The stage is set for a grandstand finish to the 2019 Presidents Cup after an afternoon of high drama and twists and turns at Royal Melbourne.
Team USA finally won a session to reduce a four-point deficit to just two, but it was an "unacceptable" collapse from American superstars Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler that left golf fans gobsmacked and with the Internationals in sight of a shock first triumph since 1998.
Thomas and Fowler squandered a five-hole advantage with eight to play to square their foursomes match with Marc Leishman and Abraham Ancer, who remains unbeaten on his Cup debut after the extraordinary comeback.
"Speechless - it's unacceptable for us to get a half a point," Thomas said before cursing himself especially for hooking his drive on the 18th under a tree, from which Fowler could only punch back out on to the fairway.
"They made a couple of long putts there on 15 and 16 to keep it going (but) we had our chances and, I mean (being) flat honest, I just didn't execute. I'm just disappointed in myself for burning that, I felt like, for us on 18."
The priceless half point ensures the Internationals will carry the lead into Sunday's deciding singles for the first time since last winning the Cup 21 years ago, also at Royal Melbourne.
The Internationals' 10-8 advantage leaves the heavily favoured and star-studded US outfit needing at least 7.5 points from the remaining 12 up for grabs to win the Cup for the eighth time in a row.
After seeing his team lose the morning fourball session 2.5 to 1.5 to trail 9-5 overall, US playing captain Tiger Woods was questioned for not picking himself in the foursomes.
When Dustin Johnson and Gary Woodland beat Adam Scott and Louis Oosthuizen two and one, and Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay downed Cameron Smith and Sungjae Im by the same scoreline, Woods, though, was looking like a genius.
But suddenly, the Internationals have all the momentum after Joaquin Niemann and Byeong Hun An had also charged back from two down with five to play to rescue half a point against Matt Kuchar and Tony Finau in the final match of the day.
"That momentum switch, that's definitely going to help," Leishman said.
"To have a lead going into Sunday, we haven't done that for a long time.
"Hopefully we can bring this energy tomorrow, play some good golf, get the crowds into it, and be nice to win."
Scott, the Internationals' spiritual leader, said the side's late stand couldn't be overstated.
"It showed our intentions as a team. There's a lot of heart sitting here next to me," he said.
"That was huge for us, and also Ben (An) and Joaquin Niemann digging deep and finding a halve. It goes a long, long way, the half-points.
"The scoreline is really good for us, considering what it was looking like with a couple hours to go.
"But tomorrow is another day. We're in the middle of a fight and we're all going to be up for it."
Australian Associated Press
