MONTREAL -- The International team got itself back into the Presidents Cup on Friday with some inspired play, but nothing gave them a bigger boost than the thrashing they gave the No. 1 player in the world.
The last time Tiger Woods walked off a golf course a loser in match play with four holes not even needed was as a 16-year-old at the 1992 U.S. Amateur.
The International team of Vijay Singh and Stuart Appleby put it to Woods and Jim Furyk in fourball competition Friday at Royal Montreal with a 5 and 4 victory that helped key a big comeback. Trailing by 5 points at the start of the day, the Internationals trimmed the deficit to 7-5, winning four matches and halving another.
But none was as big of a surprise as Woods and Furyk -- the Nos. 1 and 3 players in the world -- losing in that fashion ... to anybody.
"It was a good statement in one respect, because Tiger is playing unbelievable golf and Jim is never out of the whole," Singh said. "So for us to beat them, it was a good beat. It was a point that really mattered."
And it was a match that extended a perplexing trend for Woods in fourball. Not only did he fall to 1-5 against Singh in the format the Presidents Cup, but he dropped to 2-7-0 overall. He is also 6-13-0 in the format at the Ryder Cup.
"Evidently we needed to take it a lot deeper than that, and we didn't do it," Woods said.
Evidently.
Actually, Woods and Furyk did not play poorly. They combined to birdie six holes. But Appleby and Singh were 11-under through 14 holes. Singh holed out from a bunker for a birdie at the first and also holed a pitch for an eagle at the sixth. Appleby made a long eagle putt at the 12th.
The defeat was the worst for Woods in team competition, surpassing 5 and 3 loss he suffered at in a previous Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup. His worst prior defeat in match player came at the 1992 U.S. Amateur, where Tim Herron defeated him 6 and 4. Woods would later go on to win that tournament three straight times before turning pro.
"My hat is off to the other team," Furyk said. "They played a good match, 11-under, they hit a lot of key shots. They gave themselves a few more opportunities than we did and they capitalized on them.
The International team also fared better at the 18th hole, where on Thursday four matches went without a victory. Retief Goosen and Angel Cabrera defeated Phil Mickelson and Hunter Mahan 1-up, with Cabrera rolling in a 10-foot birdie putt at the 18th.
Ernie Els and Mike Weir posted a 3 and 1 victory over Charles Howell and Zach Johnson with Weir making seven birdies.
Geoff Ogilvy birdied the 18th for a 1-up victory along with Nick O'Hern over Stewart Cink and Lucas Glover.
A long day is in store for Saturday, with five foursomes matches in the morning followed by five fourball matches in the afternoon. The International team will rest Cabrera and K.J. Choi will Charles Howell and Stewart Cink will sit for the Americans.
"It certainly was a very exciting day," said International captain Gary Player. "The thing that I'm so pleased about, at least after yesterday we are now going to the third round where the matches are alive. ... So this is now a match, and very exciting. A lot of great matches, a lot of birdies. Stuart Appleby and Vijay Singh, 11-under par against Tiger. Unbelievable golf. And I think everybody had a great day."
"Well," said U.S. captain Jack Nicklaus, "I can't say everybody had a great day."
Bob Harig is a frequent contributor to ESPN.com. He can be reached at BobHarig@gmail.com.