The Hindu : Sport / Golf : Americans clinch the Presidents Cup

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Tuesday, Sep 27, 2005

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Sport - Golf

Americans clinch the Presidents Cup

GAINESVILLE (Virginia): Right when it looked like the Presidents Cup might end in another tie, Chris DiMarco holed a 15-foot putt on the 18th hole to outlast Stuart Appleby for a 1-up victory and give the Americans an 18-1/2 — 15-1/2 win over the International team on Sunday.

DiMarco knew it was good in the final few feet, and he charged toward the cup and then into the arms of captain Jack Nicklaus.

``All I thought about was to get him a win,'' DiMarco said.

The Americans sent Nicklaus into retirement as a winner over the International team, and kept their record perfect on home soil at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.

Nicklaus, who already said farewell to the majors and might not play another U.S. PGA Tour event, was captain for the third time.

His team was hammered in Australia in 1998, and the matches ended in a tie two years ago in South Africa.

This time, he went out a winner.

``It feels a lot better to have a win, there's no question about that,'' Nicklaus said. ``As far as being something special, I may never captain another team, I may never play another round of golf, and if I end my career this way, it's a pretty good way to end it.''

Under new rules this year, every match had to go extra holes until one team had enough points to claim the cup.

Someone apparently forgot to tell Phil Mickelson.

With the Americans already at 17 points, Mickelson thought he clinched the Presidents Cup when he stuffed a wedge into 4 feet and made the birdie on No. 18 to square his match with Angel Cabrera.

Lefty pounded his fist, removed his cap to shake hands and was about to celebrate when European tour rules official Andy McFee broke the news.

The look on his face was utter shock, and he headed to the first tee.

Couples got Singh again under different circumstances. He is an aging star at 45, while Singh is the No. 2 player in the world who has won more on tour than anyone in the last three years.

Tied coming to the 18th, Couples summoned one more piece of magic by rolling in a 20-foot putt. He turned as it fell, dropping his putter and raising his arms and screaming toward the gray skies in utter elation.

Woods falls to Goosen

Tiger Woods lost for the first time in a Presidents Cup singles match, falling to Retief Goosen on the 17th hole.

Goosen also went unbeaten for the week at 4-1-0. But the Americans got loads of help, from Jim Furyk (3-2-0) beating Adam Scott, and Kenny Perry and David Toms getting their first points of the week. — AP

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