Golf: United States clinch Presidents Cup over International team

US golfer Justin Thomas hits a chip shot onto the tenth hole against the backdrop of New York city on the final day of the President's Cup golf tournament on Oct 1, 2017. PHOTO: USA TODAY Sports

JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (REUTERS) - Daniel Berger clinched victory for the United States over the International team at the Presidents Cup at Liberty National on Sunday (Oct 1).

Berger beat South Korean Kim Si-woo 2&1 in the third singles match on the final day to put the Americans over the deciding 15-point mark in the biennial match play team event.

The International team comprised of players from the rest of the world, excluding Europe, started the final day with a near impossible task, needing to sweep all 12 singles to snatch victory.

After performing miserably in the foursomes and four-ball matches the first three days, the Nick Price-captained International team performed much better in man-to-man play, though it was too little, too late.

The Americans, perhaps suffering a psychological letdown, did not perform at their best in front of US President Donald Trump, who arrived in a motorcade after landing nearby in a helicopter while the matches were in progress.

He looked on from the clubhouse overlooking the 14th green.

International players Jason Day and Hideki Matsuyama won their early matches and Marc Leishman halved his with Kevin Chappell as the board finally lit up in the blue of the visitors.

The United States has now won 10 of the 12 stagings of the tournament, and tied another.

The next event will be played in 2019 at Royal Melbourne in Australia, site of the only International victory in 1998.

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