International team leads the U.S. at Presidents Cup

GEORGE, South Africa -- Mike Weir showed guts and imagination, and the International team showed plenty of resolve in the Presidents Cup by rallying in three matches to take a 3 1/2-2 1/2 lead Thursday.

The United States was hammered five years ago in Australia -- the only other time these matches were played overseas -- but was poised this year to take a commanding lead in the six alternate-shot matches.

Tiger Woods and Charles Howell III proved to be a solid team, winning 4 and 3 in a match they never trailed against Stuart Appleby and K.J. Choi.

"Chuck is a great kid to play with, and I rode him hard today," Woods said.

Davis Love III and Kenny Perry were just as tough, building a 4-up lead before closing out Peter Lonard and Tim Clark on the 16th hole.

The Americans led in three other matches, and it looked like it was going to be a similar rout to three years ago, when they swept the opening round of foursomes.

The International team had other ideas.

Weir and Nick Price, playing in the first match, were 2-down on two occasions and both times battled back for a 1-up victory that swung momentum to the International side.

Justin Leonard and Jim Furyk appeared to have their match in the bag, 2-up with three to play, against Ernie Els and Adam Scott, but lost the match.

The final blow was Robert Allenby and Stephen Leaney, 2-down against Jay Haas and Fred Funk with three holes to play.Allenby and Haas rallied for a tie.

LPGA Tour

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Laura Diaz shot 3-under-par 69 to take the first-round lead Thursday at the LPGA Tour Championship.

Diaz holds a one-stroke lead over Lori Kane. Meg Mallon was another stroke back on a day in which only three players in the field of the LPGA Tour's top 30 money winners broke par.-- From wire reports