Presidents Cup scores: Phil Mickelson nearly chips in, posts 1st Friday point for Team USA

The first Friday Foursomes match at the Presidents Cup has wrapped up, and it was an American rout orchestrated by the duo of Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley. They were the two stars of the Ryder Cup last year, and after a lackluster losing effort yesterday, the two caught fire on Friday.

Bradley and Mickelson were out in the all-important lead-off match, facing perhaps the International team’s best pairing -- Graham DeLaet and Jason Day. After falling 1-down early, the American pair won seven of eight holes to storm to a 6-up lead. It was a dazzling run of shot-making and clutch putts, the two going out in 30 on the front nine -- a ridiculous number for the alternating shot Foursomes format.

Mickelson, who’s never shy around the green, tried to close it out in the most “Phil” of ways. He took the flagstick out on No. 13 facing a short chip up to the cup from the front of the green. And he nearly canned it:

Unfortunately for the pair, Bradley couldn’t make that short putt to end it right there. The Internationals, who were dormie on the 13th tee, made things interesting by winning two straight to cut the deficit to four. But Phil and Keegan would finally get their halve on No. 15 to clean it up and post the point.

The International team, however, was not far behind in putting up their first point of the day. Ernie Els and Brendon de Jonge, who controlled their match all day against Hunter Mahan and Bill Haas, also closed things out on the 15th green. Those may be the only two matches to finish on Friday with darkness rapidly approaching in Columbus.

Here’s where things stand on the match board:

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