Tags
|
The United States moved within three points of retaining the Presidents Cup after taking early control in yesterday’s concluding singles matches at a rain-soaked Muirfield Village Golf Club. |
Needing a further four points to keep the trophy after establishing an overall lead of 14-8 earlier in the day, the Americans secured their first win of the afternoon when Hunter Mahan beat Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama 3&2.
Australian Jason Day had won the first point in the singles, crushing Brandt Snedeker 6&4, but the Internationals still faced a daunting task, trailing 15-9 overall. Amid sporadic rain showers, some of them heavy, and occasional sunshine, the US led in six of the remaining 10 matches, trailed in one and were all square in three.
No team has ever triumphed in the Presidents Cup after coming from behind going into the last-day singles, leaving the holders in a commanding position to win the Cup for an eighth time in 10 editions.
PGA Championship winner Jason Dufner was three up on Zimbabwean Brendon de Jonge after 13 holes while Cup rookie Jordan Spieth was one up on Canada’s Graham DeLaet, after 14.
Zach Johnson was two up on South African Branden Grace after 12 holes and Matt Kuchar led Australian Marc Leishman by one after 11.
Webb Simpson was one up on South African Louis Oosthuizen after nine holes, and British Open champion Phil Mickelson led Argentina’s Angel Cabrera by the same margin, also after nine.
The only blue number on the leaderboard from a match still out on the course came from Masters champion Adam Scott of Australia, who was one up on Bill Haas after 13 holes. World number one Tiger Woods was all square with South African Richard Sterne after 10 holes. Earlier, the US had opened up a commanding 14-8 lead after winning two of the remaining four matches in the delayed foursomes session while halving one.
Haas and Stricker wrapped up a comfortable 4&3 victory over Masters champion Scott and Japan’s Matsuyama while Simpson and Snedeker came from three down after 12 holes to beat Louis Oosthuizen and Schwartzel one up.
Phil Mickelson and Bradley halved their match with Day and Canada’s Graham DeLaet before South Africans Els and de Jonge inflicted the first defeat of the week for Woods and Kuchar, winning one up.
There are no comments.
SPORT Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when you are saying farewell to those that have left a positive impression. That was the case earlier this month when Canada hosted Mexico in a friendly at BC Place stadium in Vancouver.
TECHNOLOGY Some 60mn primary-school-age children have no access to formal education
CULTURE Lekhwiya’s El Arabi scores the equaliser after Tresor is sent off; Tabata, al-Harazi score for QSL champions
ARABIA The Yemeni Minister of Tourism, Dr Mohamed Abdul Majid Qubati, yesterday expressed hope that the 48-hour ceasefire in Yemen declared by the Command of Coalition Forces on Saturday will be maintained in order to lift the siege imposed on Taz City and ease the entry of humanitarian aid to the besieged
ARABIA Some 200 teachers from schools across the country attended Qatar Museum’s (QM) first ever Teachers Council at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) yesterday.
ARABIA The Supreme Judiciary Council (SJC) of Qatar and the Indonesian Supreme Court (SCI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on judicial co-operation, it was announced yesterday.
ECONOMY Sri Lanka is keen on importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar as part of government policy to shift to clean energy, Minister of City Planning and Water Supply Rauff Hakeem has said.
