Ernie Els was shaking from nerves, but South African president Thabo Mbeki, who took up golf a year ago, was so excited about the astonishing tie between the International team and America that he danced a jig with Gary Player at the closing ceremony of the Presidents Cup at Fancourt on Sunday.

The Americans suffered their first-ever Presidents Cup cleansweep defeat on Saturday when the internationals went on a 6-0 rampage over the Fancourt Links thanks to a breakthrough by Vijay Singh and Retief Goosen, who cracked the valuable Tiger Woods/Charles Howell III link in thrilling four-ball action.

Ernie Els and Aussie Adam Scott were the only resistance against a solid American onslaught for the Presidents Cup at Fancourt on Friday. The Americans staged a fightback after trailing three-and-a-half, two-and-a-half in the opening foursomes on Thursday to draw square after the Friday morning’s four-ball.

Golfing legends Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus have been filled with bosom-buddy love all week, but on Thursday they once again locked horns when the Presidents Cup got under way on the uncompromising Fancourt Links. The internationals gained a lead of three-and-a-half to the Americans’ two-and-a-half.

The verdict is unanimous. The Fancourt Links are going to be a tough nut to crack. The world’s top golfers are priming themselves for a tough campaign on the links when Tiger Woods and his fellow Americans take on the international team spearheaded by Ernie Els and Vijay Singh from Thursday to Sunday.

John Davison of Canada thwarted the New Zealand attack with the third fastest World Cup 50 in their Group B match at Willowmoore Park in Benoni on Monday and finished with 75 to set his team up for 196 all out in the 47th over in an innings that frustrated the Black Caps.