South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace saw their strong Presidents Cup streak come to an end as the United States claimed complete control of the Presidents Cup in New York.
The hosts took a big step towards to a seventh successive Presidents Cup win by taking an 8-2 lead at the halfway stage over the International team.
Starting the day with a 3 1/2 to 1 1/2 advantage, the US won four out of five fourballs on Friday.
Adam Hadwin and Hideki Matsuyama were the only International duo to halt America’s dominance, halving with Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth.
Foursome and fourball matches will be played at Liberty National on Saturday.
The International team, who won at Royal Melbourne in 1998 and secured a tie at Fancourt in 2003, but have lost the other nine matches, look to be heading for a heavy defeat.
Charley Hoffman and Kevin Chappell cruised to a 6&5 victory over Charl Schwartzel and Anirban Lahiri on their debuts in the event.
Hoffman and Chappell, who sat out Thursday’s opening foursomes, were 3-up after four holes, before birdies at the eighth and ninth saw them hit the turn with a five-hole advantage.
‘Kevin and I were biting at the bit to get out there and play,’ said Hoffman. ‘It gave us a little more fire and momentum going into today.’
Moments later, Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas added to the home side’s advantage with a 3&2 win over South African pair Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace.
Canada’s Hadwin and Japan’s Matsuyama were 2-up heading into the final four holes, before Spieth and Reed responded.
Reed birdied the 15th and world No 2 Spieth followed up with a birdie on the par-three 16th to make the match flat.
Spieth then looked to have sunk a winning putt on the final hole, but it stayed up to stop the Americans making a clean sweep of the fourballs.
Nevertheless, further victories followed for the hosts, as world No 1 Dustin Johnson and partner Brooks Koepka beat Jhonattan Vegas and Adam Scott 3&2, before Kevin Kisner and Phil Mickelson finished 1-up on Australians Marc Leishman and Jason Day.
FRIDAY’S RESULTS
Patrick Reed/Jordan Spieth halved with Adam Hadwin/Hideki Matsuyama
Justin Thomas/Rickie Fowler beat Branden Grace/Louis Oosthuizen 3&2
Kevin Kisner/Phil Mickelson beat Marc Leishman/Jason Day 1-up
Charley Hoffman/Kevin Chappell bt Anirban Lahiri/Charl Schwartzel 6&5
Brooks Koepka/Dustin Johnson bt Jhonattan Vegas/Adam Scott 3&2.
