Entering the week, the International team was described as too young and too inexperienced to compete with the United States’ squad at the Presidents Cup, and that turned out to be the case Thursday.
The U.S. led the first nine holes of play, while the International team won a mere 10 holes out of 54 played. At the turn, no International team led a match, but the U.S. holds just a 3 ½ to 2 ½ lead over the International at the end of day one.
Around mid-afternoon, a series of storm cells hit Dublin and suspended play for nearly two hours, which seemed to slightly reinvigorate the International players for the back nine holes after the break, especially in the case of Jason Day and Graham DeLaet.
Day led the International team to its first victory with a downhill, breaking-slope birdie putt on the 18th to capture a one-up win over Hunter Mahan and Brandt Snedeker.
“I love it,” Day said about the putt. “It’s exciting. Ever since I was a little kid, I always wanted to hit the big, clutch putts, and it was great to have that chance to hit that putt.”
Angel Cabrera and Marc Leishman were left in the shadows of the Americans, though, losing five and four to Tiger Woods and Matt Kuchar, respectively.
“We’ve been good friends for a long time. We went out there, had a great time today and put it on them,” Woods said.
Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama never led during their match against Americans Bill Haas and Webb Simpson, but the International players halved point on the final hole of play when Matsuyama’s approach landed less than two feet from the hole for a mere tap-in birdie.
The South African duo comprised of Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel brought home the other victory of the day for the International side against veteran Phil Mickelson and rookie Keegan Bradley. A key birdie for Oosthuizen on the 11th hole turned the tide for the International side.
Americans Zach Johnson and Jason Dufner also won their match after going four-up in the first six holes, before recording a final score of five and three against rookies Branden Grace and Richard Sterne.
During the last match on the course, Steve Stricker and Jordan Spieth’s play became more intense, as Spieth drew his tee shot into the creek on the 18th hole, but Stricker was able to record an up-and-down from the bunker for par, tying Brendon de Jonge for a one-up win with teammate Ernie Els.
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@ColinHanner
