Nicely, we have now ourselves a Presidents Cup.
With a 5-0 American four-ball sweep nonetheless contemporary of their minds, the Internationals turned in a shutout of their very own on Friday, dominating the foursomes session, 5-0, and storming again to tie the competitors via two days at Royal Montreal.
Whereas the U.S. eked out most of its wins on Thursday (three 1-up victories), the Internationals posted a number of routs, together with a record-tying 7-and-6 win by Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im over American cup veterans Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay. The foursomes had been so lopsided that the U.S. led for only one gap in comparison with 57 holes for the Internationals. The Internationals additionally received 27 holes to the People’ six.
“We listened to Mike and different assistants, and we took the positives of how shut it was, and we didn’t get deflated,” Adam Scott mentioned. “We got here out and we knew we had been enjoying nicely. … I mentioned it within the assembly yesterday; there’s lots of struggle on this staff, and we’re not going to go away.”
Furyk is now 2-11 as a captain in foursomes, with this marking the second foursomes session that his American groups have been swept (0-4 in opening foursome session at 2018 Ryder Cup).
“We obtained to observe them bounce up and down on the 18th inexperienced and have a good time, excited,” Furyk mentioned. “I hope that sticks with everybody, and I hope that’s a pit of their abdomen tonight. We’ll regroup, we’ll get some good pairs on the market within the morning, and it’s our flip to return out firing.”
Right here had been probably the most pivotal moments in every match:
Hideki to the center
Hideki Matsuyama/Sungjae Im (Int.) def.
Patrick Cantlay/Xander Schauffele (U.S.), 7 and 6
The Internationals led the entire method on this one, although the People lastly appeared to be settling in late on the entrance 9. Schauffele caught his tee ball to eight ft on the par-3 seventh, and Cantlay rolled of their first birdie of the match to tie the outlet and stay 4 down.
However a gap later, Matsuyama shut the door with a 16-foot birdie make, which he celebrated with an enormous fist pump.
Im added an vital par save on the ninth gap, the place Cantlay hit his strategy to tap-in vary, and the Internationals turned with a 5-up lead. Matsuyama and Im carded seven straight birdies to shut out the 7-and-6 blowout, which tied the biggest margin of victory in occasion historical past. Schauffele and Cantlay have now misplaced three straight matches as companions, their report as a duo dropping to 6-6.
“Right now from the start, our vibe was vibing,” Im mentioned.
Scott from downtown
Adam Scott/Taylor Pendrith (Int.) def.
Sahith Theegala/Collin Morikawa (U.S.), 5 and 4
After a flurry of pars to start out, Scott notched the primary birdie of the match with a 9-foot make on the par-4 fourth. However it was on the subsequent gap, the par-3 fifth, that the Internationals grabbed maintain of this match.
Whereas Morikawa splashed out of the sand to 4 ft, Scott erased any hope of a tie by draining a 40-foot birdie bomb to push the Worldwide result in 2 up.
Morikawa stubbed a chip from a juicy lie on the par-5 sixth, and the Internationals received that gap, too, by no means trying again. Scott’s Worldwide-record twenty second level was formally obtained on the par-4 14th gap after Theegala flubbed a 50-yard pitch shot nicely in need of the inexperienced and Morikawa caught a chip, which he needed to make, a bit of heavy.
“A number of nice moments and hard moments, too,” Scott mentioned. “I’m going to take pleasure in this one as a result of that is Taylor’s first win. I’m stoked for him, and he’s going to have many extra.”
MONTREAL, QUEBEC – SEPTEMBER 27: Jason Day of the Worldwide Staff reacts to his shot on the 18th inexperienced throughout Friday’s Foursomes matches on day two of the 2024 Presidents Cup at The Royal Montreal Golf Membership on September 27, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec. (Picture by Tracy Wilcox/PGA TOUR by way of Getty Photographs)
Day Man
Christiaan Bezuidenhout/Jason Day (Int.) def.
Max Homa/Brian Harman (U.S.), 1 up
It was a tough Thursday for Bezuidenhout, who missed three essential putts inside of seven ft on his final 5 holes, however he obtained a confidence enhance early by sinking a 12-foot birdie putt to win the primary gap.
From there, Day took over.
He hooped a 28-footer on the par-3 seventh to provide he and Bez the lead once more – and for good. The largest second, although, got here on the par-4 ending gap, the place Bez flew the inexperienced along with his strategy and Day picked him up with a nifty chip to gimme vary.
MONTREAL, QUEBEC – SEPTEMBER 27: Mackenzie Hughes of Canada and the Worldwide Staff celebrates on the eleventh inexperienced throughout Friday Foursomes on day two of the 2024 Presidents Cup at The Royal Montreal Golf Membership on September 27, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Picture by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Photographs)
Canadian reversal
Corey Conners/Mackenzie Hughes (Int.) def.
Wyndham Clark/Tony Finau (U.S.), 6 and 5
Conners and Hughes, two Canadians, jumped on the People from the beginning, as Finau and Clark didn’t even end at every of the primary two holes and fell 2 down early. However the dagger got here on the par-4 eighth gap.
Clark pounded a drive and left Finau simply 87 yards to the outlet, whereas Hughes put Conners within the righ fairway bunker, 128 yards away and with a poor angle. Conners, although, didn’t care, hitting a magnificence to inside 3 ft. Finau solely managed 8 ft, which Clark couldn’t convert from.
The Internationals received that gap and the subsequent to go 5 up on the flip, and it was basically over at that time, because the Canadian duo poured in seven birdies on their opponents.
MONTREAL, QUEBEC – SEPTEMBER 27: Si Woo Kim of the Worldwide Staff reacts to successful his match on the 18th inexperienced throughout Friday’s Foursomes matches on day two of the 2024 Presidents Cup at The Royal Montreal Golf Membership on September 27, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec. (Picture by Chris Condon/PGA TOUR by way of Getty Photographs)
Shakin’ dat…
Si Woo Kim/Byeong Hun An (Int.) def.
Scottie Scheffler/Russell Henley (U.S.), 1 up
This was the one match wherein the People led, 1 up after two holes. However that was short-lived. The Internationals went 1 up after Kim flagged his tee shot on the par-4 thirteenth gap, and Kim tied the fifteenth gap by changing a 12-footer for birdie.
Kim performed hero one final time on the 18th gap, the place he muscled an strategy from the thick tough simply shy of the inexperienced after which sank a 15-foot par saver to finish the 5-0 sweep.
“It’s recreation on,” Kim mentioned.
