Presidents Cup

The winning point for Tiger Woods . A perfect record for Jim Furyk . And validation for U.S. captain Fred Couples . The Americans won the Presidents Cup as a team, 19-15, avenging their worst loss ever in any cup competition 13 years ago on a Royal Melbourne course that lived up to its reputation as among the greatest tests in golf. Yet even as they gathered around the gold trophy at the closing ceremony Sunday afternoon in Melbourne, Australia, all of them dressed in red shirts and blue blazers, it was hard to ignore the singular achievements.

Reporting from La Jolla — Add another category of excellence to the resume of Bubba Watson, one of golf's longest hitters. Quickest quipster. He just turned 33 on Nov. 5, so there is much golf ahead, presumably even a few major titles. He has won three times on the PGA Tour, including the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in La Jolla last winter. That brought him to Southern California on Monday, for media day and the beginning of the promotional push for the Jan. 26-29 tournament.

The Americans kept the lead over the International team in the Presidents Cup, and they still don't have a point from Tiger Woods . Woods is 0-2 for the first time in this event, and the first time in any team competition since he and Phil Mickelson lost their opening two matches at the 2004 Ryder Cup, but the U.S. leads, 7-5. Aaron Baddeley earned a small measure of redemption by making a strong par on the 18th hole as he...

The winning point for Tiger Woods . A perfect record for Jim Furyk . And validation for U.S. captain Fred Couples . The Americans won the Presidents Cup as a team, 19-15, avenging their worst loss ever in any cup competition 13 years ago on a Royal Melbourne course that lived up to its reputation as among the greatest tests in golf. Yet even as they gathered around the gold trophy at the closing ceremony Sunday afternoon in Melbourne, Australia, all of them dressed in red shirts and blue blazers, it was hard to ignore the singular achievements.

The Americans returned Down Under and wound up on top in the Presidents Cup at Melbourne, Australia. Jim Furyk became the fourth player to win all five of his matches, and the bottom half of the lineup was strong enough to give the Americans their fourth straight win in this lopsided series. Tiger Woods won the clinching point Sunday for the second straight time. He played well all week without always getting rewarded with a point, but easily handled Aaron Baddeley , losing only one hole in a 4-and-3 victory.

Two days after his Presidents Cup snub, Rory Sabbatini made captain Greg Norman's decision to leave him off the International team look even more peculiar. Sabbatini ran off seven birdies on renovated Cog Hill for a five-under-par 66 on Thursday, giving him a share of the lead with Steve Marino at the BMW International and hopes of making it to the FedEx Cup finale. They had a one-shot lead over Bo Van Pelt and Marc Leishman, who qualified for the third playoff event by making an eagle on his final hole Monday at the TPC Boston.

Mark Calcavecchia played Wednesday like a man determined to achieve his season goal--a spot in the Presidents Cup later this year in Australia. Calcavecchia didn't come close to a bogey all day, shooting a seven-under-par 65 under nearly flawless conditions to tie Robert Damron for the first-round lead in the 90-hole Las Vegas Invitational. Paul Azinger topped a group of seven golfers a shot back at 66. U.S. Open champion Lee Janzen and 13 others were at 67.

Riviera Country Club is trying to lure the 2009 Presidents Cup, and though a PGA Tour official expressed concerns about attendance problems, the club's general manager said there was no risk. "It's the old thing about Los Angeles being too laid-back," Riviera's Michael Yamaki said. "Will Los Angeles support this kind of event? We think it's tailor-made. We have such a diverse culture, I think the event plays right into our hands."

Tiger Woods called it one of his "most nerve-racking moments ever." Ernie Els couldn't make his legs stop shaking. The best two players in the world were in a sudden-death playoff Sunday with the Presidents Cup riding on every shot after a stunning comeback by the Americans. "You let everyone down with one putt," Woods said. "That's a lot of pressure."

Two years later and halfway across the world, the Presidents Cup is as close as ever. Chris DiMarco made a hole in one, Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk came through with clutch comebacks and Retief Goosen and Adam Scott proved as formidable as ever Saturday, all of them turning in solid performances that left the matches tied going into today's final round of 12 singles matches. The U.S.

The Americans returned Down Under and wound up on top in the Presidents Cup at Melbourne, Australia. Jim Furyk became the fourth player to win all five of his matches, and the bottom half of the lineup was strong enough to give the Americans their fourth straight win in this lopsided series. Tiger Woods won the clinching point Sunday for the second straight time. He played well all week without always getting rewarded with a point, but easily handled Aaron Baddeley , losing only one hole in a 4-and-3 victory.

The Americans kept the lead over the International team in the Presidents Cup, and they still don't have a point from Tiger Woods . Woods is 0-2 for the first time in this event, and the first time in any team competition since he and Phil Mickelson lost their opening two matches at the 2004 Ryder Cup, but the U.S. leads, 7-5. Aaron Baddeley earned a small measure of redemption by making a strong par on the 18th hole as he...

Fred Couples' smooth swing and laid-back personality have helped make him one of golf's most popular players since he broke onto the PGA Tour in 1981. Couples, who turned 50 last month (how is this possible?) and is now eligible to play the Champions Tour, was in Los Angeles last week to promote the Chevron World Challenge, his friend Tiger Woods' tournament at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks on Dec. 3-6. Couples, winner of the 1992 Masters and 15 PGA Tour events, was captain of the victorious U.S. team in the Presidents Cup in October.

Tiger Woods provided a fitting conclusion Sunday to a perfect week at the Presidents Cup, for him and an American team that remains perfect at home. With a flop shot out of the trees to set up one last birdie, Woods won the point that clinched the cup and made him only the third player in the Presidents Cup to win all five matches. His 6-and-5 victory over Y.E. Yang was a tiny token of revenge for Woods blowing a final-round lead to him in the PGA Championship this summer.

Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker were perfect as Presidents Cup partners, and they got enough help from everyone else Saturday in San Francisco to put the Americans in position to stay perfect on home soil. With an improbable rally by Woods in the morning and pure putting by Stricker in the afternoon, they became the first partnership in the Presidents Cup -- and the first in 30 years of any team competition -- to go 4-0. Phil Mickelson had a chance to join them with an undefeated record using different partners.

Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker dominate no matter the format. Phil Mickelson wins no matter whom he has for a partner. It still isn't enough for the Americans to shake the pesky International team in the Presidents Cup. For the second straight day, the Americans were poised to take a comfortable lead. The International team just won't go away. It rallied to win two late matches to split the fourballs session and keep the Americans' lead at one point, 6 1/2 to 5 1/2 . Ernie Els and Mike Weir won the final three holes to turn defeat into a two-up victory, thanks to the Canadian hitting three-wood from the base of the bleachers and onto the green for an eagle that was conceded.

Mike Weir is uncomfortable with the notion that nationality is ultimately what put him in the Presidents Cup. "I don't think I'm there as a sentimental pick," the Canadian said. Deep down, however, he has to know he would have had little chance of being added to the International team if the tournament were being played in any country but his own. International captain Gary Player and U.S. captain Jack Nicklaus said as much. So did two of Weir's teammates.

If this had happened a month ago, the San Francisco Chronicle and city officials would have been another party skewered in Michael Jordan's Hall of Fame induction speech. The newspaper published photos Tuesday of Jordan smoking a cigar during a practice round at Harding Park, despite the city's ban on smoking on public golf courses. City officials asked the PGA Tour to remind Jordan he can't smoke while being an honorary assistant at the Presidents Cup. "It was sort of a gentle nudge reminding them that smoking is illegal and that we would appreciate their support," Recreation and Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg told the Chronicle.