12:05 -- Players are starting to warm up at the driving range and putting greens, respectively. The first tee time is just over an hour away at 1:10, a matchup between Phil Mickelson/Keegan Bradley (U.S.) and Jason Day/Graham DeLaet (International). The Americans currently hold a 3 1/2 - 2 1/2 lead over the International team. 

Tee times will go off every 11 minutes until the final match at 2:05 between Hideki Matsuyama/Adam Scott vs. Jason Dufner/Zach Johnson.

Read a preview of today's matches here: http://thepost.ohiou.edu/content/presidents-cup-day-two-match-ups-predictions

2:51 -- Play is moving along swiftly, as the first match nears completion of their first nine holes of play. Mickelson/Bradley were down early against Day/DeLaet, but with an eagle from behind the pin on the fifth hole, Mickelson carried his team into the sixth, seventh, and eighth holes, making birdie on each and took a three-up lead heading into the ninth hole.

In match eight between Els/de Jonge and Haas/Mahan, the International team has made a definitive statement early, taking a three-up lead into the seventh hole. Els/de Jonge are five-under as a team through seven holes. 

Of the remaining four matches, the U.S. leads three, holding a one-up lead in all of them. 

In the last match to tee off, the International team made birdie on the second holeto go one-up over the U.S. They hold the same margin going into the fourth hole.  

3:37 -- Play was suspended at 3:09 due to heavy rains and an impending cell of storms. 

Match 7 - The U.S. has a three-up lead through nine holes. Mickleson missed a putt on the ninth for birdie to put the U.S. four-up in the match, but still hold a sizable lead going into the 10th hole. 

Match 8 - The International team has a three-up lead through nine holes. Ernie Els holed out from the bunker on the ninth hole to halve the hole with the U.S., retaining their lead at three-up over the Americans. 

Match 9 - The U.S. went one-up on the third hole and followed it with another birdie on the fifth hole to go two-up on the Internationals. A costly bogey on the sixth hole keeps this match a one-up advantage for the Americans heading into the eighth hole. 

Match 10 - Simpson and Snedeker are paired together for the first time today and showed little signs of it early. They held a one-up lead for four holes over the International team, but made bogey on the par-4 sixth hole to keep the match all square. 

Match 11 - Woods and Kuchar made birdie on the par-4 first hole and have held a one-up lead in the five holes they've played against International duo Oostuhizen and Schwartzel. They've tied the last three holes (4, 5, and 6) with birdies. 

Match 12 - A relatively humbling match for Dufner and Johnson, who held a three-up lead through five holes yesterday, are two-down against Matsuyama/Scott through five holes.

If play were to stop right now, the scores for each team would be as followed:

U.S. 7 International 5 

4:53 -- Play will resume at 5:45. With sunset occuring around 7:10 p.m, players will most likely not get all holes completed. 

Tee times for tomorrow morning are scheduled to start at 7:33 a.m with five four-ball matches. After those conclude, five seperate foursome matches are scheduled to go off at 1:21 p.m. 

It is unsure when the remainder of these matches will be played, but a highly-likely possibility would be to finish these in the morning and push back previously scheduled matches. 

7:09 -- Play is nearing an end here in Dublin, with two matches in the books. Mickelson/Bradley closed their match on the 15th hole, spurred by a birdie-birdie-par stretch on the 10th, 11th, and 12th holes. After being six-up after the 12th hole, they dropped the 13th and 14th, but a tie was enough on the 15th hole to put this match away. 

The International team composed of Els/de Jonge also closed out on the 15th hole, but held a steady lead ever since a birdie on the second hole. 

At the end of play on Friday, the official score is 4 1/2 - 3 1/2, with the Americans on top. 

In the four remaining matches, the matches are split between the U.S. and the International squads. 

In the Stricker/Spieth and Woods/Kuchar matches, both have three-up leads over their International opponents. They will resume their matches on the 13th and 15th holes, respectively. 

Cabrera/Leishman are took their first lead on the back nine with a par on the 11th hole and extended their lead to two-up with a birdie on the 12th hole. Simpson/Snedeker took back the 13th hole with a par to narrow the lead to one. They will pick up play on the 14th hole tomorrow. 

Matsuyama/Scott took a lead with a birdie on the second hole and never looked back, finishing the front nine three-up. A par on their last hole, the 11th, would suffice for another win, finishing the day four-up. 

If play ended now, the score would be as follows: 

U.S. 7 1/2 Int'l 6 1/2 

Play will resume at 7:30 tomorrow morning. 

Notable Quotes from today's action: 

Steve Stricker (U.S.) -- "We are in good shape. Wish we could finish off this hole. We are in good shape, but we have to finish it off tomorrow morning, bright and early tomorrow." Stricker and Jordan Spieth have a three-up lead over Brendon Grace and Richard Sterne on the 15th hole. 

Ernie Els (Int'l) -- "So they are not protecting the course like they might do on a Sunday of the Memorial [Tournament]. So they are setting up the course where you can make birdies if you play properly." Els and partner Brandon de Jonge had six birdies and one eagle in their win over Hunter Mahan and Bill Haas. 

Adam Scott (Int'l) on the frequent delays and the weekend ahead -- "Well, it's really unfortunate I think, and it's going to be a long weekend, that's for sure. Time to go rest up." 

Fred Couples (U.S. captain) -- "I like to watch our guys play, and when I'm out there watching, when they are losing to birdies, there's not much you can do about it. You keep the teams that make sense and you let them play. Like I said, we're not going to win every match." 

PGA Tour Director, Steve Carman -- "...Monday is a consideration. And I believe the document tells you that if we don't finish by sunset on Monday, then the team with the most points at that point would be declared the winner." With two rain delays and rain in the weekend forecast, a Monday finish could very well be a possibility at the Presidents Cup. 

 

ch115710@ohio.edu 

@ColinHanner  

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