Help Centre

HOW THE FOURSOMES PLAYED OUT AT THE PRESIDENTS CUP ON FRIDAY:

Adam Scott and Louis Oosthuizen (Internationals) bt Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar (USA) 3 and 2. Internationals lead USA 5-1.

- Scott and Oosthuizen trailed by two holes after seven before storming to a spirited comeback victory with birdies on the eighth, ninth, 11th, 13th and 14th holes as Johnson and Kuchar failed to find their touch on the greens in a poor two-over display.

Marc Leishman and Abraham Ancer (Internationals) bt Webb Simpson and Patrick Reed (USA) 3 and 2. Internationals lead USA 6-1.

- The Americans again led early but Leishman and Ancer never looked back after hitting the front for the first time with a birdie on the par-3 fifth. Ancer was particularly impressive, the Mexican draining seemingly every putt when it mattered.

Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay (USA) bt Adam Hadwin and Joaquin Niemann (Internationals) 1 up. Internationals lead USA 6-2.

- The best match of the day ebbed and flowed with neither team ever more than one in front. Hadwin and Niemann, the young Chilean on debut, will feel they let victory slip with the Americans only ever leading for two holes before Cantlay nailed a four-metre birdie putt on the last to snatch a desperately needed point for the US.

Justin Thomas and Tiger Woods (USA) bt Byeong Hun An and Hideki Matsuyama (Internationals) 1 up. Internationals lead USA 6-3.

- Backing up after securing the US's only fourball point on Thursday, Thomas and captain Woods squandered an early two-up lead to trail by a hole with six left before, like Shauffele and Cantlay minutes earlier, stealing the win with a birdie on the 18th.

Sungjae Im and Cameron Smith (Internationals) tied Gary Woodland and Rickie Fowler (USA). Internationals lead USA 6.5 to 3.5.

- On debut, Smith made a dream start to his Presidents Cup career with a chip-in birdie at the first hole. But he and Im will rue the one that got away having been two up with three to play and in front all afternoon until back-to-back birdies from Fowler and Woodland earned the Americans half a point.

Marc Leishman has shot down talk of American momentum with Team USA staging a stirring fightback to stay in the hunt for the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne.

The Internationals will take a three-point buffer into Saturday's second round of fourballs - their first weekend lead in 14 years - after splitting honours in the opening foursomes session.

But Ernie Els' unfancied underdogs were on track for an unthinkable 9-1 advantage before some late heroics from Patrick Cantlay and Justin Thomas turned the tide for the Americans.

Cantlay's effort earned he and Xander Schauffele a one-up win over Adam Hadwin and Joaquin Niemann, before Thomas and Tiger Woods celebrated deliriously after securing an equally unlikely comeback victory over Byeong Hun An and Hideki Matsuyama.

"We were both were screaming. It was a phenomenal moment - and it was priceless," Woods said.

"At one point, we were down in four and even in one and so it looked pretty bleak.

"But the guys turned it around. They played phenomenal coming in. It was important for us to end the way we did and it totally changed the last hour."

But Leishman was quick to remind the US they still trailed 6.5 to 3.5.

"They made a couple of good putts on 18 - definitely give them that. But I don't think you get momentum with two putts. We played pretty well the first two sessions," Leishman said.

Adam Scott and Louis Oosthuizen thumped Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar three and two in the opening match of the day, before Leishman and Abraham Ancer piled more pain on Patrick Reed with a three and two drubbing of he and Webb Simpson.

Cup rookies Sungjae Im and Cameron Smith squared the final match with Gary Woodland and Rickie Fowler after the Americans recovered from two down with three to play to salvage half a point.

"Yeah, it's perspective, isn't it?" Els said.

"I've got to look at where we are. It's easy to just look at where we could have been, because it was looking really unbelievable.

"But we're in a very good position."

Despite winning both his matches with Thomas, captain Woods has opted to sit out Saturday's fourballs and persist with Reed and Simpson, losers in their first two together.

"That was kind of the game plan. It would be hard for me to go all the sessions," Woods said.

"I've been fortunate enough to go out there with JT and we've gotten two points.

"JT played great and Rickie played awesome this afternoon. They have been looking forward to playing with one another. They have had success before, (so) send them back out."

Thomas and Fowler will play Leishman and Haotong Li, while Reed and Simpson face Matsuyama and CT Pan.

