Presidents Cup teams Latest scores

Starting off one point adrift, the USA got off to a strong start in South Africa, edging the morning fourballs to draw level overall.

And they sailed into a clear lead in the afternoon foursomes, winning all but one of the five match-ups.

Six fourball matches follow on Saturday before the trophy is decided over the closing 12 singles matches on Sunday.

Fred Funk and David Toms struck first for America in the afternoon session, beating Australians Robert Allenby and Stephen Leaney 4 & 3.

Kenny Perry and Jerry Kelly then survived a nervy finish to pip South Korea's KJ Choi and Australia's Peter Lonard 2 & 1.

US Open champion Jim Furyk and Justin Leonard chipped in with a 5 & 4 thrashing of Vijay Singh and Mike Weir.

This golf course played as tough this afternoon as it has played all week Justin Leonard

And Tiger Woods and Charles Howell III survived a poor finish to see off South Africans Tim Clark and Retief Goosen by one hole.

It fell to Ernie Els and Australia's Adam Scott to salvage the only win for an International team, which now faces an uphill struggle to win the Cup.

They beat Chris DiMarco and Phil Mickelson by a hole in the alternate shot format.

The American team pulled level in the morning fourballs, inspired by Furyk and Jay Haas, who hit nine birdies in 11 holes to beat Appleby and Scott 6 & 5.

Perry and Davis Love III beat Goosen and Choi 2 & 1.

And DiMarco and Leonard picked up the third point with a one-hole victory over Fiji's Singh and Nick Price.

Clark really put Tiger and Charles under pressure from the start Ernie Els

The Internationals grabbed their first fourballs win when Allenby and Canadian Weir beat Mickelson and Toms 3 & 1.

The last match out had been billed as a head-to-head between world number one Woods and local favourite Els.

But it was little-known South African Tim Clark who underpinned a crushing 5 & 3 win for the Internationals.

"It was great to watch," Els said of Clark's performance.

"From my side, I think I helped him on just three holes. He really put Tiger and Charles (Howell III) under pressure from the start."

0930: Fred Funk/Phil Mickelson v Peter Lonard (Australia)/Stephen Leaney (Australia)

0941: Jim Furyk/Jay Haas v Ernie Els (South Africa)/Tim Clark (South Africa)

0952: Kenny Perry/Jerry Kelly v Adam Scott (Australia)/K.J. Choi (South Korea)

1003: Tiger Woods/Charles Howell III v Vijay Singh (Fiji)/Retief Goosen (South Africa)

1014: Chris DiMarco/Justin Leonard v Mike Weir (Canada)/Robert Allenby (Australia)