said. “But I can putt.”
So can his teammates, who have followed the script set out by U.S. captain Steve Stricker to win every session. They won handily in three other matches. The remaining match was a halve, but even in that one, Hideki Matsuyama and Adam Hadwin had a 2-up lead with four holes to play until Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed rallied.
The Americans nearly won that one, too, except Spieth narrowly missed birdie putts on the last two holes.
“Our guys stepped up again,” Stricker said. “They have a knack for doing that. To finish like that is huge for us going into tomorrow.”
Mathematically, the International team could be done today, the first day of a double session — four matches of foursomes in the morning, following by four matches of fourballs in the afternoon. The Americans are 7 1/2 points away from clinching the cup.
Saunders still leads
ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla. — Sam Saunders followed his opening 12-under 59 with a 66 to take a two-stroke lead into the weekend at the Web. com Tour Championship.
Saunders closed with a double bogey at Atlantic Beach Country Club, his home course, a day after shooting the seventh sub60 round in Web.com Tour history.
“You start feeling disappointed with pars,” Saunders said. “You make good pars on holes that you know are pars, and you have to tell yourself you’re fine. It feels like you’re playing so bad compared to yesterday. I parred the first three holes today and I felt like, ‘OK, I’m still playing good golf. It’s not time to panic.’”
Julian Etulain (63) was second at 15 under, while Bronson Burgoon (63), Jonathan Byrd (65) and Roberto Castro (64) shared third at 13 under. Former Baylor School standout Keith Mitchell (66), who earned his PGA Tour card last weekend, was at 12 under and remained tied for sixth.
Former Dalton High School golfer Blake Adams (67) had a share of 45th at 6-under 136, making the cut with a stroke to spare.
Chattanooga’s Stephan Jaeger, already set to move up to the PGA Tour, shot a 72 and was 4 under. Also missing the cut were University of Tennessee at Chattanooga graduate Jonathan Hodge (68) at 3 under, as well as Athens, Tenn., native Eric Axley (70) at 2 under.