South Africans Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace of the International team ran their record to 4-0, but the Americans earned a 2-2 split in Saturday afternoon’s fourball matches to take a 9 1/2 to 8 1/2 lead into Sunday singles at the 11th Presidents Cup at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club-Korea in Incheon, South Korea.
The Americans hold an 8-1-1 lead in the series, with the Internationals’ only victory coming in 1998 at Royal Melbourne in Australia.
Grace chipped in for birdie on the 16th hole, the decisive shot as he and Oosthuizen defeated Bubba Watson and J.B. Holmes, 1 up, to join Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker (2009) as the only pair to go 4-0 through the team sessions in the Presidents Cup.
“We believe, we believe we can do it,” Oosthuizen said. “I think tomorrow’s going to be very exciting. We have nothing to lose. We’re going out guns blazing and we’re going to give it everything we’ve got.
“We’re motivated. We need to win a Presidents Cup.”
Sangmoon Bae of South Korea and Hideki Matsuyama of Japan scored the most lopsided victory of the week by routing Chris Kirk and Jimmy Walker, 6 and 5, winning five straight holes through No. 11.
However, the U.S., which has led since opening up a 4-1 margin in foursomes on Thursday, stayed in front as Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed defeated Jason Day of Australia and Charl Schwartzel of Australia, 3 and 2, while Phil Mickelson and Zach Johnson got past Adam Scott of Australia and Anirban Lahiri of India, also by 3 and 2.
“It feels kind of like we’re losing, just because of what’s gone on the last two days,” Zach Johnson said of the Internationals holding a 7 1/2 to 5 1/2 margin on Friday and Saturday.
Sunday’s singles lineup, in order: Reed vs. Oosthuizen, Rickie Fowler vs. Scott, Dustin Johnson vs. Danny Lee of New Zealand, Holmes vs. Matsuyama, Watson vs. Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand, Walker vs. Steven Bowditch of Australia, Mickelson vs. Schwartzel, Kirk vs. Lahiri, Spieth vs. Marc Leishman of Australia, Zach Johnson vs. Day, Matt Kuchar vs. Grace and Bill Haas vs. Bae.
