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| September 25, 2005 | Sunday | Sha'aban 20, 1426 |
Americans still trail by one point
GAINESVILLE (Virginia), Sept 24: The International team finished the second day of the Presidents Cup with a 6-5 lead over the U.S., even though Tiger Woods finally ended his long wait for a fourball win in the event on Friday. World number one Woods battled with a sore back as he and his partner Jim Furyk, who had been doubtful for the fourballs with strained rib muscles, claimed a gritty 3 and 2 victory over Australians Stuart Appleby and Mark Hensby.
Leading 3-2 after Thursday’s foursomes, the International team maintained their one-point advantage over the hosts after each side registered two wins while two of the six matches were halved.
Woods needed treatment on his back throughout the day, but his sublime form enabled him to fire seven birdies in 16 holes at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.
It was the 29-year-old American’s first fourball win in seven attempts in the Presidents Cup.
Despite their physical ailments, Woods and Furyk have been scheduled for duty on Saturday morning, pairing up in one of the five morning foursome matches that will be followed by five fourball matches in the afternoon.
The duo will take on world number two Vijay Singh of Fiji and Appleby.
Justin Leonard and Scott Verplank provided the Americans with another full point with a 2 and 1 triumph over Canadian Mike Weir and South African Trevor Immelman.
South Africa’s Refief Goosen and Australia’s Adam Scott, who beat Woods and Fred Couples in the foursomes, again blazed a trail for the Internationals.
Goosen and Scott went four up after six holes before holding off a determined comeback bid from Couples and David Toms to record a 3 and 1 win.
Australians Peter Lonard and Nick O’Hern beat Davis Love III and Kenny Perry 3 and 2 for the International team’s other full point.
U.S. PGA champion Phil Mickelson and Chris DiMarco staged a late rally to halve their match with U.S. Open winner Michael Campbell of New Zealand and Argentina’s Angel Cabrera, who had been two up with four to play.
Singh and South African Tim Clark also settled for a halve with Fred Funk and Stewart Cink.
Having laboured through foursome play on Thursday with strained rib muscles, Furyk’s fitness had been the big question mark on Friday but it was Woods’s condition that ended up causing the most concern.
Furyk’s participation in the four-ball was not confirmed until just prior to their scheduled tee-off time, but by the fifth tee it was Woods who was grimacing in discomfort, suffering with muscle spasms just below his left shoulder blade.
The U.S. Masters and British Open champion received treatment throughout the day, trainers pressing ice packs to the world number one’s back as he walked up the fairways and waited on the tees.
When play was delayed for 90 minutes late in the round due of dangerous weather, both Woods and Furyk returned to the locker room for more treatment.
After a slow start to the day, the U.S. had been on the charge just prior to the rain delay and picked up where they left off when action resumed.
DiMarco drained a clutch 10-foot birdie putt on the 17th to square his match sending the teams to the 18th with everything to play for.
Campbell nearly stole the point when his chip from the greenside fringe lipped the cup then rolled out to complete the first match just as the heavy rains swept across the course.
Results
U.S. Internationals
Phil Mickelson & Michael Campbell (New Zealand) v Chris DiMarco Angel Cabrera (Argentina)
match halved
David Toms & Adam Scott (Australia) v Fred Couples Retief Goosen (South Africa)
Won 3 and 1
Justin Leonard & Trevor Immelman (South Africa) v Scott Verplank Mike Weir (Canada)
Won 2 and 1
Fred Funk & Vijay Singh (Fiji) v Stewart Cink Tim Clark (South Africa)
match halved
Davis Love III & Peter Lonard (Australia) v Kenny Perry Nick O’Hern (Australia)
Won 3 and 2
Tiger Woods & Stuart Appleby (Australia) v Jim Furyk Mark Hensby (Australia)
Won 3 and 2
Wilson fires 62
SAN ANTONIO (Texas): Dean Wilson fired a bogey-free 8-under-par 62 to take the lead after Friday’s second round of the US$3.5m PGA Texas Open.
After finishing tied for third here last year for his best career finish, Wilson opened with a 4-under 66 Thursday. He entered the second round four shots behind Robert Gamez.
Wilson started his round on the back nine, where he carded four birdies. He had another birdie at No. 3, then closed his round with three straight to move to 12-under 128.
Finishing just two shots shy of tying defending champion Bart Bryant’s course record, Wilson has a one-stroke lead over Jeff Maggert and Australian John Senden. Maggert and Senden each signed for 66s.
Scores
128 - Dean Wilson 66-62
129 - Jeff Maggert 63-66, John Senden 63-66
130 - Woody Austin 63-67, Olin Browne 65-65, Robert Gamez 62-68, Bob Heintz 65-65
132 - Mark Wilson 65-67
133 - Alex Cejka 66-67, David Hearn 64-69, J.J. Henry 66-67, Ted Purdy 64-69
134 - Rich Beem 68-66, Bart Bryant 65-69, Harrison Frazar 65-69, John Morgan 65-69, Tag Ridings 66-68, Nick Watney 64-70
135 - Joe Ogilvie 69-66, Rod Pampling 65-70
136 - Arjun Atwal 66-70, Jose Coceres 66-70, Gavin Coles 66-70
137 - Aaron Baddeley 65-72
138 - Carl Pettersson 69-69, Akio Sadakata 70-68
139 - Mathias Gronberg 66-73, Richard S. Johnson 70-69, Shigeki Maruyama 68-71, Rory Sabbatini 72-67, Hidemichi Tanaka 69-70.—Agencies
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