THE United States grabbed a commanding five-point lead over the International team after the opening day at the Presidents Cup in Virginia yesterday. with the partnership of Fred Couples and Davis Love outstanding.

The Americans, more at home on the undulating greens, played outstanding golf in front of their President, Bill Clinton, to lead 7 1/2 to 2 1/2 at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.

They won four of five morning fourball (better ball) matches, and did not let up in the afternoon (alternate shot) foursomes as they won three more matches, and halved another to leave the Internationals in a deep hole.

In the inaugural Presidents Cup here two years ago, the US was never headed after bolting to the same five-point lead after the first day. It was a similar story yesterday, as Couples and Love led the U.S.

onslaught by winning both their matches against Greg Norman and Robert Allenby.

Love and Couples, winners of the past four World Cups, won 2 and 1 in the fourballs, then triumphed 1 up in the foursomes when Norman and Allenby lost the final hole. Norman left his 60-foot putt five feet short, from where Allenby missed his par-saving attempt to halve the hole.

Another American pairing, Mark O'Meara and David Duval also won both matches.

International team captain Peter Thomson paid credit to Couples and Love: "They played superbly. I don't know anybody who could have beaten them today," he said.

The only Internationals to have a better than average day were South African Ernie Els and Zimbabwean Mark McNulty. They beat Scott Hoch and Mark Brooks 2 up in the fourballs, then halved their foursomes contest with Corey Pavin and Phil Mickelson.

The International team looks as strong as the American side on paper, but reputations count for little in the heat of matchplay.