International Team faces a gigantic task to win the ninth President’s Cup on Sunday
The international Team is now again in deep waters as they trail the guests, the American Team by four points heading into the final round of singles on Sunday, November 20. International Team has won just one President’s Cup in the history of the event in 1998 on the same course and was able to halve the event on one occasion. Meanwhile, Americans, who had their reservations about the windy course and also the layout, have done well so far, leading the event on two of the opening rounds.
Saturday’s Four-Ball session went heavily in the favour of the hosts where they went over to win three of the five matches against their strong opponents. Retief Goosen and Charl Schwartzel defeated their counter parts Webb Simpson and Bubba Watson with a tight 2 & 1. Y.E Yang and Kyung-Tae Kim defeated Tiger Woods and Dustin Johnson with a 1-up. Geoff Ogilvy and K.J Choi won their respective match against Steve Stricker and Matt Kuchar-also 1-up. American duo Hunter Mahan and Bill Haas defeated their International foes Aaron Baddeley and Jason Day with a 2 & 1. Meanwhile Jim Furyk and Nick Watney overpowered Ernie Els and Adam Scott with 1-up.
Despite of the bleak scenario ahead of the final round on Sunday, International Team Captain Greg Norman is still holding his ground and hopes to post a victory on the Royal Melbourne on the final day.
"The message I gave the guys last night before they went to bed was to think about the greatest come-from-behind victories in sports," Norman said. "I told them to think about that because it can be done." said Norman.
International Team will have to win nine matches on the final day to win the cup or in other case eight matches to tie the event. The only event International Team has in the 17-years history of the event was in 1998 when they surged to the top with a 20 1/2-11 1/2 victory.
American Team Captain Fred Couples, obviously is little worried about the final days proceedings, for obvious reasons.
"It’s an individual day but it’s a team day, too, and our guys are going to rock," Couples to Roberts. "We know they are going to come out firing, too.”
Final day’s proceedings will be strictly individual Matchplay rounds between the 12-member teams from both sides.
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