US make fast start in Presidents Cup

CHARLOTTE, N.C. : The Presidents Cup got off to the blowout start many had predicted as the United States humbled a scrappy International team 4-1 in the opening foursomes on Thursday.

The U.S. had looked poised for a sweep of the five matches until the Internationals snatched an unexpected point when South Korea's Kim Si-woo and Australian Cam Davis taking down the all-star American pairing of world number one Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns 2-Up.

The U.S., who have dominated the biennial competition with an 11-1-1 record, came out with purpose having never lost on home soil.

Things had looked very grim for the Internationals after the hosts swept the opening three matches to power 3-0 ahead.

But salvaging a point ended a rough day on a positive note for captain Trevor Immelman's men, limiting the damage heading into Friday's fourballs although the challenge ahead remains a daunting one.

The Internationals, with a record eight Presidents Cup debutants in their 12-man team, started as massive underdogs against a U.S. squad featuring nine of the top 15 in the world rankings.

With temperatures nudging towards 100 Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) the event got off to a steamy and raucous start with chants of "USA, USA" from the pro-American crowd.

U.S. captain Davis Love III's squad did not waste any time giving the crowd reasons to cheer as they quickly seized control.

Immelman sent out his most experienced pair of Australian Adam Scott, playing in his 10th Presidents Cup, and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama first to face the U.S. duo of world numbers four and five Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele hoping the two veterans might set the tone for his young squad.

FIRST POINT

But the Internationals' two Masters champions failed to gel as Cantlay