U.S. team rolling toward victory in Presidents Cup
The Presidents Cup is supposed to be a team event. Based on the beating the Americans delivered Saturday, the only excitement left is one match between the two biggest stars at Royal Montreal.
Thousands of Canadian fans who wanted to see the International team hoist the Cup might have to settle for a consolation prize of their beloved Mike Weir trying to take down Tiger Woods.
And just like the rest of these matches, it seems like a tall task.
When 11 hours of limited cheers finally ended, the United States had a 14½-7½ lead, the largest at the Presidents Cup in seven years. That means the International team must win 10 of the 12 singles matches today to take back the cup.
"It's not over," International captain Gary Player said. "But things don't look too good. The egg is not sunny-side up."
The outcome is starting to look familiar, too.
The last time the Americans held such a big lead was in 2000 in Virginia, when they rode a 14-6 lead into the biggest rout in Presidents Cup history. Just like then, contributions are coming from all corners.
Nicklaus nodded his head and clapped his hands with each point moving the Americans closer to their first outright victory on the road in the Presidents Cup, and their first in any cup since winning the Ryder Cup at The Belfry in 1993.
After the 5-0 blitz in the morning, Nicklaus was asked if he'd like to see the score closer.
"Uh-uh," he said through pursed lips.
"Why would you ever say to one of your guys, 'I hope you lose so it's close,' " Nicklaus said. "Would I like to see the matches played well? Absolutely. Would I like to see it close? Absolutely. But as captain, I put them out to win every match."
That they did … or close to it.
Woods went 3-1 in the team matches, his best record in the Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup.
Phil Mickelson had not won a full point in the cups in eight matches until he and Woody Austin were essentially handed victory by Stuart Appleby and Retief Goosen, who failed to make a birdie and were 6 over when the match ended on the 14th hole.
The tougher test came in the afternoon against Goosen and Scott. The match was all square when Mickelson's approach on the 15th went into the hazard, about two-thirds of the ball resting above the water.
Mickelson asked Austin to try to make par so he wouldn't have to play the shot. Austin missed, Mickelson stepped into the lake and all the Americans got out of it was a good laugh.
"I don't know if he thought he was going to lose the tag of Aquaman," Mickelson said. "I don't think that's going to do it."
Navistar LPGA Classic: Lorena Ochoa, seeking her fourth consecutive win, shot a 3-under-par 69 and overtook Stacy Prammanasudh on the last hole to take a 1-stroke lead into the final day.
Prammanasudh , who carried a 3-stroke lead into the day, 3-putted for bogey on the 18th hole. She overshot the hole on a 12-foot downhill birdie putt, starting the trouble and shot a 73 -- 10 strokes worse than her opening round.
Ochoa birdied the final three holes to cut a 6-stroke deficit in half Friday, and added 2 more on 12 and 15. Ochoa entered the final day with the lead in 5 of her 6 victories this year. Only Nancy Lopez and Annika Sorenstam have won four in a row on the LPGA Tour.
Viking Classic: David Branshaw shot a 3-under-par 69 to lead by 2 strokes after three rounds, with a crowd of 17 golfers within 6 shots of him heading into the final day.
Seve Trophy: Continental Europe clung to a 9½-8½ lead after Britain & Ireland rallied in the foursomes.