For most of its existence, the Presidents Cup is a smaller varsity version of the Ryder Cup, uncompetitive — the United States had a 13-1-1 record against international players earlier this year — and, for the most part, remarkable.
That all changed this year. The international squad’s matches were statistically checked on the fairways and greens of Medinah Antipolis of the United States of America, and what had been a sleeper in the United States was suddenly almost an entire century fought for every point until the final match. The United States 15.5 points to win the Cup with two matches still in the race.
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Sunday’s Presidents’ Cup match included everything from dramatic shots to a superb display of sportsmanship, and in the end the results justified themselves — in large part because the United States can no longer take the Presidents’ Cup for granted.
Regardless of the results, the United States now finds itself in the midst of a full-blown sports crisis following its team’s humiliating performance earlier in the week. Between this week and the implosion of next year’s Ryder Cup, the United States seems to have absolutely no idea how to play a competitive team, even though it has the best players in the world on its roster.
With less than a year to go until the Ryder Cup, the United States has little time to fix many of its team’s playing problems. “It’s just better” is no excuse for struggling in your home, and the problems stars like Scottie Scheffler play are not the kind of problems they solve themselves. The ground has shifted beneath the feet of the United States, and Americans must figure out how to stabilize themselves if they are ever to regain their former dominance.
Morning Sessions: International Concerns
Coming into the week there was little indication that the International Team would be more competitive this year than they have been since 1998, the last (and only) time they won this event outright. Eight of the top 11 players in the Official World Golf Rankings are American. JJ Spaun, left at home by team coach Brandt Snedeker, would have been the last player in the International team. If Woo Kim, in No. 14, is the highest ranked international player.
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And yet, when the team’s match begins, none of these particular things seem to matter. United States of America He won Thursday’s fourballs sessiontaking three matches in two Internationals, a respectable but not dominant performance in the event of the championship.
“We just did our best to stay in it,” Scottie Scheffler said after a 1-up tussle win with Sam Burns over Min Woo Lee and Sungjae Im. “I felt like both teams started a hot war today and we cooled it down a little bit.”
Friday, though; The wheels of the United States are gone. In the foursomes, where players must alternate hitting the same ball, the Internationals completely dominated, winning all five sessions of the day. The Internationals claim a solid 7-3 cushion on Saturday.
“You’re going to have sessions like this on these things,” Snedeker said later. “I feel terrible for the guys because I know they broke down there and gave me everything they had today, and it’s not meant to be.”
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Given the opportunity to close the four-ball session again, the United States only scored 2.5 points out of 4, 5 points, narrowing their deficit by one point to 8.5-5.5. And then there was the second session of the four-ball, which was going to be a blow to the popular hopes of the United States of America.
The Americans, at one point, were drawn into four quartet teams; if they held the lead, they would go into Sunday with one lead. But the two United States of America are sent out through the fingers, and as a result after three days10.5-7.5.
Snedeker made a decision to bench Scheffler — who has an 1-8-1 record in team foursomes but remains the world’s best shooter on Saturday afternoon. But Snedeker had nothing to do with the way the United States gave up its foursome on Saturday afternoon.
Sam Burns and Wyndham Clark posted an early 2-up lead over Ryan Fox and Lee, and were tied as late as the 12th hole, before 3 and 2. Russell Henley and Jacob Bridgeman held 3-up two different times, including as late as the 10th hole, before Corey Conners and Nick Taylor went on a tear and four of five holes to capture 1-up. Even half-time from Henley and Bridgeman could have narrowed the overall gap to two points.
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“I just got to figure out ways to get these guys in better conditions,” Snedeker said Saturday evening. “I don’t think I held up my end of the bargain. The guys did everything I asked of them. I think it’s a great match (Sunday). I think we have a great hand here. I’m excited about what the guys can bring (Sunday).”
Sunday welcomes: the United States of America’s last fate
On Sunday, it was first noted that the Internationals held the lead on United States soil. With the score at 10.5-7.5, the Internationals needed only five points from 12 matches, while the United States needed eight points in total to retain the cup.
A fiery, party-filled gallery greeted the players from the opening day shots. The United States spent much of the day up and down the red carpet, but the challenge of the Americans all week was not the beginning, but the completion. Cam Young scored the United States’ first point on Sunday, rallying from a 2-down deficit to defeat Ryo Hisatsune 3&2 in the lead singles match.
Justin Thomas scored the United States’ second, beating Conners 5&3, but shortly after Tom Kim picked up the first International point of the day by beating Wyndham Clark 3&2.
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Remembering the way Bethpage Black Hall tore down the entire Ryder Cup image, Scheffler conceded the 14th hole to Nico Echavarria after a fan yelled at Echavarria’s back.
Echavarria made that effort of surprising size on the 16th, but Scheffler closed it on the 17th green to pull the United States within a point of the Internationals, and within five points of retaining the Cup. Not long after, I shook off Sam Burn 3&1, giving the international a bit more breathing space as the day grew slowly.
Slowly, inexorably, the talent of the United States began to assert itself. With eight rounds remaining in the course and all within six holes of the final round, the United States of America faded in the Red Gold International score. The best example of a United States conversion: Patrick Cantlay’s 57-footer to save Adam Scott;
Almost two hours after Juvenile put the first point on the board for the United States, Chris Gotterup finally sent Christian Bezuidenhout to head back and pull within one point of the Internationals and four points away from victory. Cantlay followed up with the Scots winning match, and then seconds later, Collin Morikawa dispatched Hideki Matsuyama in the day’s most interesting, back-and-forth match. The United States was one point ahead, 13.5 to 12.5, and just two points away from retaining the Cup.
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In the final slot, Xander Schauffele spent the afternoon decimating fellow Open contender Ryan Fox, meaning the Internationals needed to win all three of their remaining matches outright. Jackson Koivun, 21 years old, who played for Auburn a few months ago, virtually eliminated that possibility when he shut down Si Woo Kim to move the United States to 14.5 points.
The winning putt fell to James Bridgeman, who closed on Lee’s 18th green. The United States claimed the Cup, but questions remain for the larger American golf team.