GOLF Woods helps lead U.S. to lead

The Americans hold a three-point lead in the Presidents Cup.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
GEORGE, South Africa -- As skies darkened late Friday, Tiger Woods stood over a 4-foot putt that was more about pride than a measly half-point in the Presidents Cup.
Just holes earlier, he missed a crucial putt from the same distance. And in the morning, he had endured his biggest loss in team competition.
"I don't know if I could have lived that down if I missed that one," Woods said.
Not to worry.
Woods buried the putt for a 1-up victory with Charles Howell III, the seventh victory out of 10 matches for the Americans on a day when they were the best from start to finish.
The result was a 9 1/2-6 1/2 lead over the International team, and loads of momentum going into the six better-ball matches this afternoon.
"We were able to turn the momentum today, keep it going this afternoon," said Jim Furyk, who didn't have to play the final four holes in either of his two victories. "It was a big day for our team."
The Americans made sure there was no repeat of the disastrous opening session, when the International team rallied over the final three holes of the final three matches to steal 2 1/2 points and the early lead.
Fans gathered around the 18th green on the Links Course at Fancourt must have been sorely disappointed. Of the five alternate-shot matches and five better-ball matches Friday, only three went the distance.
Looking ahead
They could only cheer for Ernie Els, who holed a difficult chip from thick grass for eagle in the final match, the only victory in alternate shot for the International team.
Els invited the team to his house for a party Friday night, and the International players had this to consider while drinking beer by the beach: They trail by three points, and the margin could be a lot worse.
The Americans started Friday by capturing three of the five better-ball matches, with Furyk and Jay Haas leading the way. Their 6-and-5 victory over Adam Scott and Stuart Appleby tied the Presidents Cup record for largest margin.
It turned into a tidal wave Friday afternoon.
Kenny Perry, a winner in all three of his matches this week, and Jerry Kelly were 3-up after four holes and beat K.J. Choi and Peter Lonard, 2 and 1.
David Toms and Fred Funk had an easy time against Robert Allenby and Stephen Leaney, 4 and 3, especially since the two Aussies failed to make a birdie.
Justin Leonard, who had not won a match in the Presidents Cup or the Ryder Cup since the first one he played in 1996, won twice Friday. He and Furyk beat mistake-prone Mike Weir and Vijay Singh, 5 and 4.
LPGA
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Meg Mallon and Laura Davies each turned 40 this year. They wish that was all they had in common.
Shut out in the win column on the LPGA Tour this year, Mallon and Davies put themselves in position to break through at just the right time. The contemporaries moved into the lead at 2-under 142 on Friday after two rounds of the season-ending ADT Championships.
Mallon shot a 1-under 71 and Davies rallied from two early bogeys for a 69 to set up a pairing of two players with four second-place finishes and no wins between them this year on the LPGA Tour.
"Obviously, when you were considered a champion, you don't like to be forgotten about," said Davies, who has 20 wins on the LPGA Tour, 65 worldwide and was the 1996 Player of the Year. "I'm no longer a big fish. I'm a little fish, and it's not something you like when you've had the attention."
Another fortysomething, Rosie Jones, shot 67 for the day's best round to pull within a shot of the lead. Jones is tied with Cristie Kerr (69) and Se Ri Pak, who all but wrapped up the Vare Trophy with her 70.
It would take at least a 14-shot swing with Grace Park, who stood at 151, to deny Pak the award that goes to the player with the lowest scoring average among those who have played a minimum 70 rounds. If Pak wins the trophy and the tournament, she'll earn a spot in the World Golf Hall of Fame.
One behind Pak is defending champion and top-ranked Annika Sorenstam, who shot a 70 to get to even par. Sorenstam was diagnosed with conjunctivitis (pink eye) Thursday and played with only one contact.