McIlroy: LIV defectors shouldn’t face punishment

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JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Notes and observations from the International Team after Day 2 of the Presidents Cup. Nick Price’s team had a day to forget and has fallen into an 8-2 deficit with three sessions to play. For more from Liberty National check out the Daily Wrap-up.  STRANGER THINGS It is going to take a miracle but “stranger things have happenedâ€�. The International Team fell into a huge hole – the greatest deficit in Presidents Cup history through two sessions – after getting routed 4.5-0.5 in Fridays Four-ball. But despite the fact that the U.S. Team can technically clinch the Cup on Saturday after forging to an 8-2 overall lead, Nick Price’s team has refused to throw in the towel. “Obviously it’s not the best of moods going through the team room right now. We’re pretty fresh off a disappointing day where they stole most of our points,â€� Cup debutant Adam Hadwin said. Hadwin teamed with Hideki Matsuyama to cash the only half point for his side Friday, but was still steaming given they had a 2-up lead with four holes to play over Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed. “We are some of the best players in the world. It’s obviously going to be a tall task,â€� he said of a potential comeback. “They are playing well and they also are some of the best players in the world. But stranger things have happened. People have come from further back.â€� Captain Price was quick to point out there are still 20 points on the table for his side.   “There’s a long way to go. And I know the U.S. Team knows that,â€� Price said. “We’re not laying down. These guys are going to come out fighting over the next two days, and especially tomorrow.â€� LATE HOLES COST LEISHMAN-DAY AGAIN Marc Leishman and Jason Day are probably not fans of the last four holes at Liberty National. For the second straight day the Aussie pairing let a lead go against Phil Mickelson and Kevin Kisner over the final stretch and on Friday they couldn’t even scratch out a half. On Thursday they were 1 up with two holes to play before making bogey on 17 and 18. Only Mickelson missing a short putt on 18 saved them a loss. Friday they sat 1 up through 14 holes before losing 15, missing putts to win on 16 and 17, and missing a putt to halve on 18. “We had it going there for a while. We were a couple up through 10,â€� Leishman lamented. He was the one tasked with trying to make an 11-foot putt on the last to tie the match after Mickelson had buried his 12-foot birdie try in the cup. “It is disappointing to miss that putt on the last and not halve it again. But you know, they played really well. Hold our heads up high and give it another crack tomorrow.â€� The Aussie duo will have to perk up quickly as they are now set to face Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed in Saturday morning Foursomes. LOOSEN UP LAHIRI Captain’s pick Anirban Lahiri needs to loosen up according to Captain Price after the Indian national took his Presidents Cup record to 0-4-0. Lahiri sat out the opening day before teaming with Charl Schwartzel on Friday in Four-ball and was part of a heavy 6 and 5 loss to Kevin Chappell and Charley Hoffman. Things started rough for the man who missed a 4-foot putt on Sunday in Korea that would have at least clinched a tie of the 2015 Cup when he was ruled to have breached Rule 7-2. On the second hole Lahiri left a bunker shot on the lip of the bunker, effectively losing the hole. He then raked the ball back to himself and hit another shot, a breach of the rule that only allows practice on the putting green last played, any practice putting green or the teeing ground of the next hole to be played. As a result he was disqualified from taking part in the third hole. “I think it was just an oversight on his part. He’s obviously trying to prove to all of us that his pick was worth it, and it’s put a lot of pressure on him,â€� Price said. “I think today he showed that; he was very tight out there. I’m just trying to get him to loosen up and play golf and not be so worried about the fact that he’s got to prove something to us. “He doesn’t have to do that. We chose him. The Captains and I and a lot of the team members chose him. “But it’s hard. He really wants to do well, and you can see it in his attitude and the strain in his face. He’s having a tough time at the moment. But he’ll be better over the next two days, I can assure you.â€� ODDS AND ENDS It had to happen sometime. Branden Grace and Louis Oosthuizen suffered their first loss as a team in the Presidents Cup, going down to Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas 3 and 2. They are now 5-1-0 as a duo and will have a chance for revenge in Foursomes Saturday morning. Adam Scott earned an unwelcome record on Friday, becoming the player with the most ever losses in Presidents Cup history (19) after teaming up with Jhonattan Vegas to fall 3 and 2 against world No. 1 Dustin Johnson and U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka. Scott is now 13-19-5 in the competition. “I’ve played the No. 1 player in the world two days in a row and they’ve both been tight matches. Today he closed like the No. 1 player in the world and birdied 15 and 16 to shut a match down,â€� Scott said. The Australian will have to face Johnson again on Saturday morning. Scott will team with Adam Hadwin while Johnson will pair with Matt Kuchar in Foursomes. World No. 3 Hideki Matsuyama has been rested from Saturday morning Foursomes. He’s the highest ranked player to sit out a Presidents Cup session since Mark O’Meara in 1998. CALL OF THE DAY SHOT OF THE DAY BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA

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