Schauffele and Cantlay take on Ancer and Im, and Scott and An play Kuchar and Tony Finau.

Woods and Els will reveal their pairings for the second foursomes sessions at 10am on Saturday.

Controversial US golfer Patrick Reed and outspoken Australian Cameron Smith's verbal stoush has turned physical, with the pair reportedly clashing during day one of the Presidents Cup.

Smith labelled Reed a cheat after the Texan was penalised two strokes during a tournament last week for improving his lie when he moved sand with his practise swing.

Reed denied it was intentional, with Smith calling the justification "bulls**t".

Smith said their friendship appeared over after Reed ignored him during the practice rounds, adding there was "tension" between the pair.

That bubbled over during the fourball at Royal Melbourne despite Smith left out of play on the opening day.

According to Australian Golf Digest, the pair ran into each other - literally - after Reed left the fifth green.

Watched by Smith, the Texan nailed a birdie to halve the hole and then made a beeline to Smith on his way to the next hole.

"While no words were apparently exchanged between the two players, they were seen deliberately bumping into each other in clash of shoulders, with one witness referring to it as a love tap that drew a wry grin from Smith," Golf Digest said.

Reed, the 2018 Masters champion, copped it verbally from the first tee, with fans reacting with a massive boo when he was introduced.

"Hey Reed, are you really going to make your caddie carry 14 clubs and a shovel?" yelled one wag.

Reed's first drive rolled into a bunker, much to the delight of the packed gallery.

Reed almost got the last laugh when he potted a birdie on the 16th for he and US partner Webb Simpson to draw level in their match.

But Japan's Hideki Matsuyama responded with the same on the next as the Internationals held on for the one up win.

Reed can expect more tension from the Internationals on day two after being drawn to face Marc Leishman.

The Australian was also very critical of Reed's actions, describing it as "pretty ordinary" and saying he had brought any taunts on himself.

Tiger Woods maintains his team of American superstars can rebound from their diabolical start and create golf history with an eighth straight Presidents Cup triumph.

Woods and Justin Thomas were the US's only winners during Thursday's opening fourball session as the Internationals swept to an unprecedented 4-1 lead at Royal Melbourne.

No team in Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup history have ever overturned such a heavy first-day deficit.

"We're not out of it yet. It's a long week," Woods said defiantly ahead of Friday's all-important foursomes.

"I mean, we have to go earn this Cup. Just because we lost the session doesn't mean the Cup's over. There's a long way to go. A lot of points available.

"The guys will regroup and we'll come out tomorrow ready to go."

Despite their fourball flops, Woods is sticking with three of Thursday's five pairings.

The skipper will again play with Thomas following their four and three dispatch of Marc Leishman and Joaquin Niemann in Thursday's opening match.

Woods and Thomas will face Hideki Matsuyama and Byeong Hun An.

After going one down to Matsuyama and CT Pan, Webb Simpson and the maligned Patrick Reed will square off with Marc Leishman and Abraham Ancer.

Woods is also backing Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay to bounce back from a one-down loss to Adam Hadwin and Sungjae Im, with victory over Hadwin and Niemann.

Woods teamed Gary Woodland with Rickie Fowler and Dustin Johnson with Matt Kurchar for the other foursomes, which the US have traditionally dominated.

Woodland and Fowler will play Im and Cameron Smith, while Johnson and Kurchar take on Adam Scott and Louis Oosthuizen in the first match of the day.

"We're excited about getting out there tomorrow and winning some matches and turning this thing around," Woods said.

"We've got an amazing line-up going out there tomorrow and the guys are all fired up and ready to go."

WHAT IS PRESIDENTS CUP FOURSOMES?

* Two players from each team compete over 18 holes.

* There are five matches, so 10 players play.

* Teammates take alternate shots of the one ball until the hole is finished.

* If both teams score the same, the hole is halved.

WHO PLAYS IN THE FOURSOME MATCHES AT THE PRESIDENTS CUP ON FRIDAY:

Match one: Adam Scott and Louis Oosthuizen (Internationals) v Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar (USA)

Match two: Adam Hadwin and Joaquin Niemann (Internationals) v Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay (USA)

Match three: Marc Leishman and Abraham Ancer (Internationals) v Webb Simpson and Patrick Reed (USA)

Match four: Byeong Hun An and Hideki Matsuyama (Internationals) v Justin Thomas and Tiger Woods (USA)

Match five: Sungjae Im and Cameron Smith (Internationals) v Gary Woodland and Rickie Fowler (USA)

HOW THE OPENING FOURBALL MATCHES PLAYED OUT AT THE PRESIDENTS CUP ON THURSDAY:

Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas (USA) bt Marc Leishman and Joaquin Niemann (Internationals) 4 and 3.

