American rally keeps their slim lead in Presidents Cup

Bae is playing in his last competition before he starts obligatory military administration and following an extreme year on the PGA Tour required a commander’s pick to make the Presidents Cup group.

After partnering Dustin Johnson to a narrow morning win over Jason Day and Charl Schwartzel, Spieth returned in the afternoon with Patrick Reed to defeat the same global pairing in the four-balls, sealing the match 3&2 in near darkness.

“I could have gotten us below the hole”, Spieth said. “There was a couple of slips towards the middle there but we got it going”.

“One advantage that we had is I don’t speak a lot of English, but Sang-Moon does speak Japanese, and that really helped our chemistry”.

However, the Match Committee at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club in Incheon later conceded that Mickelson should have been allowed to play the hole out and been given a chance to lessen the blow. He was in the fairway just over 290 yards from the hole, which he could have reached with a good shot.

Players must stick with the same model of golf ball for the entire match in fourballs and singles.

As the penalty is just a one-hole adjustment in the match, Mickelson should have been allowed to finish the hole.

Mickelson teed off but while walking down the fairway was struck with the thought he may have broken a rule and consulted captain Jay Haas and a referee, who raised the issue with the rules committee. “Under the rules … he could have continued the seventh hole”, the Match Committee said in a statement.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – South Korea’s Ha Na Jang used a late three-hole birdie run to take a one-stroke lead Friday in the LPGA Malaysia.

Both sides took the blame.

“I accept total responsibility for that mistake”, Russell said. Grace picked up another birdie on the 10th to put his team ahead 2-up, and Oosthuizen contributed a birdie of his own on the 14th for a 3-up lead. And while it likely cost the Americans a half-point, Mickelson didn’t seem too bothered. Bubba Watson missed a 5-foot birdie putt that would have won the match.

“Had he been able to play out and make a four and tie the hole, then it would only have been one down instead of two down”.

The Americans, up 4-1 after the opening session, had their lead cut to 5½-4½.

“One of the best matches I ever played”, Bae said. “Today was a big turnaround”. It was a pretty sweet one for the South African. Day and Bowditch were 2 down to Mickelson and Zach Johnson with two holes to play when Day poured in a 40-foot birdie putt to send the match to the 18th.

“We’re committed to growing our enviable calendar of major events, and securing events like the Presidents Cup and the World Cup of Golf do just that”, said Victoria minister of tourism John Eren at the news conference.

The big moment belonged to Bae, who was shaky with his putter until it mattered.

He couldn’t resist one final jab, however, at the end of the press conference.

With a large gallery watching their every move, Bae delivered with the putt of his life on the 18th and heard the loudest cheer of the day.

Lee agreed he had an off day and said nerves got the better of him.

“I had an inclination that I accomplished something for the team and I additionally made force for alternate players, so I was extremely glad and it was an exceptionally exciting minute”.