Five foursomes matches were played on the first morning today and with the Americans dropping just one of them, they already look well on course to successfully defend the title which they have claimed five times in a row.

The Presidents Cup, held every two years, pits the US against an international team made up of players from outside Europe in a matchplay format similar to the Ryder Cup.

Bubba Watson and JB Holmes claimed the first point for the Americans as they claimed a 3&2 victory over Australia's Adam Scott and Japanese golfer Hideki Matsuyama.

They went into the lead after the second hole and were then always in front as they closed out their win.

The International side managed to level when the all-South Africa pairing of Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace got the better of Matt Kuchar and Patrick Reed 3&2, but from then on the hosts could not get on the scoreboard.

Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker enjoyed a commanding 5&4 success over India's Anirban Lahiri and Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee, while Phil Mickelson and Zach Johnson were two up winners over Australian duo Jason Day and Steven Bowditch.

World number one Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson were also rarely troubled as they completed a fine day for the Americans with a 4&3 win over Australia's Mark Leishman and New Zealander Danny Lee.

They claimed back-to-back birdies on holes one and two and never looked back from there.

Tomorrow's action sees five fourballs matches with Team International skipper Nick Price, the three-time major winner from Zimbabwe, knowing his men already need a big day to stop the Cup from slipping away from them.

He has opted for his sole winners Oosthuizen and Grace to begin proceedings, while American skipper Jay Haas has sent out his winning combination of Dustin Johnson and Spieth to face them. 

In the second match Fowler and Walker will clash with Danny Lee and South Korean home favourite Bae Sang-moon, with game three pitting Zach Johnson and Mickelson against Scott and Day.

Game four will see Holmes and Watson take on Leishman and Bowditch, with the final clash matching the Americans' Bill Haas, who is Jay's son, and Chris Kirk with Jaidee and South Africa's Charl Schwartzel.

Day three of the competition will feature four fourballs and four foursomes, with 12 singles matches concluding the event on Sunday.



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