USA lead 2015 Presidents Cup after first day

Phil Mickelson holed one of the shots of the day for the USA

Bubba Watson with USA captain Jay Haas. Credit: Harry How (Getty)
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Phil Mickelson made one of the shots of the day with a superb hole-out from a bunker.

USA lead 2015 Presidents Cup after first day

The United States have taken a commanding 4-1 lead after the first day at the 2015 Presidents Cup.

Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker inflicted a 5&4 defeat on Anirban Lahiri and Thongchai Jaidee in one of the Thursday foursomes.

The International team have only won the tournament once since it began in 1994 and didn't look like they'd be able to reverse the trend after yesterday's results.

Phil Mickelson holed an impressive bunker shot during his 2UP win alongside Zach Johnson against world no.1 Jason Day and Steven Bowditch.

American captain Jay Haas would have been delighted with the pairing of Masters and US Open champion Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson as they beat Danny Lee and Marc Leishman 4&3.

There was an impressive 3&2 win for renowned long-hitters Bubba Watson and J.B. Holmes against Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama.

The only ray of hope for Nick Price's team came during Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace's 3&2 win over Matt Kuchar and Patrick Reed, which levelled the scores for a short period.

Price will need to inspire his side to capitalise on the South African duo's result to make today's action more of a contest.

The fourballs will see Johnson and Spieth partnered again as they take on Oosthuizen and Grace.

New Zealander Lee will be paired with home favourite Sangmoon Bae against Fowler and Walker, with Johnson and Mickelson's all-major winners clash against Scott and Day looking likely to be a match to keep an eye on.

While Holmes and Watson are set to take on the Australian pairing of Leishman and Bowdtich,  Chris Kirk and Bill Haas will make their first appearances of the tournament alongside each other.

Kird and Haas, who was one of his father's captain's picks, will play Thongchai Jaidee and Charl Schwartzel in the last of the fourballs.

Another strong day for the Americans would see them take firm control of a tournament they've won eight times previously.

Will Medlock graduated from UEA with a degree in Film and Television before completing a Masters in Sports Journalism at St Mary's in London. Will has had work published by The Independent and the Rugby Paper.