Presidents Cup results 2017: USA takes commanding lead after Day 1

Looking like they could lose all five points early, the Internationals were fortunate to eke out 1.5 points in the first session of the Presidents Cup.

On a day when three former U.S. commanders-in-chief took center stage at the Presidents Cup and players and officials at Liberty National braced for Sunday’s expected visit by the current occupant of the Oval Office, Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas led the way as the Americans clobbered the Internationals, 3.5-1.5, in the opening foursome matches.

In what looked like it could be a complete whitewash by the U.S. early on, the Internationals were lucky to escape with some points, though the outcome of day one was hardly a surprise, given the home team’s lopsided record in the biennial event that takes place on opposite years of the far more competitive Ryder Cup.

Despite going 1-down early in a game that was really never in doubt after that, Fowler and Thomas put the first points on the board for Steve Stricker’s favored squad.

Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar prevailed in a match that was hotly contested until DJ stuffed a 7-iron to eight feet on No. 16 and Adam Scott and Jhonattan Vegas conceded the birdie. Johnson went to 4-0-1 in foursomes when he knocked another 7-iron to within 20 feet on 18 and he and Kooch walked away with a 1-up victory.

Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed continued their superb teamwork by smoking Emiliano Grillo and Si Woo Kim, 5 and 4.

With that result, Spieth became the only player in Prez Cup history with a 4-0-0 record or better in foursomes.

The Internationals (sans Europe) broke through with their first points in the fourth match when Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace defeated Brooks Koepka and Daniel Berger, 3 and 1. The pair got to 5-0 as PC partners.

Phil Mickelson and Kevin Kisner were running away with the final match of the day, going as much as 3-up through seven holes, until Jason Day and Marc Leishman cut the lead to 1-up going into the 18th hole. When Mickelson and Day each missed his par putt, the teams halved the match.

Thursday’s numbers were hardly surprising, considering, as Golf Channel noted, that the U.S. has dominated foursomes format (or alternate shot) by a +25 margin since 2007. For those not convinced about the Americans’ command in this exhibition, consider that the team leading after the first session has gone on to win the overall tournament nine of 11 times — and that team has been the one whose members sport red, white, and blue.

Here are all the results from Thursday’s matches:

Thursday's Session 1 — Five Foursomes Matches — USA leads 3.5-1.5

• INTL Hideki Matsuyama/Charl Schwartzel vs. USA Rickie Fowler/Justin Thomas — USA wins, 6&4
• INTL Adam Scott/Jhonattan Vegas vs. USA Dustin Johnson/Matt Kuchar -- USA wins, 1 up
• INTL Si Woo Kim/Emiliano Grillo vs. USA Jordan Spieth/Patrick Reed — USA wins, 5&4
• INTL Louis Oosthuizen/Branden Grace vs. USA Daniel Berger/Brooks Koepka — International wins, 3&1
• INTL Jason Day/Marc Leishman vs. USA Kevin Kisner/Phil Mickelson — Halved