• Presidents Cup, Day Two

USA maintain lead as Woods suffers another loss

The fist pumps were back for Tiger Woods © Getty Images

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The USA held on to their two point advantage over the International team after the Presidents Cup four-ball matches in Melbourne on Friday.

Three wins apiece saw the Americans take a 7-5 lead at the end of day two. The USA had their sharp putting to thank for maintaining their lead on a tight day of competition at Royal Melbourne Golf Course.

Tiger Woods enjoyed a slightly better day with new partner Dustin Johnson after being thrashed on the opening day of the competition. Woods and Johnson finally succumbed to Australian duo Jason Day and Aaron Baddeley 1up in a match that came down to the wire on the 18th green.

Earlier, the USA team of Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson carried on their fine first-day form with a 2&1 win over Ernie Els and Ryo Ishikawa. It was a similar result for Matt Kuchar and Steve Stricker who defeated Internationals YE Yang and Robert Allenby to give the USA a strong advantage.

Phil Mickelson and fellow USA stalwart Jim Furyk recorded a relatively comfortable win over Adam Scott and KT Kim. A clutch putt by Furyk on the 17th secured the valuable point for the Americans.

South Africans Charl Schwartzel and Retief Goosen, though, dominated Hunter Mahan and David Toms to claim a 2&1 triumph. 2011 Masters winner Schwartzel was largely upstaged by his more experienced playing partner as Goosen handed the pair an important early edge.

KJ Choi continued to play solid golf as he and Geoff Ogilvy notched a crucial 1up victory over Bill Haas and Nick Watney to keep the International team in the contest heading into the weekend. Saturday's action will see the teams play a combination of foursome and four-ball matches.

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