Americans Lead 10-7 on the Backs of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson

He is Tiger Woods, and sometimes, it seems we forget this. He wins six events in 2009 and we complain about his performances at the majors. He is one of the better match play golfers to ever wrap his hands around a cord grip, yet we worry about his team record.

And then he goes and does stuff like he did Saturday morning at Harding Park in San Francisco, and we remember, this guy is so good at golf it's sickening. Playing alongside Steve Stricker for the third time this week at the Presidents Cup, Woods and Stricker found themselves in trouble. Serious trouble. Needing a 22-footer for birdie on 17 just to say in the match, Tiger eyed the putt with the International team of Mike Weir and Tim Clark in tight for birdie.

Woods' putt looked like it might be short the whole way, but one more revolution lead to the biggest Woods fist pump since the 2005 chip-in at Augusta National and a breath of air to Fred Couples' A team. Weir missed the short birdie, and the match went to 18 all square.

There, Tiger did something only Tiger can do.

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On the left side of the fairway, Tiger had a 4-iron on the par-5, trying to get something on the green after the Internationals missed right. Tiger's shot erupted off the club face, and his reaction was something similar to Jack Nicklaus on the 16th hole in the 1986 Masters. "Be good," his son Jackie said to the shot on the famous par-3, and Jack simply replied, "It is."

This time, Tiger didn't say anything. He just flipped the club, held his finish as he walked down the fairway and watched his shot end up seven feet from the hole, leading to a conceded eagle and another point for the Americans.

That was the highlight of the later matches. The early matches were highlighted by Phil Mickelson, who continues to play the best golf of anyone at Harden Park this week.

Lefty, paired with Sean O'Hair, took down Retief Goosen and Camilo Villegas 5 and 3, leading to an early point for the United States and a tone set this Saturday -- "You guys can try, but it probably isn't happening."

Greg Norman does have one glimmer of hope, and it lands with two Asian golfers that have teamed up together and are now 2-0 this week. Ryo Ishikawa and Y.E. Yang, two names most probably had never even heard of this time last year, took down Kenny Perry and Zach Johnson 3 and 2, earning the only full point for the Internationals in the morning alternate shot format.

Justin Leonard, paired with Jim Furyk, added another full point to his total after missing that short birdie putt on Thursday. The major championship American duo took out Ernie Els and Adam Scott 4 and 2, the first time this week Els failed to win his match.

The only match halved all day was one that looked doomed for the Americans. Vijay Singh and Robert Allenby were 2-up with four holes to play, but lost the 15th and the 18th, after Hunter Mahan cleaned up a birdie on the par-5 following a solid lag putt by Stewart Cink.

With the Americans being the favorite in the singles match, these afternoon fourball matches are a must win for the Internationals. If they go into Sunday down three points, it is all but over at the '09 Presidents Cup.

Constant updates of the matches are available on Twitter.