Team USA, which folded in the face of European pressure in last year's Ryder Cup, was too far ahead to lose against the International Team at the President's Cup.
Team USA did not only lose any of the first four sessions and led 14-8 going into the Sunday's 12 singles matches. The early concluded matches were divided 3-4, and the US had clinched retention of the Cup, but the other five matches hung in the balance. and OMG, for a while it looked like the US would lose all five matches.
Keegan Bradley sent two golf balls to a watery grave, while losing three holes in a row and the match. Kuchar failed to birdie the par 5 15th and lost to Marc Leishman. Mickelson finished his match bogey-bogey to go from one-up to one-down.
It came down to an injured Tiger Woods holding it together against the unheralded Richard Sterne of RSA. Tiger recovered from a severe back spasm to par #15 from down by a creek and watched as Sterne royally screwed up #16. Woods finished with four pars to win one-up.
Webb Simpson and Louis Oosthuizen agreed to halve their match after the issue was decided, but Simpson may have held on to a one-shot lead.
Team USA went 4-7-1 in the singles matches -- not too encouraging. "Loss of focus," saif one announcer. "Choking," said Johnny Miller (predictably).
sagegrouse
'Anyway, don't bet the farm on Team USA any time soon'