Woods seals winning point for U.S.

Monday, 21 November 2011 01:08 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

MELBOURNE, (Reuters): Tiger Woods sealed the winning point as the experience of the United States staved off a stiff challenge by the Internationals to seal the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne Golf Club on Sunday.

The 14-times major champion, whose selection as one of Fred Couples’s two captain’s picks was controversial, found his putting groove at the right time to march to a 4&3 win over Australia’s Aaron Baddeley and give the Americans the trophy again.

“It does feel good. I was hoping it wouldn’t come down to my point,” Woods said in a greenside interview after sealing the win on the 15th green.

“We didn’t get off to a good start early...We needed to get our point. We went out there and played really well today and put a lot of heat on Badds (Baddeley).”

Leading the Internationals 13-9 going into the final day in sun-bathed Melbourne, the U.S. needed only five wins from the singles matches but were made to work hard to close it out.

The Internationals young brigade charged out of the blocks early to win the first four matches but Hunter Mahan and Nick Watney steadied the US ship before the seasoned campaigners took over.

David Toms blasted Australia’s Robert Allenby seven and five to leave the US needing only two points to win, before Jim Furyk rolled in a five-foot putt to beat South African Ernie Els four and three.

“I knew our guys would settle down,” said Couples, who won his second straight Cup over counterpart Norman.

“The old stand-bys in the end worked well.”

Woods, who credited team mate Steve Stricker for helping him rediscover his touch on the greens after struggling throughout the tournament, dropped a sublime shot from the bunker within a foot of the pin, leaving Baddeley a monster putt to take the match to the 16th.

Baddeley didn’t go close and the US celebrated their fourth straight Presidents Cup win at the venue of their sole loss in 1998.

Woods’s win was a repeat of 2009, when the former world number one stroked the winning putt against South Korea’s YE Yang at San Francisco.

“It’s disappointing to maybe not get the Cup this year,” Australia’s Adam Scott said after beating Phil Mickelson two and one to give the Internationals a glimmer of hope.

“Good showing from us today but too little too late maybe.”