Presidents Cup scores: Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods down early in Saturday Four-ball matches

It’s raining again in Columbus, and an already soaked Muirfield Village is taking on buckets of water during Saturday morning’s session of five Four-ball matches. Each team is ahead in two matches, with one all square as the lead-off group makes its way toward the turn.

The Ernie Els and Brendon de Jonge pairing has continued their form from Friday, taking it to Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickelson early. Els is a bit of a mess up around the green, but his ball striking is solid as ever and his partner, de Jonge, has been the best player on either team so far this week. They made five straight birdies to blitz America’s most dynamic pairing.

Mickelson got one back by canning a birdie putt on the par-3 eighth hole, cutting the deficit to 1-down for the Americans. It was around this stretch that Bradley and Mickelson caught fire Friday afternoon, and they have plenty of upcoming opportunities to get the match back to all square.

The anchor match between American pair Tiger Woods and Matt Kuchar and International duo Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama could be the matchup of the day. With three of the top eight players in the world, those teams are generally considered the best for each side, and both Woods and Kuchar have been dominant through the first two days. But it was the Internationals who took an early lead, taking two of the first three holes. It was the first time Woods and Kuchar had trailed all week, and Tiger responded but getting a hole back on No. 4. He also had a good run at eagle on the fifth, but smashed birdies with Scott for the USA to stay 1-down.

Here’s a snapshot of the match board:

• Lindsey Vonn drops baby squirrel on Tiger | Mascot Sammy returned home

• GIFS Keegan Bradley drive drills fan in head | Dufner don’t care, loads up on 1st tee

• Kuchar, Tiger choreograph ‘Fresh Prince’ homage | Kooch takes credit, calls Woods his ‘Carlton’