Medinah, Ill. – The Presidents Cup opened with a stunning display of teamwork from the International side, which swept the first foursomes session and seized a 7-3 lead over Team USA. The result marks the deepest deficit the Americans have faced in the competition since 1998.
Key moments from Friday’s session
Canada’s Nick Taylor rescued his team with a precise 9‑iron from 151 yards, landing the ball a foot from the hole and securing a full point. British Open champion Ryan Fox followed suit, sinking three crucial putts on the final four holes to clinch another point for the Internationals.
Adam Scott, playing his 56th Presidents Cup match – a tournament record – recalled a similar sweep at Royal Montreal in 2024. “If we take something from Canada, it’s not to celebrate too hard at this point,” Scott said, noting the confidence radiating through the International camp.
Saturday’s match‑play highlights
On Saturday, the International pair of Adam Scott and Christiaan Bezuidenhout opened with a 3‑and‑2 victory over U.S. stars Justin Thomas and Cameron Young. Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im matched that margin, beating Russell Henley and Jacob Bridgeman. The fifth match saw Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim defeat Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele 4‑and‑3, giving the Internationals their first point of the day.
U.S. captain Brandt Snedeker reminded his squad that 20 points remain up for grabs. “We’re not going to be able to get it back in one session or one match,” Snedeker warned. “It will be a slow, steady process, point by point.”
Individual heroics
Taylor, playing his first Presidents Cup at age 38, demonstrated his clutch gene. Earlier in the day he and Corey Conners were 1‑up against Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns when Taylor’s drive landed in the rough and was blocked by trees. “I wasn’t sure if I could hit that close, to be honest,” Taylor admitted, “but it came out perfect.” Burns later missed a birdie putt that would have halved the match, dropping to his knees as the ball rimmed the cup.
Fox, paired with Min Woo Lee, fought back from a deficit, holing a 15‑foot birdie on the 15th and a 20‑foot birdie on the 16th to go 1‑up before halving the final two holes.
Looking ahead
International captain Geoff Ogilvy praised his team’s performance, noting the experience gained from the 2024 Friday sweep. “It’s enjoyable to have a day like that on the golf course, but we reset tomorrow and start again,” he said.
Saturday’s format includes four four‑ball matches in the morning and four foursomes in the afternoon, followed by 12 singles on Sunday. The Americans will need to rally quickly to close the gap.
“There’s no scenario where you ever want to get swept,” U.S. player Thomas added. “If we’re going to do it, I would say Friday sounds a little bit better than any of the rounds tomorrow.”
Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.
