Presidents Cup results 2015: Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson lead dominant USA on Thursday

The Presidents Cup started the same way it always does, with the Americans racing out to a commanding lead and owning the opening session on Thursday in Korea. Jason Day tried to earn a late half-point, but could not even things up against Phil Mickelson and Zach Johnson on the 18th green.

The Foursomes session ended with the Internationals in a 4-1 hole and the prospects for an actual competitive Presidents Cup dwindling. Here’s how it went down while you were sleeping:

USA wins, 3&2 -- There are 30 points available in these matches and you hate to put too much emphasis on just one match. But this leadoff match seemed like, at the very least, a must-halve for the International side and maybe a must-win. Hideki Matsuyama and Adam Scott are two of the team’s strongest players, possessing two of the prettiest swings in the game. Both struggle with the putter, however, and that was the club that got them beat in the leadoff match on Thursday.

J.B. Holmes and Bubba Watson opened on fire, draining everything up on the green and pouring in three birdies in their first five holes. They got to 3-up through the first five and never really looked back. Scott and Matsuyama narrowed the margin at times, but this was never going to the 18th hole. Bubba said he wanted Holmes as a partner because he’s been one of the hottest putters in the world, and that proved to be the boost needed for two of the sport’s biggest bombers from the tee.

It was a critical tone-setting loss for the International side and the dominoes began to fall behind them in this session.

International wins, 3&2 -- The lone bright spot for the International side came from the South African duo of Grace and Oosthuizen. The Internationals are at a disadvantage for several reasons, and one of the biggest is the culture and language barrier throughout a team comprised of players from multiple countries and continents. That’s not an issue for these two South Africans, who are extremely close and regularly play together.

They put the oddly coupled duo of Pat Reed and Matt Kuchar on the mat on the back nine, making the turn at 1-up and then cruising with a 3-up cushion from the 12th hole onward.

USA wins, 5&4 -- Fowler and Walker were heavy favorites in this match and the two Butch Harmon proteges cleaned up against India’s Anirban Lahiri and Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee. Walker and Fowler played together throughout the first four sessions in last year’s Ryder Cup, and despite some unrelenting good golf, never won a point. They halved their first three and then ran out of gas in the fourth two-man session. They deserved better and got that a year later with this rout, closing it out on the 14th green. It would not be surprising to see these two stick together and play every two-man session.

USA wins, 2-up -- The only match to go to the 18th hole. Jason Day is clear leader of the International side, which needs him winning points to have any chance. But he and Aussie partner Steven Bowditch fell behind on the opening hole and never took a lead. Mickelson pulled off the shot of the session, and one that seemed to bury the Internationals, when he holed-out from the bunker at the 13th.

The USA had them dormie with two holes to play, and Day did his best to pull off a miracle halve by bombing in a putt at the 17th.

Mickelson’s putt to match that and win it lipped out, but they would close it out on the 18th and force a concession with two incredible shots from tee-to-green that kept the putters in the bag.

USA wins, 4&3 -- If you were trying to create the perfect golfer in 2015, you might start by combining the talents of Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth. USA captain Jay Haas putting them together for alternate shot seemed unfair and the duo rolled against the overmatched Danny Lee and Marc Leishman.

Johnson and Spieth played fairly well, but did hit some loose drives and provide a few openings. The Internationals were awful though, hitting several balls in the water, chunking wedge shots and blading chip shots. This back-to-back sequence resulted in a concession that didn’t even force the Americans to make a putt.

DJ and Spieth are too good to not pounce on those mistakes and they were never really challenged by one of the weaker International performances. I would expect both Americans to keep playing every session, but we’ll see if Haas keeps them together as a power pairing.

***

The format now switches from alternate-shot Foursomes to best-ball Four-ball for Friday’s five-match session. The Internationals actually have a winning record in that format (50-47-9) and they will need to win the session this year if this Cup is to get competitive heading into the weekend.