A Show of Sportsmanship in U.S. Domination

Phil Mickelson pulled Woody Austin into his arms to celebrate another clutch putt from the 43-year-old rookie in the Presidents Cup, then they walked to the edge of the 18th green to see if it would be good enough for another American victory in Montreal yesterday.

Mike Weir had chipped to 3 1/2 feet, certainly no gimme for his partner Vijay Singh.

The Canadian crowd that had cheered so wildly for Weir and the International team grew silent, enough for Mickelson to hear that familiar high-pitched tone of U.S. captain Jack Nicklaus.

"What do you want to do with [his] putt?" Nicklaus asked.

Mickelson understood the question to be a directive, and he didn't hesitate to concede the putt and halve the match.

It was the most poignant moment at Royal Montreal, a day filled with gray skies and American red numbers on the scoreboard. The concession ensured the International team a half-point, and it turned out to be the only thing it earned in the biggest opening-session rout in seven years at the Presidents Cup.

With clutch play from rookies Austin and Lucas Glover, and solid play from Mickelson and Tiger Woods, the Americans won 5 1/2 points in the six alternate-shot matches to seize early control of these matches.

"Our guys were sensational today," Nicklaus said. "They finished the matches. They played great. And I'm happy that Mike Weir from Canada got on the board."

Nicklaus made sure of that, although Mickelson believes Singh would have made the putt.

It was typical coming from Nicklaus, who conceded a putt about the same length to Tony Jacklin in the 1969 Ryder Cup that allowed those matches to end in a draw. That gesture became a symbol of sportsmanship in matches between countries and continents.

"Captain Nicklaus was right. It was the right thing to do," Mickelson said after he and Austin rallied from 3 down over the final seven holes in a match in which only six holes were halved. "It was a hard-fought battle. There didn't need to be a winner or a loser."

Then again, this was only Thursday. And it was clear the Americans were in charge.

It was the biggest blowout in the opening session since the United States won all five matches in 2000 on its way to the most lopsided victory in the short history of the Presidents Cup.

Steve Stricker and Hunter Mahan made a birdie on the first hole of the opening match and never trailed on their way to the easiest victory of the round, 3 and 2, over Adam Scott and Geoff Ogilvy. Woods and Charles Howell III were in the last match, the only other one that did not go the distance. Howell redeemed himself from an awful tee shot with a 15-foot par, and Woods closed out the 3-and-1 victory over K.J. Choi and Nick O'Hern with a tee shot to three feet on the 17th.

"We've seen this board the last two Ryder Cups," Woods said of the lopsided margin. "On the European side."

The difference came from the matches in between.

All of them went to the 18th green with the International team poised to win two of them and halve the other two. Instead, the United States won three of those matches to seize control.

-- From News Services