The International team, which led 4-1 overnight, was in front in all five matches at Royal Melbourne and won the first of the day to go 5-1 up.

Both sides traded points before US captain Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas won a second match of the competition.

The final match on Friday was halved to leave the score at 6½-3½.

"At one point it looked pretty bleak, but the guys turned it around," said Woods, who picked himself for the team as a wildcard. "They played phenomenal coming in.

"It was important for us to end the way we did and it totally changed the last hour.

"The energy has been there. These guys are all young and extremely excited about being part of this team.

"I think more than anything, it's just getting a feel for this golf course. It is fast."

International pair Louis Oosthuizen and Adam Scott beat Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar 3&2 in the first foursomes match on the second day.

Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele earned the US a 1UP victory over Adam Hadwin and Joaquin Niemann to pull a point back.

However, Abraham Ancer and Marc Leishman restored the International team's lead of four points with a 3&2 win over Patrick Reed and Webb Simpson.

Woods and Thomas, who secured the US their only point on the opening day, again won with a 1UP victory over An Byeong-hun and Hideki Matsuyama.

The final match which pitted International pair Im Sung-jae and Cameron Smith against US duo Rickie Fowler and Gary Woodland was halved.

"They (the US) played good at the end there," said International captain Ernie Els.

"But hey, look at the record we've had in the foursomes the last 25 years and for us to come out 2½-2½ in the session is like a win for us.

"We would have taken that at the start of the day."