USA leads by three at Presidents Cup

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 10 (UPI) -- Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker completed a sweep of their four team matches Saturday and pushed the United States to a three-point lead at the Presidents Cup.

Woods hit two magical shots at the end the morning foursomes match to produce a 1-up victory over Mike Weir and Tim Clark and Stricker made seven birdies in the afternoon fourballs en route to a 4-and-2 decision over Y.E. Yang and Ryo Ishikawa.

Woods and Stricker became the first pairing in the eight playings of the Presidents Cup to win four team matches.

With 12 singles matches remaining to be played Sunday, the Americans led the International Team 12 1/2-9 1/2. The United States won six of the 10 points at stake Saturday.

Woods and Stricker went to the 17th hole 1-down in their morning match, but Woods holed a 25-foot birdie putt to win that hole. He then hit a tremendous second shot to within 10 feet on the par-5 18th and his eagle was conceded when neither Weir nor Clark could make birdie.

In the afternoon, Stricker's heroics helped build a 6-up lead with six holes to play.

Phil Mickelson won his third match of the competition in the morning, teaming with Sean O'Hair for a 5-and-3 decision over Retief Goosen and Camilo Villegas. Mickelson then settled for a halve in the afternoon when again paired with O'Hair against Vijay Singh and Clark.

A 12-foot birdie putt at the final hole would have won the match for Mickelson, but it failed to drop.

Justin Leonard and Jim Furyk brought the Americans another point in the morning and Furyk teamed with Anthony Kim to win their match in the afternoon.