MONTREAL (Reuters) - Vijay Singh and Stuart Appleby crushed Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk 5 & 4 in the first fourballs match to spark a comeback by the International team in the Presidents Cup yesterday.

The Internationals began the day five points adrift after the US dominated Thursday's foursomes but look poised to cut the deficit, leading another match and all square in four more.

With the sun shining at the Royal Montreal Golf Club, the players treated the sellout crowd to a dazzling display of shot-making.

Singh and Appleby produced several memorable moments to rout Woods and world number three Furyk.

Woods, whose form in Presidents Cup fourballs does not reflect his status as world number one, continued to struggle with the format as his win-loss record slipped to 2-7.

Singh and Appleby were six under par after seven holes, helped by two spectacular chip-ins from the Fijian, one from the sixth fairway and another from a greenside bunker at the first.

A 32-foot eagle putt from Australian Appleby on the par-five 12th then put the Internationals four up.

"We hit the right shots at the right time and made putts and that set the tone," Appleby told reporters. "They played well but we were always in front."

Canada's Mike Weir and South Africa's Ernie Els were othree and one winners over US Masters champion Zach Johnson and Charles Howell III.

Other results saw Woody Austin and David Toms of the US halve with Trevor Immelman and Rory Sabbatini; Americansd Stewart Cink and Lucas Glover lost to Geoff Ogilvy and Nick O'Hern one down.

Steve Stricker and Scott Verplank beat Adam Scott and KJ Choi two and one to give the US their only win of the day.

Phil Mickelson and Hunter Mahan lost to Angel Cabrera and Retief Goosen in another win for the Internationals.