Presidents Cup: Group U.S. stymies Worldwide momentum; dominates Day 1

Day 1 of the Presidents Cup is within the books as Group USA dominated at Royal Montreal Golf Membership Thursday to guide 5-0.

It marked the third time within the occasion’s 30-year historical past that the Individuals swept the Worldwide within the opening competitors.

Day 1 of the competition proved to be fairly memorable.

From Mackenzie Hughes shotgunning a beer on the opening tee to the chippiness between groups, it’s straightforward to say Day 1 offered loads of leisure.

Tony Finau and Xander Schauffele took on Jason Day and Byeong Hun An within the day’s first match.

It got here right down to the 18th gap, and the Day/An pairing wanted to win it to half the match.

An’s strategy shot landed somewhat over 4 ft from the opening, however Schauffele’s hit his to 2 ft away. That shot arrange the 1UP victory.

The second level got here from the Scottie Scheffler/Russell Henley versus Tom Kim and Sungjae Im match.

This matchup noticed chirpiness from each the American and Worldwide gamers.

All of it started on the seventh inexperienced when Scheffler and Kim trashed-talked one another. Kim made an enormous birdie putt, however Scheffler responded along with his long-distance putt and matched the power.

The drama didn’t finish there.

Kim made a clutch putt on the eighth. After, he and Im walked to the subsequent tee field 60 yards away.

This gesture didn’t impress the Individuals.

Kevin Kisner, one of many assistant captains for Group USA, didn’t like that transfer from the Worldwide Group. He let Camilo Villegas, an Worldwide assistant, know he didn’t respect the gesture, which triggered the second dramatic second of the match.

The gesture clearly didn’t hassle Scheffler or Henley, as they might not recollect it after successful the match.

“I didn’t see it,” Scheffler mentioned. “He could have. I didn’t. They instructed me just a few holes later.

“I didn’t discover it (laughter). Look, we’re all out right here competing, attempting to win factors,” Henley added. “So, like Scottie mentioned, it’s all good enjoyable, and we’re simply attempting to win factors.”

Scheffler continued along with his feedback, referencing the change of phrases between him and his good good friend Kim.

“To be truthful to them strolling off, I did like scream at them on the opening (laughter),” Scheffler mentioned. “I’m not going to say it was their fault, you realize what I imply?”

Henley picked up the momentum after Kevin Kisner predicted he would on X, previously generally known as Twitter.

Picture by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Pictures

The previous Georgia Bulldog made a pair of birdies on the 14th and fifteenth, simply minutes after Kisner posted his tweet.

Scheffler and Henley went on to win 3 & 2 over Kim and Im to present the Individuals a 2-0 lead.

Group USA’s third level got here from the Californian duo Collin Morikawa and Sahith Theegala. They took on the all-Australian staff in Adam Scott and Min Woo Lee.

This match went all the way in which to the 18th gap. The Individuals got here again from being 1 down till the twelfth gap. Morikawa tied it on 12 earlier than they took the lead on 14.

Picture by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Pictures

From there, the duo held onto the lead and gained 1UP, which gave Theegala, a Presidents Cup rookie, his first factors within the occasion.

Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay performed towards Corey Conners and Hideki Matsuyama. They earned the fourth level of the day with a 2 & 1 victory.

The session got here right down to Keegan Bradley and Wyndham Clark towards Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Taylor Pendrith.

They gained 1 UP after the 2025 Ryder Cup Captain’s flat stick received scorching. He made 34, 11, and 19-foot putts, with the final on the 18th to substantiate the victory.

This week marks his first staff begin because the 2014 Ryder Cup, when he secured the purpose for the Individuals to open the 2024 Presidents Cup at 5-0.

Friday’s session can be a foursome format, with the Individuals trying to construct on their scorching begin and the Worldwide gamers trying to bounce again after the tough begin.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Enjoying Via. For extra golf protection, comply with us @_PlayingThrough on all main social platforms. You can too comply with her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @golf_girl_sl.