U.S. rolling, 1 point away from Presidents Cup
JERSEY CITY, N.J. » The International team lost just about everything but its sense of humor.
A long and demoralizing day at the Presidents Cup ended with Anirban Lahiri making two clutch birdies in a fourballs match that spared his team the indignity of watching the Americans celebrate another victory — on Saturday, no less.
From the sun rising over the Manhattan skyline until the chill of twilight at Liberty National, the Americans poured it on with such frightening force that they were one match away from clinching the cup one day early. The International team went 13 straight matches without winning until Lahiri and Kim won on the 18th hole.
“They got a standing ovation when they walked in our team room tonight,” International captain Nick Price said with a smile. “First time we had seen a match go our way for a long time.”
And that means it will be a short Sunday.
The Americans had a 14½-3½ lead and need only one point from the 12 singles matches on Sunday.
This is a powerful U.S. team playing to its full potential, and the result is the biggest blowout since the Presidents Cup began in 1994.
Phil Mickelson set a Presidents Cup record with his 25th victory, breaking the record set by Tiger Woods. Mickelson hit two wedges into birdie range in the morning foursomes session with Kevin Kisner, when the Americans won three matches and halved the other.
Jordan Spieth’s best intentions cost him a hole in a ruling rarely seen in match play, though that didn’t matter. All that did was inspire Spieth and Patrick Reed to win yet another match. They are 8-1-3 as a partnership in the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup.
“Our goal coming in was to try to win every session, and we’ve done that up till now,” Daniel Berger said after teaming with Thomas for his first point of the week. “Tomorrow, we’re going to go out and try to do the exact same thing.”
McIlroy shoots 64, in contention at British Masters
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND » Rory McIlroy moved into contention at the British Masters by shooting a 6-under 64 in the third round, leaving the No. 6-ranked golfer two strokes off the lead held by Sweden’s Robert Karlsson on Saturday.
Karlsson shot 67 and was one stroke clear of five players, including overnight leader Tyrrell Hatton, who bogeyed the last for a 71.
Hatton was one of only three players in the top 24 to fail to break par on a day of low scoring at Close House in northern England.