- After selecting himself, Woods reeled off six birdies in 14 holes to put Leishman and Niemann to the sword to fire the ominous warning shot the steely-eyed playing captain promised. USA lead Internationals 1-0.

Abraham Ancer and Louis Oosthuizen (Internationals) bt Dustin Johnson and Gary Woodland (USA) 4 and 3.

- With three quickfire birdies from Oosthuizen, the Internationals raced to four up through five holes and never looked back as the cup underdogs locked up the scores at one win apiece in the perfect reply to Tiger's early statement. USA and Internationals 1-1.

Adam Scott and Byeong Hun An (Internationals) bt Bryson DeChambeau and Tony Finau (USA) 2 and 1.

- After a shaky opening with successive bogeys, Scott, making a record ninth Presidents Cup appearance, steadied and drained five birdie putts to ensure he and An were never headed after taking the lead on the third hole. Internationals lead USA 2-1.

Adam Hadwin and Sungjae Im (Internationals) bt Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay (USA) 1 up.

- The tightest match of the day with neither team more than one up and the contest tied for seven straight holes before Hadwin's clutch par four 16th, where Schauffele and Im took bogey and Cantlay doubled broke the stalemate. Internationals lead USA 3-1.

Hideki Matsuyama and CT Pan (Internationals) bt Patrick Reed and Webb Simpson (USA) 1 up.

- Public Enemy No.1 Patrick Reed was heckled all day for cheating in the Bahamas at the weekend but it didn't stop golf's most divisive figure squaring the match up with two back-nine birdies before Matsuyama clinched victory with a birdie three on the penultimate hole. Internationals lead USA 4-1.

Adam Scott's nerves and desperation almost got the better of him before the top-ranked Australian regrouped to open his 2019 Presidents Cup in style.

Playing in his ninth tournament for the Internationals without tasting victory, Scott said he felt the pressure at Royal Melbourne as he lined up with Korean rookie Byeong Hun An in the fourball format.

Scott started with a bogey but steadied to pull off some clutch putts en route to five birdies to help his team to a two and one win over US duo Bryson DeChambeau and Tony Finau.

"It means a lot - it's a lot of fun but there's a lot of expectation as well," Scott said.

"You could see that off the first tee with my tee shot, but fortunately my partner had me covered early while I was shaky.

"There's a lot of build up and trying not to put pressure on myself, it's almost impossible."

An, who was a late substitute for the injured Jason Day, made two early pars to keep the score tied before Scott found his groove on the par-3 third and birdied for the Internationals to go one up.

World No.16 Finau levelled for the US on the fifth before Scott struck on the ninth when he nailed his approach and tapped in from less than a metre.

Finau birdied to take the 12th but Scott's par on the 13th was enough to put the lead back out to two up with five to play.

His putter again found its mark on the next hole when he drained a four-metre effort to match Finau's birdie in what proved to be a key play.

The world No.18 said it was important to make an early dent against the star-studded Americans.

"This is a great start," Scott said.

"This is a very strong American team with a lot of depth and and they can keep throwing at us every session from here on out and we're going to have to keep throwing it back at them.

"I'll have to reset and move on, but this is the start we needed."

In a day of mixed results for the Australians, Marc Leishman and his Chilean partner Joaquin Niemann were thumped four and three by US playing captain Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas.

Leishman found the going tough trying to tame Tiger, who reeled off six birdies in 14 holes.

Leishman later revealed he played the round a club short.

"The base of my two iron actually caved in on the range, so I had 13 clubs today, which is pretty frustrating," Leishman said.

"So I'll get that sorted tomorrow and hopefully come out and win some points."

The third Australian Cameron Smith didn't play on the opening day but has been paired with Korean Sungjae Im in the foursomes.

Scott will partner in-form South African Louis Oosthuizen while Leishman and Mexican Abraham Ancer have a mouth-watering match-up against controversial American Patrick Reed and Webb Simpson.

After two decades of drubbings, only a dramatic collapse can deny the Internationals a hoodoo-busting Presidents Cup triumph over Tiger Woods' USA all stars.

