Spieth, Day kept apart for singles

    INCHEON, South Korea — The head-to-head showdown golf fans had been calling for between the top two players in the world, Jordan Spieth and Jason Day, failed to materialize at the Presidents Cup as team tactics took precedence ahead of the all-important Sunday singles. With the United States leading by a point, and the Internationals the closest they have been at this stage since 2005, team captains Jay Haas and Nick Price moved their pieces around the chessboard like cagey grandmasters. Spieth and Day played against each other twice Saturday, though both times with partners in the foursome and four-ball formats. The American came out on top in both matches. Spieth will face Marc Leishman in the ninth match Sunday, with Day taking on Zach Johnson in the following pairing. US captain Jay Haas said he "heard some groans" when the Spieth vs Day matchup did not work out, but added that the Presidents Cup was not about individuals. "They played two matches against each other this week, so not a head-to-head personal battle," he said after the pairings were announced. "They have played a lot of golf during the season. So I don't know if it was a make-or-break (for) the Presidents Cup if they played or didn't play. So, I don't know if we were too concerned about that matchup." With the United States leading 9.5 to 8.5, the one-point differential is the closest the matches have been heading into the singles since the two teams were tied in 2005. With the points tally reduced to 30 from 34 this year, teams require 15.5 points to win the Cup. The Americans are looking for their ninth win in 11 editions of the biennial event, which is being played in Asia for the first time, but the Internationals have their best chance in years to win the Cup for just the second time.