Match 20 report: Els & Weir win 5 and 3

text size
Increase Text Size
Decrease Text Size
Email This Story Print This Story RSS
Oct. 10, 2009
By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM Chief of Correspondents

SAN FRANCISCO -- Here's an in-depth look at Saturday afternoon's Four-Ball match between the United States duo of Zach Johnson and Justin Leonard and the Internationals' Ernie Els and Mike Weir.

Match reports: Match 18 | Match 19 | Match 20 | Match 21 | Match 22 | Full scores

Match 20
Ernie ELS/Mike WEIR(Int'l) def.
Zach JOHNSON/Justin LEONARD(USA), 5 and 3
elsweircard1.jpg

Overview: Once again, Weir and Els were well-teamed -- extending their Four-ball record to 4-0 over the last two Presidents Cups. The Canadian made birdies early -- drawing first blood for the Internationals when he got up and down from just off the green at the par-5 first hole -- while Els took over at the turn. Weir made birdie from 24 feet at the fourth hole for a 2-up advantage and added another one on the next to match Johnson and maintain the lead. The Americans, who never really got untracked, relinquished a hole with bogeys at No. 8 to fall three behind. Els then got going with birdies at Nos. 9, 11, 12 and 13 -- holing a bunker shot at the 11th to put the Internationals 4 up and the other three to halve. Johnson only made two birdies and Leonard one and the Americans never won a hole. It was only a matter of time until the Internationals coasted to the victory and put the first points on the board.

Key moment: Els' birdie at the 11th hole where he holed a bunker shot from 43 yards started a decisive streak of three straight birdies that moved the Internationals closer to the all-important win. The Big Easy hit all but one fairway and five greens as he stetched his record to 3-1 this week -- which should give him confidence for Sunday's Singles.

Quotes: "We made a lot of birdies, no bogeys. Both of us were in the game all the way. It was good." -- Ernie Els

"It was important I got off to a good start, and I just rode Ernie the whole way. I didn't do much, but Ernie did fantastic. We played great. I got off to a nice start, got us going and got a couple up and I rode the big fella and he made that bunker shot, and made some beautiful putts after that." -- Mike Weir

Updated Presidents Cup player records: Zach Johnson (4-4-0 overall, 1-2-0 Four-Balls); Justin Leonard (8-11-3 overall, 3-5-0 Four-Balls); Ernie Els (16-11-2 overall, 8-3-0 Four-Balls); Mike Weir (13-8-2 overall, 7-2-0 Four-Balls).

Email This Story   Print This Story   RSS   Bookmark and Share

OFFICIAL DVD

OFFICIAL DVD

Relive the great moments with The Presidents Cup 2009 Official DVD. Pre-order your copy today! >more