Presidents Cup: Tiger Woods clinches win for USA

Tiger Woods celebrates with girlfriend Lindsey Vonn on the 18th hole. Picture: Reuters

With the Americans needing a total of 18 points to retain the trophy, Woods secured the decisive point by safely parring the final hole of his singles match.

The world No 1, despite visibly suffering from back pain over the closing holes, came from one down after eight holes to seal a one-up win that gave the US an unassailable lead with two singles matches still to finish.

“It feels good. It was a team effort this whole week,” Woods said. “We really played well, and gave ourselves a really nice lead going into the singles. And it was a tough day, tough conditions, rain, wind. It was tough all around. It was a long week but it was worth it. We did it.”

The US had needed only four points from yesterday’s 12 singles encounters to keep the Cup, having established a lead of 14-8 earlier in the day after dominating the rain-delayed final foursomes session.

However, they had to work harder than expected as the Internationals mounted a gutsy fightback, winning seven and a half of the matches.

Looking for a fast start from the top of their singles line-up, the Americans secured their first win of the afternoon when Hunter Mahan beat Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama 3&2 in the opening encounter.

“I always like being first out, I don’t know why, just a comfort thing,” said Mahan. “You can’t give them momentum, because they have so many good players that they can run off five, six wins in a row. To get off to a good start, be up a couple after nine was huge. Made that birdie on ten, felt like I was in control of myself and swung great from there.”

Australian Jason Day had won the first point of the singles, crushing Brandt Snedeker 6&4, but the Internationals were still six points behind.

PGA Championship winner Jason Dufner never trailed before beating Zimbabwean Brendon de Jonge 4&3, then Canada’s Graham DeLaet holed out for birdie from a bunker at the 18th to edge Jordan Spieth one-up.

Zach Johnson wrapped up a comfortable 4&2 win over South African Branden Grace to put the US ahead 17-10 before Masters champion Adam Scott put another blue number on the board for the Internationals with a 2&1 win over Bill Haas.

South African Ernie Els scraped past Steve Stricker one-up and Australian Marc Leishman sank a 14-footer from the fringe to par the last and beat Matt Kuchar by the same margin.

Former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel of South Africa came from one down after 13 holes to beat Keegan Bradley 2&1 and keep the Americans waiting for that elusive 18th point.

But Woods, who had won three matches out of four in partnership with Kuchar earlier in the week, split the fairway off the tee on 18, then struck an  accurate approach to 30 feet.

He narrowly missed his birdie putt but Sterne conceded the par to Woods and the overall victory to the US, before the last two pairings finished off.

Webb Simpson and Louis Oosthuizen then tied their match before Argentina’s Angel Cabrera beat Phil Mickelson one-up in the final match.