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Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior Author
South Korea’s Sungjae Im and Australia’s Min Woo Lee have been born in 1998, the identical yr the Worldwide workforce 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 an additional three-plus years.
The U.S. workforce gained 10 of the following 11 Presidents Cup; the groups tied 17-17 in 2003.
The Individuals have a 12-1-1 report within the occasion and carry a nine-match successful streak into the Presidents Cup that tees off Thursday at Royal Montreal Golf Membership in Canada.
With world No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler, two-time main champion Xander Schauffele and different PGA Tour stars main the U.S. squad, it does not determine to get any simpler for his or her counterparts this week.
“I feel it is only a reality, simply coping with actuality,” Worldwide workforce captain Mike Weir mentioned. “I feel that is the factor for me, whilst a participant myself, making an attempt 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 they usually’re embracing that.”
Listed below are a few of the largest storylines on the Presidents Cup:
Bounce forward:
Worldwide
Workforce U.S.
Our prediction
Worldwide
Why it’s going to win
Upsets occur in sports activities, they simply 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 workforce has fared higher in competitions outdoors 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 Individuals rallied and went 8-4 in singles. Enjoying 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 right 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 successful level. Haas made the workforce when captain Jay Haas, his father, used one among 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 workforce’s lone victory was a 20½-11½ rout at Royal Melbourne in 1998. That U.S. workforce had the highest 4 golfers on this planet — Woods, Mark O’Meara, David Duval and Davis Love III — however was no match for the Internationals that week.
This Worldwide workforce options three Canadians who made the workforce with captain’s picks by Canadian Mike Weir. If Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes and Taylor Pendrith are enjoying properly, perhaps the followers can pull them to a monumental upset. It could additionally take robust play from the Worldwide workforce’s finest golfers — Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, Australia’s Adam Scott and South Korea’s Sungjae Im and Tom Kim.
“It is a huge a part of this competitors, I consider, and a giant a part of workforce golf the place you possibly can journey some momentum and the group will get behind you, and you may actually feed off that,” mentioned Weir, who upset Woods 1 up in Sunday singles within the U.S. workforce’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 group’s vitality, and you may elevate your degree a bit of bit, so it may be an enormous issue. We’re actually hoping the followers come out onerous and cheer lots for our guys. Hopefully, it’s a issue.”
Weaknesses
Together with historical past being on the U.S. workforce’s aspect, the Individuals 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 workforce — 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 typical OWGR rating for the U.S. workforce is 12.4; it is 34.4 for the Worldwide squad.
Expertise is not the one cause the Worldwide workforce faces an uphill climb. Whereas the U.S. workforce is enjoying for the purple, white and blue, the Internationals struggled prior to now to discover a widespread thread. Language obstacles and cultural variations have additionally been a problem.
In 2019, then-captain Ernie Els launched a black-and-gold defend to attempt to unite the Worldwide workforce.
“It is one thing that is been a problem for our groups over time,” Weir mentioned. “What we already created with 2019 with the defend, and lots of issues we have carried out teamwise, simply workforce dinners, guys enjoying observe 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 workforce contains 4 golfers from South Korea, three every from Australia and Canada and one from Japan.
“It is completely different [from] the U.S. workforce, it simply is,” Weir mentioned. “We’ve, clearly, all these cultural variations. Not that they do not have variations too, however ours is just a few cultural issues. It is gotten lots higher, and our guys have a terrific vibe going. I like the place our workforce is at proper now.”
Rookie evaluation
There are solely two rookies on the Worldwide workforce: Hughes and Australia’s Min Woo Lee.
Hughes, 33, was a little bit of a shocking captain’s selection for Weir. The 2-time PGA Tour winner hadn’t achieved a lot earlier than tying for fourth eventually week’s ProCore Championship in Napa, California. He had 4 prime 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 just lately on the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship in 2023. He had 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 robust off the tee however struggled along with his irons (134th in strokes gained: method) and on the greens (113th in strokes gained: placing).
