Kevin Kisner/Cameron Young (US) tied Mito Pereira/Christiaan Bezuidenhout (Intl)

Out of 10 matches over two days, this was the first where the Internationals enjoyed a lead for any semblance of time. Through 13 holes, the visitors were on top, 1-up. In such a tight match, the end result – each team earning half a point – proved fitting.

Kisner, a match-play bulldog, and Bezuidenhout, a top putter on the International side, made their 2022 Presidents Cup debuts (Kisner played on the winning US team in 2017, going 2-0-2). Kisner had a strong partner in Young, who gave himself some nice looks in the early going.

Bezuidenhout trickled in a slick, downhill 25-footer at three for the match’s first birdie, but Young came right back by stuffing his tee shot to three feet at the fourth. When Young hit a second shot to six feet to set up eagle at the 554-yard seventh, the US temporarily was up in all five matches.

Bezuidenhout tied the match at the ninth, and Pereira put the Internationals on top with a birdie from five feet at the par-three 10^th. The US birdied the next two holes (Kisner from 10 feet at 11), but Pereira matched both to protect the 1-up lead. Young’s two-putt par at the long par-three 14^th levelled the match. The teams would tie the final five holes, with Pereira, Kisner and Young all missing long birdie putts at the last.

1. Christaan, first Presidents Cup match. What did you take away from today?

CHRISTIAAN BEZUIDENHOUT: It was awesome. Stepped on the first tee this morning, crowd was loud, wind was good. Yeah, it was a great experience, I thought.

1. Any nerves?

CHRISTIAAN BEZUIDENHOUT: Definitely some nerves. But yeah, you try to use your nerves to your advantage and just try to play your own game.

1. Then you were able to score a half point. How big is that for the international team?

CHRISTIAAN BEZUIDENHOUT: Yeah, it’s huge for us. Mito and I made it hard for ourselves on some of the holes and stuff, but we got to even and got the half.

1. Strictly golf speaking, what are you proud of yourself today? Whether it’s an aspect of the game, but what are you most proud of yourself?

CHRISTIAAN BEZUIDENHOUT: Just keeping it going. Just to stay calm, just keep your head down and go. It’s a huge half point for the team. Hopefully we can just go forward from here.

1. How important was that half point for your team?

CHRISTIAAN BEZUIDENHOUT: It was huge. Huge momentum. Going into 36 holes tomorrow, I feel that all the boys hung in there today. There was lots of red on the board early on. Mito and I just kept our heads down and ground it out.

1. How much can that help morale heading into tomorrow? You said it’s a big day for you guy tomorrow.

CHRISTIAAN BEZUIDENHOUT: Yeah, it’s a huge day for us. Everybody thought it was going to be a walkover this week, but most of the games went down to the last. We’re putting up a good fight against this strong US side.

Hopefully, a few of the points can turn our way tomorrow early. You never know.