While the International team got off to a roaring start in the singles matches, winning the first four, the beating they took earlier in the week in foursomes 8-3, meant the hill was too big to climb, and although they split last nights 12 matches, Freddie Couples team only needed 4.5 points for the win, and with his veterans stacked at the end, it fell to Tiger to clinch the winning point against Aaron Baddeley..
Here are the singles results...
Webb Simpson
WINS 1 UP
K.T. Kim
Dustin Johnson
WINS 2 & 1
Charl Schwartzel
Bubba Watson
WINS 3 & 2
Ryo Ishikawa
Bill Haas
WINS 2 UP
Geoff Ogilvy
Hunter Mahan
WINS 5 & 3
Jason Day
Nick Watney
WINS 3 & 2
K.J. Choi
Phil Mickelson
WINS 2 & 1
Adam Scott
Matt Kuchar
WINS 1 UP
Retief Goosen
Jim Furyk
WINS 4 & 3
Ernie Els
David Toms
WINS 7 & 5
Robert Allenby
Tiger Woods
WINS 4 & 3
Aaron Baddeley
Steve Stricker
WINS 2 & 1
Y.E. Yang
For a recap on all these matches click http://www.pgatour.com/2011/tournaments/presidentscup/11/19/day-four-match-recaps/index.html
For individual players records click http://www.pgatour.com/2011/tournaments/presidentscup/11/18/Individualrecords/index.html
So all in all this Presidents Cup made for some very enjoyable, compelling golf, from primetime into the wee hours. I enjoyed watching Royal Melbourne in all kinds of weather, and understand why the players rave about it. Short par 4's like the 11th provide enough risk to make the reward of finding the green with a perfect drive all the more enjoyable.
The Korean contingent had their moments, KJ solid, Yang and Kim beating Tiger and DJ was one for the ages, and Kim in particular leading off yesterday with a win over Webb Simpson has enhanced his young legend back home.
Simpson and Bubba were just great lead off hitters for Couples winning 3 of their 4 matches, Nick Watney looks like a nervous wreck, but boy he is solid, and Bill Haas, looking like he'd been sedated, was right there for his team all week.
Tiger is definitely improving, he played well apart from his putter, although he was thrashed playing with Stricker, and beaten twice more with Johnson, he won when the putts did drop, as they did with his 4&3 win over Baddeley.
Disappointments... Robert Allenby didn't win a point and was hammered 7&5 by David Toms, and Jason Day, perhaps the most demonstrative of the Aussie's will go away upset with his 1-3-1 record punctuated by a 5&3 dusting by Hunter Mahan. Also big Ernie, so long the main man, was like a mother hen with her one chick, Ryo Ishikawa all week, but his 1-4-0 record will never improve as long as he is last on the PGA tour in putting. Dustin Johnson will break through one week, one year, but man, he was 1-3-1 and all his trouble is on the greens, because there isn't a course out there he can't over power.
Finally, after all the hoopla about Tiger/ Adam / Williams was put to rest despite the baying off some members of the media, the bottom line was the 8-3 score in foursomes which carried this USA team to victory, or the Internationals to defeat, and took all the drama out of the Sunday, eh Saturday singles matches.
Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did, next Cup in 2013 is at Jack's place Muirfield Village.
Next week is another great team event, the World Golf Championships in China.
Bryan Angus also on twitter@mummmbles
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