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USA seek to stretch Presidents Cup lead in four-balls / Photo: © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
USA seek to stretch Presidents Cup lead in four-balls
The United States looked to build on a 4-1 lead over the Internationals with two triumphant duos reunited as Friday's second day of the Presidents Cup began at Quail Hollow.
Five four-ball (best-ball) matches were scheduled after the Americans dominated Thursday's foursomes (alternate shot), a format where the US squad has not lost a Presidents Cup session since 2005.
"I'm proud of them. It was a great start," US captain Davis Love said. "Our team is having a lot of fun. They are all working really hard."
The Americans, seeking a ninth consecutive victory with a roster containing 10 of the world's 16 top-ranked players, lead the all-time rivalry 11-1-1 and have never lost on home soil.
"Nobody here expects us to win," Internationals captain Trevor Immelman said. "We're up against maybe the strongest American team ever assembled on paper.
"So we do what we do. We get ready and prepare and we play as hard as we can."
Three-time major winner Jordan Spieth and two-time major champion Justin Thomas, who never trailed in their foursomes victory, went out first for the Americans against Australians Adam Scott and Cam Davis.
Thomas, this year's PGA Championship winner, captured his first major title at the 2017 PGA at Quail Hollow. He delivered a 27-foot par putt to win the 15th hole Thursday to help secure the US point.
Tokyo Olympic champion Xander Schauffele and 2021 PGA playoff winner Patrick Cantlay, this year's PGA pairs event winners, improved to 5-0 together in foursomes but had an 0-2 fourball record before facing Japan's Hideki Matsuyama and South Korea's Kim joo-hyung.
The Internationals broke up Masters winners Scott and Matsuyama, who lost 6&5 to Cantlay and Schauffele on Thursday.
World number one Scottie Scheffler, the reigning Masters champion, and Sam Burns lost the last four holes in dropping their opening match but were sent out together again against Colombian Sebastian Munoz and South Korea's Im Sung-jae.
Cameron Young, who sank a 26-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole to deliver a US victory Thursday, was paired with Kevin Kisner to face Chile's Mito Pereira and South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout.
Max Homa, who won his first PGA title at Quail Hollow, joined Billy Horschel to face Canadians Corey Conners and Taylor Pendrith in the last match.
Tony Finau and Collin Morikawa sat out for the United States while South Koreans Kim Si-woo and Lee Kyoung-hoon were benched by the Internationals.
Competition continues Saturday with four pairs matches in each format ahead of Sunday's 12 concluding singles matches, with 15.5 points needed to capture the trophy.
K. Berger--BTZ
