SAN FRANCISCO -- Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker scored a pair of victories for the United States on Saturday in Day 3 of the eighth Presidents Cup at cool and foggy Harding Park Golf Course. They are now 4-0 as a team.
In the morning foursomes, they defeated Tim Clark and Mike Weir of the International Team, 1-up. In the afternoon four-ball, they posted a 4 and 2 win against Ryo Ishikawa and Y.E. Yang.
The U.S. takes a 12.5 to 9&.5 advantage into singles play Sunday, when 12 matches will be contested. Woods will play Yang at 1:38 p.m. ET. The Americans need 17 points to retain the cup.
Woods and Stricker trailed most of the way in foursomes. On the 17th hole, Woods holed a clutch putt on to stave off elimination and wound up winning the hole when Weir missed a short birdie attempt.
"Didn't have a choice," said Woods. "If we miss, they make, it's over. Just crawled in. But it fell in."
Stricker hit a nice drive on the par-5 18th hole, and Woods lasered his second shot about seven feet from the hole. When the International Team failed to make birdie, the eagle putt was conceded.
"Well, I had 218 front, and it was actually a perfect number with the wind coming off the left like that," Woods said. "I knew that 3-iron, I couldn't hit it long. It was a perfect number for me to carry it right to the front edge. And when I hit it, I just tried to bleed it off the left edge of the green, and it came off perfect."
Added Sticker, "We all know what this guy does. The stage is set and he comes through again. It's pretty impressive."
Stricker carried the duo in the afternoon, riding a hot putter for seven birdies. Woods clinched the victory with a conceded birdie on the 16th hole.
"Stricks just put on a show," said Woods. "It was just an exhibition on how to putt.
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