U.S. and European Teams Tie; Strange Has the Best Score

INAGI, Japan — Curtis Strange had the day’s best score, but the U.S. and European teams finished in a tie with 6 points apiece today in the $1.03-million Four Tours World Championship of Golf.

Strange scored a pair of eagles and three birdies en route to a bogey-free 65 and beat Mark James of the European Tour, who had a 71.

Ken Green beat Ian Woosnam, 70-73, and British Open Champ Mark Calcavecchia edged Jose-Maria Olazabal, 72-73.

The Europeans collected six points after Bernhard Langer beat PGA winner Payne Stewart, 70-73; Gordon Brand Jr. beat Chip Beck, 68-69; and Ronan Rafferty beat Tom Kite, the PGA’s leading money-winner, 69-70, on the hilly 7,071-yard Tokyo Yomiuri Country Club course.

“I played well today, especially putting,” Strange said. “I am trying my best all the time. In such team competition, I just beat my opponent but in the individual competition I must have the best score.”

A victory is worth 2 points and a draw worth 1 in the team competition among four golf tours from the United States, Europe, Australia-New Zealand and Japan.

The Australia-New Zealand team, led by Greg Norman, beat Japan, 8-4.

After the first round Australia-New Zealand led with 8 points, followed by the Americans and Europeans with 6 each and Japan with 4.

“We played not aggressively but conservatively in the gusty winds,” said Norman, the captain of Australia-New Zealand.

The United States meets Australia-New Zealand and Japan plays Europe on Friday in the round-robin tournament.

After the three rounds, the two top teams will face off in the final match Sunday, which will earn $390,000 for the winning team.

The Americans have won the tournament the last two years.