Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker claimed a two-hole victory over Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher.
Americans close out two-hole win in third fourballs
Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker claimed a two-hole victory over Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher, as the holders took a one-point lead after the opening fourballs.
All square through 10 holes overnight, Stricker struck with an outrageous birdie at the 12th, chipping in from off the green at the 458-yard par four.
That appeared to knock the stuffing out of the European duo and although Woods was misfiring, Stricker's birdie at 15 matched Fisher's to keep the Americans ahead.
Woods and Stricker both missed makeable birdie tries for the match on 17, but with neither European able to find a birdie at the par five 18th, Stricker's four was good enough for the point.
The American pairing - the world numbers one and four - are now 5-0 in Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup play and were unsurprisingly sent out again together in the foursomes.
Honours even
On Friday evening, Poulter holed a 15-foot birdie putt at the par-three 10th to ensure that honours finished even.
Poulter's 25-foot birdie putt for a two at the third had given Europe the edge before the lengthy rain delay.
When they resumed, Woods was forced to hole a 10-footer for a par and a half at the fourth after Poulter had chipped to four feet.
The next two holes were halved in par, but at the par three seventh world number four Stricker fired a four iron to six feet, only to miss the birdie putt.
He immediately made amends at the next, however, draining a 20-footer for birdie with Woods just six feet away himself in two.
That made the match all square and after Woods chipped dead for birdie at the par five ninth, and Poulter's birdie chip lipped out, the USA led the match for the first time.
But Poulter hit back at 10 and watched Stricker's birdie try drift just wide.