Defying their status as the biggest underdogs in cup history, the Internationals breathed fresh life into the beleaguered biennial contest with a dream opening at Royal Melbourne.

Ernie Els' inspired decision to play all four captain's picks ahead of two automatic qualifiers proved a masterstroke as the Internationals carved out a 4-1 lead after the first-day fourballs.

Partnering Justin Thomas, Woods saved Team USA from a humiliating wipe-out by securing the hot favourites' only point on Thursday.

In an ominous opening, Woods reeled off six birdies in 14 holes in the US's commanding four and three victory over Marc Leishman and Joaquin Niemann.

But it was all the Internationals after that as the jet-lagged Americans slumped to four straight defeats.

"We're obviously all elated with the result of today. We've really had a big focus on getting off to that good start and it's happened," Internationals spearhead and 20-year stalwart Adam Scott said.

"That was the job done for today. No doubt we'll enjoy this afternoon, but we have four more sessions to also get the job done."

An equally crushing four and three win for Abraham Ancer and Louis Oosthuizen over former world No.1 Dustin Johnson and US Open champion Gary Woodland marked the start of the Internationals' fightback.

With five birdies after a shaky bogey start, a pumped-up Scott and Byeong Hun An downed Bryson DeChambeau and Tony Finau two and one before Adam Hadwin and Sungae Im finished one up over Xander Shauffele and Patrick Cantlay.

Rounding out a memorable day for the hosts, Hideki Matsuyama and CT Pan beat Webb Simpson and Public Enemy No.1 Patrick Reed one up.

The Internationals have lost the past seven editions and last won the trophy in 1998.

But they have never lost a fourball session in four previous opportunities at Royal Melbourne in 1998 and 2011 and will head into Friday's foursomes in control.

No team in Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup history has ever relinquished a first-day lead of three points or more.

"It's exciting, for sure. Ernie has done an incredible job of getting this team prepared and we are already prepared for tomorrow," Scott said.

"He's really planned this thing out. I think everyone feels very confident that we know what's going to happen out there tomorrow.

"It's a very important session for us that we get out there and try and win another session.

"We don't know the results from here on out, but this is a great start."

Woods typically wasn't prepared to raise the white flag.

"We're not out of it yet," he said.

"Just because we lost the session doesn't mean the Cup's over. There's a long way to go. A lot of points available.

"The guys will regroup and we'll come out tomorrow ready to go."

Fred Couples has offered a fascinating insight into how much Tiger Woods the captain wants to win the Presidents Cup.

And how much Tiger has mellowed without losing his insatiable appetite for success.

Much has been made of Woods' late-night, early-morning texting to teammates as the 15-times major champion obsessively plots an eighth successive USA victory over the Internationals at Royal Melbourne.

As former Presidents Cup captain now assistant Couples recalls, it's a far cry from when Woods was all about Woods.

"There was a year at Augusta where he barely sat down at the (Masters champions') dinner," Couples said.

"And I don't sit that far away from him and he was telling a few people he may never play again and he just can't move - and he's got a little bit of a new life.

"So I think he's understanding that, whereas when he was 25, 30, 35, all he wanted to do was maybe be to himself and beat everybody up that he played against, and he did it. Did it very well."

While Couples says Woods hasn't since "become soft" he feels he is now much more comfortable getting close to others.

"It's very fun to be around him. I've got to tell you, he's a pretty funny, tough guy when he gets you in a corner, and he doesn't let up, which I like," Couples said.

"Some people kind of get scared by that. I just like his attitude."

Challenging Jack Nicklaus as golf's all-time greatest, Woods' accomplishments are well documented.

"For me, it's everything else. With his kids, he's a great dad," Couples said.

"I have a caddie for over 20 years that's now caddying for him, and Joe (LaCava) tells me all kinds of things, and normally it's about his (Woods') son and daughter, not how good he hits a 3-iron.

"So I enjoy that, too."

Hailing him as a "heck of a captain", Couples is tipping Woods to pick himself for three matches this week.

The former world No.1 has already selected himself for Thursday's opening four-ball encounter, partnering Justin Thomas against Marc Leishman and Joaquin Niemann.

"I picked him when he was like 400th in the world to come down here and play (in 2011)," Couples said.

"I picked him three months early and took a bunch of grief for it. He should be on every team. That's how good he is."