The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Spieth’s surge can’t sink Internationals
Texan goes 2-0 but U.S. leads by only 1 entering singles.
Branden Grace delivered two big shots in gathering darkness Saturday that kept the International team within one point of the Americans going into a final day at the Presidents Cup that finally has some drama.
The Americans had a 9½-8½ lead with 12 singles matches remaining in Incheon, South Korea, the smallest margin going into Sunday in 10 years at this event.
That’s what the International team wanted — and needed — in the Presidents Cup. The Americans have won the gold trophy five straight times, and the lone International victory was in 1998 in Australia.
“We need to win,” Louis Oosthuizen said. “This is huge for us.”
The South Africa duo of Grace and Oosthuizen have been the driving force for captain Nick Price. They became the first International tandem to go 4-0 in team matches. Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker in 2009 are the only U.S. team to do that.
Jordan Spieth also won two matches Saturday, making two clutch putts in morning foursomes, and holing a bunker shot in the afternoon fourballs. Spieth was 8 under on his own ball. The only drama was whether to finish. They played the final hole in the dark to avoid having to return to complete it this morning.
Phil Mickelson and Zach Johnson never trailed in their fourballs victory at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea.
Sang-moon Bae and Hideki Matsuyama, who earned a key half-point in the morning, had the shortest match of the week when they beat Jimmy Walker and Chris Kirk, 6 and 5, in fourballs. Bae is playing his final event before his mandatory military service starts in South Korea.
“One of the best matches I ever played,” Bae said.
The singles matches were moved up one hour because of rain in the forecast, with Oosthuizen facing Patrick Reed in the opening match. U.S. captain Jay Haas put Spieth in the ninth match against Marc Leishman, passing on a chance to put Spieth against Jason Day.
“I don’t know if it was a make-or-break the Presidents Cup if they played or didn’t play,” Haas said.
Suddenly, finally, the Presidents Cup doesn’t need a special match to be compelling. Haas wanted Spieth in the No. 9 slot because historically that’s about where it’s decided when the matches are close going into the final session.
Day is in the 10th spot against Zach Johnson.
On the longest day of the week — two sessions of four matches — this could have gone either way.
The last three morning matches all went to the 18th hole. Spieth and Dustin Johnson won the last two holes for a 1-up win over Day and Charl Schwartzel, while Matsuyama made birdie on the last hole to halve, and Bubba Watson missed a 5-foot birdie on the 18th that would have given his side a win.
The teams split both sessions.
Champions Tour: Kenny Perry shot a 4-under 68 in cool and rainy conditions to take a onestroke lead after two rounds of the SAS Championship in Cary, N.C.
Perry is at 8 under and is followed by Joe Durant (68). Lee Janzen (68) and first-round leader Bernhard Langer (73) are at 6 under. Another stroke back are Tom Lehman (71) and John Riegger (72).
Perry won this tournament in 2011 and is looking for his ninth win on the tour, including the 3M Championship in August.
LPGA: Jessica Korda took a two-stroke lead in the LPGA Malaysia, shooting a bogey-free 6-under 65 in sweltering conditions. Korda missed a birdie chance on the par-4 18th when her 6-footer slid by on the left side, leaving the 22-year-old Floridian at 12-under 201 at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.
Fellow American Stacy Lewis and South Korea’s Ha Na Jang were tied for second.
Korda has only one top-10 finish this season, a tie for second in January in Florida in the season-opening event.
British Masters: England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick shot a 3-under 68 to maintain his place atop the British Masters leaderboard after the third round, but he was joined in the lead at Woburn, England, by Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat.