Saving Grace from Branden keeps International team within one point of United States at Presidents Cup

South African Branden Grace proved vital for the International team as they kept to within one point of the United States ©Getty Images

South African Branden Grace’s superb performance in near darkness at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club in Incheon ensured the International team kept within one point of the United States going into the final day of the Presidents Cup.

Grace and compatriot Louis Oosthuizen, who became the only pair at the event to win their opening four matches since Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker in 2009, earned a vital victory in the day’s last fourballs contest over big-driving Bubba Watson and team-mate J.B Holmes.

The 27-year-old chipped in on the 16th hole and then managed an eagle on the 18th to hand them a dramatic success after Watson and Holmes both missed the green.

“The chip-in on 16 and the second into 18 showed he's a world-class player,” Oosthuizen, the winner of The Open in 2010, said of his partner’s performance.

“No moment is too big for him.

“This win was huge for us.”

The American side will start tomorrow’s 12 singles matches with a 9.5-8.5 lead, the smallest margin on the last day of the event in its 10-year history.

On a topsy-turvy Saturday, which began with the United States, who have won eight of the 10 Presidents Cups to be staged, 5.5-4.5 in front, world number one Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson roared back from three holes down to beat Australia’s Jason Day and Charl Schwartzel of South Africa in the pick of the morning’s foursomes contests.

Oosthuizen and Grace started the action as they meant to go on by securing a 3&2 win over Americans Rickie Fowler and Patrick Reed, while Watson’s missed putt on the 18th saw him and Holmes share a point in their contest with Australians Adam Scott and Marc Leishman.

American world number one Jordan Spieth was again in superb form as he won both of his matches today ©Getty Images

South Korean Bae Sang-moon and Japanese partner Hideki Matsuyama were also able to save a half point in their clash with Bill Haas and Matt Kuchar.

In the fourballs, Bae and Matsuyama produced a stunning display to earn the quickest victory of the tournament so far as they won their match with Walker and Chris Kirk 6&5.

Spieth continued his run of form in style as he teamed up with Reed in the afternoon, ousting Day and Schwartzel 3&2 in fading light in the South Korean city.

Veteran American Phil Mickelson benefitted from a morning rest by claiming victory alongside Zach Johnson over Scott and Indian Anirban Lahiri, extending his personal haul at the competition to 2.5 points, before Grace saved the day for the Internationals.

The teams ended up halving both sessions, setting up a tense final day where the International team will feel confident they can be the first side in the event’s history to lift the trophy having trailed going into Sunday’s packed schedule.

It has also been announced that the Presidents Cup will be held in Melbourne, Australia for the third time after it hosted the 1998 and 2011 competitions.