The International team holds a one-point edge over the United States after the first day at the Presidents Cup.
The Internationals won three of the six foursomes matches and halved another to lead 3 1/2 to 2 1/2 at the Robert Trent Jones Club.
Australian Adam Scott and South African Retief Goosen set the tone, thumping Tiger Woods and Fred Couples 4 & 3 in the opening match.
US captain Jack Nicklaus sent Woods out first in the hope he could, with the help of Couples, post an early victory, but the move backfired.
The Americans were never in the match and were powerless to answer four birdies and an eagle by their opponents.
"We did a good job out there," said Scott, who improved his foursomes record to 3-0-0. "It was important playing against Tiger and Freddie to take control early and keep them down, because it's hard to come back against those guys.
"We made the right putts at the right time," Goosen said. The pressure was always on them.
Couples accepted the blame for the defeat.
"Four great players started out. Three of them played and I was mediocre," he said. "I enjoyed playing with Tiger. We just were not good enough. I was outclassed by three guys and couldn't help Tiger at all."
In match two, Americans Fred Funk and Jim Furyk fought to a stalemate with Internationals Vijay Singh and Mark Hensby, finishing all square.
Americans Phil Mickelson and Chris DiMarco barely outlasted Nick O'Hern and Tim Clark one up, while Americans Justin Leonard and Scott Verplank were easy 4 & 2 winners over Stuart Appleby and Peter Lonard.
But the Internationals won the final two matches, with Michael Campbell and Angel Cabrera winning 2 & 1 over Davis Love and Kenny Perry, while Mike Weir and Trevor Immelman played the day's best golf to hammer David Toms and Stewart Cink 6 & 5.
FIRST ROUND PRESIDENTS CUP SCORES :
Adam Scott/Retief Goosen (AUS/RSA) bt Tiger Woods/Fred Couples
(USA) 4 and 3
Mike Weir/Trevor Immelman (CAN/RSA) bt David Toms-Stewart Cink
(USA) 6 and 5
Vijay Singh/Mark Hensby (FIJ/AUS) halved with Fred Funk/Jim
Furyk (USA) all square
Justin Leonard/Scott Verplank (USA) bt Peter Lonard/Stuart
Appleby (AUS/AUS) 4 and 2
Phil Mickelson/Chris DiMarco (USA) bt Nick O'Hern/Tim Clark
(AUS/RSA) 1-up
Michael Campbell/Angel Cabrera (NZL/ARG) bt Davis Love/Kenny
Perry (USA) 2 and 1
