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How day two of the Presidents Cup played out at Royal Melbourne between the Internationals and USA.
HOW THE FOURSOMES PLAYED OUT AT THE PRESIDENTS CUP ON FRIDAY:
Adam Scott and Louis Oosthuizen (Internationals) bt Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar (USA) 3 and 2. Internationals lead USA 5-1.
- Scott and Oosthuizen trailed by two holes after seven before storming to a spirited comeback victory with birdies on the eighth, ninth, 11th, 13th and 14th holes as Johnson and Kuchar failed to find their touch on the greens in a poor two-over display.
Marc Leishman and Abraham Ancer (Internationals) bt Webb Simpson and Patrick Reed (USA) 3 and 2. Internationals lead USA 6-1.
- The Americans again led early but Leishman and Ancer never looked back after hitting the front for the first time with a birdie on the par-3 fifth. Ancer was particularly impressive, the Mexican draining seemingly every putt when it mattered.
Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay (USA) bt Adam Hadwin and Joaquin Niemann (Internationals) 1 up. Internationals lead USA 6-2.
- The best match of the day ebbed and flowed with neither team ever more than one in front. Hadwin and Niemann, the young Chilean on debut, will feel they let victory slip with the Americans only ever leading for two holes before Cantlay nailed a four-metre birdie putt on the last to snatch a desperately needed point for the US.
Justin Thomas and Tiger Woods (USA) bt Byeong Hun An and Hideki Matsuyama (Internationals) 1 up. Internationals lead USA 6-3.
- Backing up after securing the US's only fourball point on Thursday, Thomas and captain Woods squandered an early two-up lead to trail by a hole with six left before, like Shauffele and Cantlay minutes earlier, stealing the win with a birdie on the 18th.
Sungjae Im and Cameron Smith (Internationals) tied Gary Woodland and Rickie Fowler (USA). Internationals lead USA 6.5 to 3.5.
- On debut, Smith made a dream start to his Presidents Cup career with a chip-in birdie at the first hole. But he and Im will rue the one that got away having been two up with three to play and in front all afternoon until back-to-back birdies from Fowler and Woodland earned the Americans half a point.
