Columbus: Severe thunderstorms and heavy rain halted a sizzling start Friday by Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley in foursomes matches at the Presidents Cup with the United States atop the Internationals.
The Americans, who lead the biennial team golf rivalry 7-1-1 after winning the past four in a row, led 3 1/2-2 1/2 following Thursday’s opening four-ball matches, which were also storm interrupted, at Muirfield Village.
When play was halted Friday, the Americans led three matches, the Internationals led in two and another was all square.
Reigning British Open champion Mickelson, a five-time major winner, and Bradley, the 2011 PGA Championship winner, were 3-up through nine over Australian Jason Day and Canada’s Graham DeLaet.
Day sank a 12-foot birdie putt to win the first hole but Mickelson answered with a 17-foot eagle putt to win the par-5 fifth, then hit an approach inches from the hole to set up a birdie that won the sixth.
Another birdie at seven was followed by Bradley putting his tee shot at the par-3 eighth only three feet from the cup, Mickelson making the putt for the dominant US duo.
South Africa’s Ernie Els and Zimbabwe’s Brendon de Jonge had a 3-up lead on Hunter Mahan and Bill Haas. Three birdies and an eagle in the first five holes put the African duo 3-up and Els halved the ninth with a bunker chip-in birdie.
But standing water gathered on the 18th green and rain puddled in bunkers at the Jack Nicklaus-designed layout, home of the US PGA’s Memorial tournament, under a deluge of rain.
The Internationals have not won an alternate-shot session since 2005, dropping seven in a row to the Americans.
Since the Internationals won the 1998 trophy, the US team has not been outscored in foursomes, owning a 46 1/2-18 1/2 edge in the format entering Friday.
A birdie to win the first hole gave world number one Tiger Woods and Matt Kuchar a 1-up lead through five holes over South African Charl Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters champion, and compatriot Louis Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open winner, in the only match involving day-one winning duos.
Steve Stricker and Jordan Spieth were 1-up after seven over South Africans Branden Grace and Richard Sterne.
Reigning Masters champion Adam Scott of Australia and 21-year-old Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama were 2-up after five holes against major winners Zach Johnson and Jason Dufner thanks to birdies at the second and fifth holes.
Argentina’s Angel Cabrera and Aussie Marc Leishman were all square after six holes against Webb Simpson and Brandt Snedeker.
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