South Korea’s Sungjae Im and Australia’s Min Woo Lee have been born in 1998, the identical yr the Worldwide group captured its solely Presidents Cup victory with a 20½-11½ win at Royal Melbourne Golf Membership.
South Korea’s Tom Kim wasn’t born for one more three-plus years.
The U.S. group gained 10 of the subsequent 11 Presidents Cup; the groups tied 17-17 in 2003.
The People have a 12-1-1 report within the occasion and carry a nine-match profitable streak into the Presidents Cup that tees off Thursday at Royal Montreal Golf Membership in Canada.
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With world No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler, two-time main champion Xander Schauffele and different PGA Tour stars main the U.S. squad, it would not determine to get any simpler for his or her counterparts this week.
“I believe it is only a reality, simply coping with actuality,” Worldwide group captain Mike Weir mentioned. “I believe that is the factor for me, whilst a participant myself, attempting to take care of actuality and what’s in entrance of you. Little question, that is what’s in entrance of us. So we have got a tall problem, however the guys are up for it, they’re prepared for it and so they’re embracing that.”
Listed below are among the largest storylines on the Presidents Cup:
Bounce forward:InternationalTeam U.S.Our prediction
Worldwide
Why it can win
Upsets occur in sports activities, they only do not happen fairly often on the Presidents Cup. The Worldwide squad has dropped 9 straight Presidents Cup to the U.S., together with a 17½-12½ defeat at Quail Hole Membership in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2022.
The Worldwide group has fared higher in competitions exterior the U.S. In 2019, the U.S. gained 16-14 at Royal Melbourne Golf Membership in Australia. The Internationals led 10-8 after 4 periods, however the People rallied and went 8-4 in singles. Taking part in captain Tiger Woods went 3-0 within the occasion.
4 years earlier than that, the U.S. gained 15½-14½ at Jack Nicklaus Golf Membership in South Korea, matching its most slim victory. That one got here all the way down to the ultimate gap of the final singles match between Invoice Haas and Sang-Moon Bae, the native favourite. Bae flubbed a chip on the par-5 18th gap, giving Haas a 2-up victory for the profitable level. Haas made the group when captain Jay Haas, his father, used one in all his two captain’s picks on his son.
The one tie in Presidents Cup historical past was a 17-17 stalemate in South Africa in 2003. The Worldwide group’s lone victory was a 20½-11½ rout at Royal Melbourne in 1998. That U.S. group had the highest 4 golfers on the planet — Woods, Mark O’Meara, David Duval and Davis Love III — however was no match for the Internationals that week.
This Worldwide group options three Canadians who made the group with captain’s picks by Canadian Mike Weir. If Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes and Taylor Pendrith are enjoying nicely, possibly the followers can pull them to a monumental upset. It could additionally take robust play from the Worldwide group’s greatest golfers — Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, Australia’s Adam Scott and South Korea’s Sungjae Im and Tom Kim.
“It is a large a part of this competitors, I imagine, and an enormous a part of group golf the place you may trip some momentum and the gang will get behind you, and you’ll actually feed off that,” mentioned Weir, who upset Woods 1 up in Sunday singles within the U.S. group’s 19½-14½ victory at Royal Montreal Golf Membership in 2007.
“[It] actually did right here in 2007, not solely with my match enjoying Tiger, however simply the opposite matches. You get the gang’s vitality, and you’ll increase your degree a little bit bit, so it may be an enormous issue. We’re actually hoping the followers come out exhausting and cheer loads for our guys. Hopefully, it’s a issue.”
Weaknesses
Together with historical past being on the U.S. group’s facet, the People are additionally extra proficient, not less than on paper. Every of the 12 golfers on the U.S. roster are ranked within the Prime 25 of the Official World Golf Rating, led by Scheffler (No. 1), Schauffele (No. 2), Collin Morikawa (No. 4), Wyndham Clark (No. 6) and Patrick Cantlay (No. 9). Max Homa, who has scuffled all through a lot of the season, is the bottom ranked golfer at twenty fifth.
4 of the golfers on the Worldwide group — Matsuyama (No. 7), Scott (No. 18), Im (No. 21) and Kim (No. 24) are ranked within the Prime 25. Hughes is the bottom ranked golfer at 61st.
The common OWGR rating for the U.S. group is 12.4; it is 34.4 for the Worldwide squad.
Expertise is not the one purpose the Worldwide group faces an uphill climb. Whereas the U.S. group is enjoying for the crimson, white and blue, the Internationals struggled previously to discover a frequent thread. Language limitations and cultural variations have additionally been a problem.
In 2019, then-captain Ernie Els launched a black-and-gold protect to attempt to unite the Worldwide group.
