MELBOURNE, Australia – While Tiger Woods' United States Presidents Cup team was heavily favored on paper, it was Ernie Els' International squad that took the dominating lead after Thursday fourballs at Royal Melbourne. Here's how each match unfolded.

MATCH 1: Tiger Woods-Justin Thomas (U.S.) def. Marc Leishman-Joaquin Niemann (INT), 4 and 3

This was the Woods Show as he single-handily won the match for his team, making six birdies in 15 holes. It was effortless. Thomas did not play well but it didn’t matter. After being 3 down after five holes, the Internationals won the next two. Woods then birdied Nos. 11, 14 and 15 to end it. His chip-in on the fifth hole was epic.

MATCH 2: Adam Hadwin-Sungjae Im (INT) def. Xander Schauffele-Patrick Cantlay (U.S.), 1 up

The closest match of the session as neither team ever gained more than a 1-up advantage. It was tied through 15 holes, but the Americans lost the 16th hole because of a bogey that ultimately lost them the match. The Internationals were steady and kept the pressure on all day.

MATCH 3: Adam Scott-Ben An (INT) def. Bryson DeChambeau-Tony Finau (U.S.), 2 and 1

This match was back-and-forth until Scott made birdie on the ninth hole to move to 2 up. Finau birdied No. 12 to get back to 1 down, but the Americans bogeyed the next hole and were never able to mount a charge after that. Fittingly, Scott made par on the 17th hole to clinch the match in his homeland. 

MATCH 4: Hideki Matsuyama-C.T. Pan (INT) def. Webb Simpson-Patrick Reed (U.S.), 1 up

Another close contest and the Americans battled to get back into a tie after Reed made birdie on the 16th hole. But Matsuyama bounced back on the next hole and drained a 25-footer for birdie to take the 1-up lead into the final hole. This was the final match on the course and it put the finishing touches on a 4-1 session victory for the Internationals.

MATCH 5: Abraham Ancer-Louis Oosthuizen (INT) def. Dustin Johnson-Gary Woodland (U.S.), 4 and 3

The shocker of the session, hands down. The Internationals were 4 up after five holes and cruised to the easy victory. The American duo, who everyone thought would easily prevail because of their power, was flat and underwhelming. Johnson hit a drive to 3 feet on the par-4 11th hole and missed the eagle putt and a chance to cut the lead to 2 down.