ST. JAMES, Barbados — Stewart Cink and J.J. Henry have battled difficult weather conditions during the first two days of this World Cup.

Oddly, the Americans want the elements to stay tough for the weekend.

"We want the wind to blow," Henry said. "If it was real easy and everyone was shooting lights out ... we want it where the conditions are going to be difficult, because if you go out there and play good you can pass a lot of teams, which we plan to do the last two days."

They'll have to pass a lot of teams to get back into contention.

Cink and Henry shot a 2-over 73 Friday, falling to 3 under for the tournament and eight shots behind Argentina's Andres Romero and Angel Cabrera at Barbados' Sandy Lane course. The U.S. capped the foursomes, or alternate shot, round with four bogeys in the final seven holes.

The Americans have 10 teams ahead of them with 36 holes to play, and know Saturday's fourball round represents their best chance to make a move.

"It just wasn't that good of a day overall," Cink said. "I feel like we shot about as bad as we could."

Romero and Cabrera have a much different feeling.

Seeking their nation's first win in the event since it began in 1953, Romero and Cabrera extended their streak of bogey-free holes to 35. They made bogey on the first hole Thursday, then put together 12 birdies and 23 pars to draw clear of the field in the final World Golf Championships event of the season.

"We are very happy," Cabrera said. "We played very solid and without mistakes. We're very happy and we want to keep it like this."

Scotland's team of Colin Montgomerie — playing World Cup for the first time since 1999 — and Marc Warren had four birdies in a five-hole span on the front and settled for their second straight 67, putting them in a three-way tie for second with Sweden (70) and Germany (69).

Spain's team of Gonzalo Fernandez and Miguel Angel Jimenez shot the round of the day, a 5-under 66 to move to 7 under and take a share of fifth place with South Africa (71). England birdied four of its final five holes to get to 6 under, one shot ahead of Mexico and two up on Italy and South Korea.

"It was a good finish," England's Luke Donald said. "And that at least got us thinking about winning again."

The U.S. is still thinking about winning, too — but knows its move almost certainly must come Saturday in fourball. The teams from 24 nations finish with another foursomes round Sunday when the $1.4 million winner's share will be awarded.

"If both of us play up to the way we expect to play, we're going to sprinkle some birdies around the golf course," Cink said.