“It is one thing that is been a problem for our groups through the years,” Weir mentioned. “What we already created with 2019 with the protect, and lots of issues we have applied teamwise, simply group dinners, guys enjoying follow rounds collectively, getting along with each other much more, that hole has shrunk fairly a bit. The fellows actually work together with one another much more.”
The Worldwide group consists of 4 golfers from South Korea, three every from Australia and Canada and one from Japan.
“It is totally different [from] the U.S. group, it simply is,” Weir mentioned. “We now have, clearly, all these cultural variations. Not that they do not have variations too, however ours is just a few cultural issues. It is gotten loads higher, and our guys have an awesome vibe going. I like the place our group is at proper now.”
Rookie evaluation
There are solely two rookies on the Worldwide group: Hughes and Australia’s Min Woo Lee.
Hughes, 33, was a little bit of a shocking captain’s alternative for Weir. The 2-time PGA Tour winner hadn’t completed a lot earlier than tying for fourth eventually week’s ProCore Championship in Napa, California. He had 4 high 10s in 23 begins on tour; he tied for seventh on the RBC Canadian Open in early June.
Lee, the youthful brother of LPGA star Minjee Lee, is a three-time winner on the DP World Tour, most lately on the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship in 2023. He had a great run within the first three majors this season, tying for twenty second on the Masters, twenty sixth on the PGA Championship and twenty first on the U.S. Open. He missed the lower at The Open.
The 26-year-old was twice a runner-up on tour, on the Cognizant Basic within the Palm Seashores on March 3 and the Rocket Mortgage Basic on June 30. Lee is powerful off the tee however struggled together with his irons (134th in strokes gained: method) and on the greens (113th in strokes gained: placing).
Lee’s character will make him a crowd favourite in Montreal.
Golfers who ought to play all 5 matches
Worldwide group captain Trevor Immelman relied closely on his high golfers at Quail Hole, and it would not be a shock to see Weir do the identical in Montreal.
Matsuyama (1-3-1), Im (2-2-1), Scott (2-3) and Tom Kim (2-3) performed 5 matches in 2022. Conners (0-4) and Si Woo Kim (3-1) competed in 4.
Matsuyama is inarguably the Worldwide group’s most proficient participant. He picked up two extra PGA Tour victories this previous season on the Genesis Invitational and FedEx St. Jude Championship. A again harm pressured him to withdraw from the BMW Championship, the second leg of the FedEx Cup playoffs. He returned and tied for ninth on the Tour Championship.
Hero decide
Scott is making his eleventh look on the Presidents Cup, which is second most within the occasion’s historical past; Phil Mickelson performed in 12. Scott has by no means been on the profitable facet — he was a 23-year-old rookie when the groups tied in South Africa in 2003.
Ending the Worldwide group’s drought very a lot issues to the 2013 Masters champion.
“You possibly can hear how a lot he needs to win one,” Australia’s Jason Day mentioned. “I believe it will solely take one. If we are able to get one, I believe that’ll change the tide a little bit bit.”
Scott, 44, was additionally in nice type on the finish of the FedEx Cup schedule, ending second on the Scottish Open and tying for tenth at The Open. He tied for second on the BMW Championship and for fourth on the Tour Championship.
Dangerous decide
It wasn’t a shock that Weir picked greater than a pair Canadians together with his captain’s selections. He most likely would have chosen one or two extra if Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor had performed higher down the stretch.
Hughes is a little bit of a danger. He struggled with a driver and irons in his arms this season — he was 142nd in strokes gained: off the tee (-.286) and 137th on method (-.275).
Hughes made the group due to his brief sport, the place he ranked third in strokes gained: across the inexperienced (.444) and fifth in placing (.651).
Weir is relying on him to make some large putts this week.
United States
Why it can win
As a result of that is what the American group does on the Presidents Cup. Given the U.S. dominance, it has turn out to be one of the one-sided worldwide group competitions on the planet.
Whereas the U.S. group has struggled in dropping eight of the previous 11 Ryder Cups and hasn’t gained in Europe since 1993, that hasn’t been the case on this occasion.
“I believe lots of it’s [that] our group room appears totally different in each occasions,” U.S. captain Jim Furyk mentioned. “I believe the fellows put lots of strain on themselves. They struggle a little bit too exhausting. They push within the Ryder Cup. They wish to show everybody mistaken, and typically possibly if you attempt too exhausting, you sort of get in your individual manner, if that is sensible.”
Furyk, 54, performed in 9 Ryder Cups, profitable simply twice. He was on the mistaken finish of a 17½-10½ loss at Le Golf Nationwide in Paris because the U.S. captain in 2018.
“It was simple to say we simply did not care,” Furyk mentioned. “I noticed grown males crying within the locker room after a few of these occasions. That at all times pissed off me, however there’s not a lot you are able to do about it. I believe on this occasion we play a little bit bit extra unfastened, we play a little bit extra free.”
