GOLF: After choking over the closing holes of the first-day foursomes, the United States dominated the second day of the President's Cup. Down 3½-2½ overnight, the US won seven of the 10 points on offer on day two to take a 9½-6½ lead into today's six fourball matches. Andy Capostagno in George, South Africa.

The US won three of the five fourball matches in benign morning conditions to level the match score at 5 ½-5½ and, when the wind picked up after lunch, they took the International side to the cleaners in the foursomes, winning four of the five points on offer.

Ernie Els, the local hero, was the only International player to win both his points on day two. But in a much-anticipated match with Tiger Woods, Els was a virtual spectator as the play of Tim Clark, a South African playing in his first President's Cup, overshadowed the two superstars. Els and Clark beat Woods and Charles Howell III 5 and 3.

In the afternoon Els, teamed with Australia's Adam Scott, beat Chris DiMarco and Phil Mickelson. Els finished the match by chipping in for an eagle at the last from thick rough.

But Els was a lone ray of light for the Internationals, who have won this tournament only once in four starts. With a stiff breeze tugging shots off line all afternoon both teams were forced to play from virtually impossible lies. The difference was that the US players got the ball back in play more effectively.

Woods was at odds with his swing in the morning session and there were mutterings that he might sit out the foursomes in favour of looking for a cure on the range. But team captain Jack Nicklaus said: "If I sat Tiger, not only would he shoot me, but everyone in South Africa would shoot me, too."

Meanwhile Colin Montgomerie and Bernhard Langer reproduced their Ryder Cup form to inspire the Rest of the World to a slender 3½-2½ lead over the United States after the opening day of the UBS Cup.

The duo were unbeaten in three matches together at The Belfry last year, so it was no surprise when captain Tony Jacklin put them together again in yesterday's foursomes as the visitors attempted to claim their first victory in the third staging of the Ryder Cup-style event for players over 40.

And the decision paid off when they crushed Ray Floyd and Hale Irwin 5 and 3 at Sea Island to claim the first point of the contest.

Jacklin himself then earned the second minutes later, combining with Nick Faldo to beat 74-year-old American captain Arnold Palmer and Rocco Mediate by one hole.

Carl Mason and Bill Longmuir surrendered a two-hole lead to go down to an 18th-hole birdie from Scott Hoch and 2004 Ryder Cup captain Hal Sutton, but Argentinian pair Eduardo Romero and Vicente Fernandez were three under par in beating Tom Watson and Curtis Strange 4 and 3.

Mark O'Meara and Craig Stadler birdied three of the last five holes to beat Ian Woosnam and Barry Lane by one hole, while Des Smyth and Rodger Davis halved their match with Brad Faxon and Bruce Lietzke.

Guardian Service

PresidentsCup: Day Two

(US pairings first)

Foursomes

K Perry and J Kelly bt KJ Choi (S Korea) and P Lonard (Aus) 2 and 1

F Funk and D Toms bt R Allenby (Aus) and S Leaney (Aus) 4 and 3

T Woods and C Howell III bt T Clark and R Goosen (SA) 1 up

C DiMarco and P Mickelson lost to E Els (SA) and A Scott (Aus) 1 up

J Furyk and J Leonard bt V Singh (Fiji) and M Weir (Can) 5 and 4

Fourballs

P Mickelson and D Toms lost to R Allenby (Aus) and M Weir (Can) 3 and 1

K Perry and D Love III bt R Goosen (SA) and KJ Choi (S Korea) 2 and 1

J Furyk and J Haas bt S Appleby (Aus) and A Scott (Aus) 6 and 5

C DiMarco and J Leonard bt V Singh (Fiji) and N Price (Zim) 1 up T Woods and C Howell III lost to E Els (SA) and T Clark (SA) 5 and 3

United States 9½ Internationals 6½

Today'sFourballPairings

Funk and Mickelson v Lonard and Leaney

Furyk and Haas

v Els and Clark

Perry and Kelly

v Scott and Choi

Woods and Howell III

v Singh and Goosen

DiMarco and Leonard

v Weir and Allenby

Love III and Toms

v Price and Appleby