Woods loses again but Americans maintain Presidents Cup lead

Tiger Woods suffered a second straight defeat at the Presidents Cup on Friday, but the U.S. still held a two-point lead over the International team at the end of day two in Australia.

Woods suffered his worst match play result in the foursomes on Thursday, but with a new partner -- Dustin Johnson -- the fourballs clash with Australian duo Jason Day and Aaron Baddeley went the full 18 holes.

However, the American duo could not recover a one-shot deficit at the last as U.S.-born Baddeley's 13th-hole birdie proved the difference between the pairs in windy conditions at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club.

The loss means Woods, whose 7 & 6 defeat with Steve Stricker equaled the tournament record, is the only player to have not been part of a point-winning pairing for the U.S.

The defending champions still hold a 7-5 lead over the Internationals after both teams clinched three match victories on Friday.

"Just trying to hit the greens, that was a heck of an accomplishment," 14-time major winner Woods said of the challenging conditions.

What can you learn from golf?

"Wedges weren't holding, balls were oscillating on the greens, you've got to play the wind on putts. It was a tough day."

Just trying to hit the greens, that was a heck of an accomplishment

Tiger Woods

Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson continued their impressive form, once again clinching victory in the day's opening match, defeating South Africa's Ernie Els and Japanese youngster Ryo Ishikawa 3 & 1.

There was also a second win in as many days for the experienced pairing of four-time major winner Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk, who beat Australian world No. 7 Adam Scott and South Korea's Kyung tae-Kim 2 & 1.

Mickelson described the conditions as "crazy" while also explaining how the wind made putting difficult.

"This is crazy, because when you get wind like this on greens that are 14-plus on the Stimpmeter it's hard to imagine that because you never see it at the local club," the 41-year-old said.

"This was a case where we are trying to read the wind on the putts, and apparently we did a good job because Jimmy made a bunch of good, solid four or five-footers today. It was really fun playing with him.

"I hit a couple of good putts early on that didn't go in and kind of affected my confidence, and then I hit some bad ones there on."

Woods and Stricker hammered on opening day

Scott agreed with Mickelson, saying: "It's carnage on a golf course like this today. Thank goodness it's match play and we weren't actually counting our strokes. Today is a day where it's hard to feel like you're playing well."

It's carnage on a golf course like this today

Adam Scott

Australia's Geoff Ogilvy and K.J. Choi of South Korea hit back for the Internationals. In the second match of the day to go the full distance, Ogilvy's birdie at the 12th handed the duo a decisive lead over Bill Haas and Nick Watney.

Matt Kuchar and Stricker earned the U.S. a third win of the day with a 4 & 3 win over South Korean veteran Y.E. Yang and Australia's Robert Allenby.

Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and fellow South African Retief Goosen ensured the score would finish 3-3 for the day with a 2 & 1 win over Hunter Mahan and David Toms.

Saturday's schedule starts with five morning foursomes matches, with Woods lining up against Scott and his ex-caddy Steve Williams for the second time in three days.

The former world No. 1 will again play with Johnson, while Scott is back with Choi.

Watson and Simpson will go up against Allenby and Ogilvy, while Els and Ishikawa face Haas and Kuchar.

Mahan and Toms will once again face the South African duo of Goosen and Schwartzel, with Day and Baddeley taking on Furyk and Mickelson.

Stricker and Watney will sit out Saturday's opening matches along with Yang and Kim.

Saturday afternoon will see the second set of fourballs matches, with the pairings to be announced prior to the morning's foursomes.

World Sports

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