Internationals fight back on day two
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2007 The Presidents Cup | Round Two | 29 Sep 2007
The International Team may still trail the Americans by two points at the end of day two of the Presidents Cup in Montreal, but the dynamics of the 2007 event have changed dramatically after they had made a spirited comeback in the second round Four-Ball taking day two honours by 4½ to ½.
The scoreboard after day two stands at 7 points to 5 and the momentum is perhaps back with the Internationals following their opening day drubbing where they were on the back foot and looking for answers. They found those answers today as they emerged from the motivational meetings and self-analysis to give back to the Americans what they had so convincingly dished out on day one.
The first match out of Ernie Els and Angel Cabrera against Phil Mickelson and Hunter Mahan, quickly went the Internationals way when Cabrera birdied the 3rd hole and from that point on they were never behind. They went two up at the 5th and although the Americans fought back to square the match at the 14th when Mickelson birdied, Angel Cabrera somehow managed to hit a great drive and beautiful iron to the 18th for birdie and the win. Cabrera’s game was a little wayward over the closing few holes but his birdie came at just the right time.
It was, however, the match between the combination of Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk against Vijay Singh and Stuart Appleby that would set the tone for the day more than any other. The Internationals were up from the very first hole after Singh had holed yet another bunker shot there and went two up at the 6th when Singh holed a 50 yard pitch for eagle. The Americans won only one hole all day and eventually bowed out at the 14th, the margin 5&4.
Given the significance of the American combination this was a victory of some importance as it developed early momentum and belief for the rest of the International Team.
The only American victory came in the match between Scott Verplank and Steve Stricker against Adam Scott and K.J. Choi. The Americans were never behind in their match and eventually won 2&1.
The only other joy for the USA was in the match between Woody Austin and David Toms against Trevor Immelman and Rory Sabbatini. The Americans fought back from a two hole deficit with three holes to play to halve the match thanks to a brilliant putting display by Woody Austin.
Austin holed lengthy putts at the 17th for birdie then under intense pressure matched the very fine birdie of Sabbatini’s at the last with a testing six foot putt of his own. That gave the Americans the half point in the match and their team an overall two shot advantage as play drew to a close.
The format on Saturday will consist of five Four-Ball and five Foursomes matches before Sunday’s twelve singles matches. The effort by the Internationals on day two has re-established interest in the outcome of the event and left the door open for an unlikely comeback by the Internationals to possibly win after such a significant day one deficit.
