USA tighten grip on Presidents Cup after 90-minute fog delay

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Louise Thomas

Editor

The United States will take a four-point lead into the decisive singles as they chase a 10th successive victory in the Presidents Cup.

Tied at 5-5 with the International team after the opening two days at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Quebec, the US moved ahead with a 3-1 win in Saturday’s fog-delayed morning fourballs.

They stretched the advantage to 11-7 with another 3-1 win in a tighter afternoon foursomes session - three of the matches reaching the 18th.

After a 90-minute delay due to thick fog, Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim claimed the only win for the International team in the fourballs, birdies on the first two holes giving them a lead they never surrendered en route to a 4&3 win over Keegan Bradley and Wyndham Clark.

Tony Finau and Xander Schauffele were also never behind as they beat Canadian pair Corey Conners and Mackenzie Hughes.

World number one Scottie Scheffler settled a tight tussle with two successive birdie putts to beat Adam Scott and Taylor Pendrith 2&1 alongside Collin Morikawa, Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns beating Hideki Matsuyama and Sunjae Im.

International captain Mike Weir, chasing their first victory in the event since 1998, opted to keep the same pairs in the foursomes but it did not change their fortunes.

Sheffler and Russell Henley stretched the US lead with a 3&2 win over Matsuyama and Im ahead of three tight clashes which all went the distance.

Pendrith and Scott won the last to seal a 2Up victory over Brian Harman and Max Homa, but Morikawa and Burns edged out Conners and Hughes by a single hole.

The final match arrived at the last tee all square with the International pair of Kim and Kim needing to win the hole to cut the overall deficit to two points, but a birdie from Cantlay and Schauffele in near darkness claimed the point and stretched the advantage to four.

The US needs five-and-a-half points from Sunday’s 12 singles to retain the trophy.

Schauffele will lead off the singles for the US against Jason Day, one of four International players to sit out both of Saturday’s sessions.

Burns will face Tom Kim, followed by Scheffler v Matsuyama, Henley v Im, Cantlay v Pendrith and US Ryder Cup captain Bradley taking on Si Woo Kim.

Finau faces Conners with Clark taking on Min Woo Lee, Sahith Theegala v Byeon Hun An, Morikawa v Scott and Harman v Christiaan Bezuidenhout before Homa tackles Hughes in the anchor match.