GEORGE (South Africa), Nov 23: Tiger Woods and Ernie Els parred the first three extra holes in gathering gloom before the fifth Presidents Cup was declared shared by agreement between the U.S. and Internationals captains on Sunday.

The pair were selected for the sudden-death decider after both teams finished regulation play deadlocked on 17 points.

The U.S. had mounted a stirring fightback by winning seven and halving one of the 12 last-day singles at Fancourt’s Links course.

World number one Woods, displaying his best form of the week, had reeled off four birdies in six holes around the turn to set up a 4 and 3 victory over Els after U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk and Charles Howell III had set the tone for the U.S. with early wins.

The U.S. had been poised for victory in the final match between Davis Love III and Australia’s Robert Allenby, but the American wasted a one-hole advantage playing the last, duffing a chip from in front of the green before conceding for a half.

Woods said of the decision to share the Cup: “I think it’s the right thing to do. It’s great for golf.”

Els, who saved his team with cool putting in the decider, said: “I kept my nerve to make that (putt on the third playoff hole). I thought we both stood up well under the pressure we were under.”

The U.S. had been the sole holders.

Results: (U.S. players first):

Jim Furyk beat Mike Weir (Canada) 3 and 1 Jerry Kelly beat Tim Clark (South Africa) one up Kenny Perry beat Nick Price (Zimbabwe) one up Justin Leonard lost to K.J.Choi (South Korea) 4 and 2 Charles Howell III beat Adam Scott (Australia) 5 and 4 Jay Haas beat Stephen Leaney (Australia) 4 and 3 Phil Mickelson lost to Retief Goosen (South Africa) 2 and 1 Fred Funk lost to Peter Lonard (Australia) 4 and 3 Chris DiMarco beat Stuart Appleby (Australia) one up David Toms lost to Vijay Singh (Fiji) 4 and 3 Tiger Woods beat Ernie Els (South Africa) 4 and 3 Davis Love III v Robert Allenby (Australia) all square

Sudden-death playoff: Tiger Woods and Ernie Els all square after three holes when both sides agreed to share the trophy as light faded.

Singles results: Internationals 4-1/2 United States 7-1/2

Match result: Internationals 17 United States 17 - cup shared.

List of Cup results:

Presidents Cup results following the shared trophy between the United States and the Internationals at the Fancourt Hotel and Country Club Estate on Sunday:

2003 Links Course at Fancourt, George, South Africa

Internationals 17, United States 17

2000 Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Virginia

United States 21-1/2, Internationals 10-1/2

1998 Royal Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

Internationals 20-1/2, United States 11-1/2

1996 Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Virginia

United States 16-1/2, Internationals 15-1/2

1994 Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Virginia

United States 20, Internationals 12.

Originally scheduled for November 2002, the team event’s fifth edition was postponed a year following the Sept 11, 2001 attacks on the U.S. and the subsequent decision to delay the 2001 Ryder Cup until Sept2002.—Reuters