American lead slips to 1 point

Mickelson commits mistake to cost U.S. in Presidents Cup.

Sang-moon Bae delivered the biggest moment of his career, Phil Mickelson made a rookie mistake, and the International team was back in business Friday at the Presidents Cup in Incheon, South Korea.

Bae made a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to win a crucial fourballs match that helped the International team pull within one point of the United States.

Bae and Danny Lee topped Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker 1 up. Branden Grace and Louis Oosthuizen set the tone with a 4-and-3 win over Jordan Spieth and Justin Johnson, while Charl Schwartzel and Thongchai Jaidee won, 2 and 1 over Bill Haas and Chris Kirk.

The International team picked a half-point in another match and cut the American lead to 5½-4½ going into the eight matches late Friday (Eastern time). That halfpoint involved Mickelson, and it led to confusion and two mistakes.

Mickelson and Zach Johnson were all square with Jason Day and Adam Scott when Mickelson switched to a firmer golf ball for a better chance of reaching the green in two on the par-5 seventh. But players have to use the same model of golf ball for the entire match. The penalty for fourballs is a one-hole adjustment.

The rules committee also erred when it told Mickelson that he was out of the hole, and Mickelson picked up his ball. Because the one-hole adjustment already had been assessed, Mickelson should have been able to finish the hole, but he never got the chance. Day birdied and the International team went 2 up before Mickelson and Johnson rallied.

The lone U.S. victory came from J.B. Holmes and Bubba Watson, who beat Marc Leishman and Steven Bowditch 2-up.

Champions Tour: Bernhard Langer shot a 7-under 65 in windy conditions in Cary, N.C., for a two-stroke lead at the Champions Tour’s SAS Championship. Gene Sauers, John Riegger and Scott Dunlap were at 67.

European Tour: Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen joined England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick in the lead at 9-under 133 at the British Masters in Woburn, England. Kjeldsen shot a 3-under 68, while Fitzpatrick shot a 69.

LPGA Tour: South Korea’s Ha Na Jang shot a bogey-free 6-under 65 for a one-stroke lead in the LPGA Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur at 10-under 132.

GETTY IMAGES Sang-moon Bae (left) and Danny Lee celebrate as they give the International team a win.