Weaknesses
If the U.S. group has had a shortcoming in latest Presidents Cups, it got here in four-ball (greatest ball) matches on away programs. In actual fact, the Worldwide group has a 12-6 benefit in that format previously two occasions performed exterior the U.S.
The Worldwide group grabbed an early 4-1 lead in four-ball matches on the opening day at Royal Melbourne, placing the People in an early gap that they almost did not climb out of.
At Quail Hole, the U.S. had a 10-4 lead after three periods, then went 1-3 in four-ball matches to present the Worldwide squad a sliver of hope.
“We have been comfy utilizing our analytics guys, I believe, since 2019,” Weir mentioned. “Ernie introduced them on board, and so they’re aware of me now and our different assistants. Similar factor, I lean on my assistants as nicely, lean on my intestine on sure issues after we’re possibly on the fence, nevertheless it’s crucial.”
Rookie evaluation
There are 4 Presidents Cup rookies on the U.S. group, however they’re hardly newbies on the subject of skilled golf. They embrace 2023 U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark and 2023 Open Championship winner Brian Harman, together with Sahith Theegala and Russell Henley, who’re ranked Nos. 11 and 14 within the OWGR, respectively.
Harman was one of many shiny spots for the U.S. group in final yr’s Ryder Cup, going 2-2 at Marco Simone Golf & Nation Membership. Clark went 1-1-1 in that occasion.
Theegala and Henley, a four-time winner on the PGA Tour, are making their first appearances in a world group competitors as professionals.
“I most likely deliver a unique type of sport,” Theegala mentioned. “A variety of these guys are simply, I imply, robots, for lack of a greater phrase. They hit it so good, and level A to level B just about each time. I really feel like I deliver a unique flare for match play. I are likely to hit it all over the place at occasions.”
“I am not going to match myself to [Jordan] Spieth, not even shut. However attempt Spieth-like at occasions with simply attempting to get inventive and escapes. No one goes to have the ability to match that man, however just a bit extra inventive methods to the inexperienced. I am a scrambler. I am sort of a scorer.”
Golfers who ought to play all 5 matches
There have been solely three U.S. golfers who competed in all 5 matches at Quail Hole, and Sam Burns is the one one who’s in Montreal.
Spieth went 5-0 within the final Presidents Cup, however struggled together with his type whereas battling a wrist harm this season. He had season-ending surgical procedure in late August. Justin Thomas, who did not get a captain’s decide, went 4-1 two years in the past, however as soon as once more struggled on tour.
Scheffler, Schauffele, Cantlay, Finau and Homa competed in 4 matches at Quail Hole. Scheffler and Schauffele have been the 2 greatest golfers on the PGA Tour this season, so it will be a shock if Furyk would not roll them out for all 5 periods, except they’re struggling in Montreal.
Hero decide
Nearly as good as Scheffler has been the previous two-plus seasons, profitable 13 occasions on the PGA Tour since February 2022, capturing two inexperienced jackets on the Masters and claiming a gold medal on the Olympics in Paris, his efficiency previously two worldwide group occasions has been shocking.
Scheffler went 0-3-1 on the 2022 Presidents Cup. He and Kevin Kisner have been the one U.S. golfers that did not earn a full level.
On the 2023 Ryder Cup, Scheffler went 0-2-2. Scheffler, Spieth and Rickie Fowler have been the one U.S. golfers that did not win a match in Rome.
“After the Ryder Cup final yr, it was clearly fairly disappointing, however I do not know learn how to evaluate that to the rest,” Scheffler mentioned. “That was every week by which I hoped to play nicely and I wasn’t in a position to get it completed. It sort of felt like lacking the lower at a serious championship can be a great comp for that, however I actually do not know. I deal with every one in all them individually.”
Scheffler was essentially the most dominant golfer on the planet. He is too good to not flip it round in group occasions.
Dangerous decide
Virtually all people loves Max Homa. He is one of many extra pleasant golfers on tour and is by far the funniest on social media. Homa’s observe report in his previous two worldwide group occasions would make him a no brainer alternative for a captain’s decide.
At Quail Hole, Homa went 4-0 in his Presidents Cup debut. Then he was the highest U.S. factors earner on the Ryder Cup in Rome, securing 3½ factors with a 3-1-1 report.
Homa struggled mightily on tour since mid-Might, nonetheless, and did not have a top-10 end since tying for eighth on the Wells Fargo Championship. After lacking the lower within the U.S. Open, Homa’s subsequent six finishes went like this: T61, T70, T43, 70, T33, missed lower. Ouch.
Prediction
Sadly for the Worldwide group, it is going to be a lot of the identical within the Presidents Cup. The U.S. squad is simply too proficient and deep. The U.S. runs away with a 17-13 victory, working its profitable streak to 10 in a row.