Lee’s persona will make him a crowd favourite in Montreal.
Golfers who ought to play all 5 matches
Worldwide workforce captain Trevor Immelman relied closely on his prime 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 workforce’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 choose
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 successful aspect — he was a 23-year-old rookie when the groups tied in South Africa in 2003.
Ending the Worldwide workforce’s drought very a lot issues to the 2013 Masters champion.
“You’ll be able to hear how a lot he desires to win one,” Australia’s Jason Day mentioned. “I feel it’s going to solely take one. If we are able to get one, I feel that’ll change the tide a bit of bit.”
Scott, 44, was additionally in nice kind 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 choose
It wasn’t a shock that Weir picked greater than a pair Canadians along 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 threat. 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 workforce due to his quick recreation, 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 huge putts this week.
United States
Why it’s going to win
As a result of that is what the American workforce does on the Presidents Cup. Given the U.S. dominance, it has turn into one of the vital one-sided worldwide workforce competitions on this planet.
Whereas the U.S. workforce 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 feel lots of it’s [that] our workforce room seems to be completely different in each occasions,” U.S. captain Jim Furyk mentioned. “I feel the fellows put lots of stress on themselves. They fight a bit of too onerous. They push within the Ryder Cup. They wish to show everybody improper, and typically perhaps whenever you strive too onerous, you sort of get in your personal approach, if that is sensible.”
Furyk, 54, performed in 9 Ryder Cups, successful simply twice. He was on the improper 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 all the time pissed off me, however there’s not a lot you are able to do about it. I feel on this occasion we play a bit of bit extra unfastened, we play a bit of extra free.”
Weaknesses
If the U.S. workforce has had a shortcoming in current Presidents Cups, it got here in four-ball (finest ball) matches on away programs. Actually, the Worldwide workforce has a 12-6 benefit in that format prior to now two occasions performed outdoors the U.S.
The Worldwide workforce grabbed an early 4-1 lead in four-ball matches on the opening day at Royal Melbourne, placing the Individuals in an early gap that they practically 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 provide the Worldwide squad a sliver of hope.
“We have been comfy utilizing our analytics guys, I feel, since 2019,” Weir mentioned. “Ernie introduced them on board, they usually’re conversant in me now and our different assistants. Similar factor, I lean on my assistants as properly, lean on my intestine on sure issues after we’re perhaps on the fence, however it’s essential.”
Rookie evaluation
There are 4 Presidents Cup rookies on the U.S. workforce, however they’re hardly newbies on the subject of skilled golf. They embody 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 brilliant spots for the U.S. workforce 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 workforce competitors as execs.
“I most likely carry a unique model of recreation,” 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 carry a unique flare for match play. I are likely to hit it in every single place at occasions.”
“I am not going to match myself to [Jordan] Spieth, not even shut. However strive Spieth-like at occasions with simply making an attempt to get inventive and escapes. No person 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 along with his kind 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 choose, 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 finest golfers on the PGA Tour this season, so it will be a shock if Furyk does not roll them out for all 5 periods, except they’re struggling in Montreal.
Hero choose
Nearly as good as Scheffler has been the previous two-plus seasons, successful 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 prior to now two worldwide workforce 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 find out how to evaluate that to anything,” Scheffler mentioned. “That was every week through which I hoped to play properly and I wasn’t in a position to get it achieved. It sort of felt like lacking the lower at a significant championship could be comp for that, however I actually do not know. I deal with every one among them individually.”
Scheffler was essentially the most dominant golfer on the planet. He is too good to not flip it round in workforce occasions.
Dangerous choose
Virtually everyone loves Max Homa. He is one of many extra pleasant golfers on tour and is by far the funniest on social media. Homa’s monitor report in his previous two worldwide workforce occasions would make him a no brainer selection for a captain’s choose.
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, nevertheless, 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 workforce, 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 successful streak to 10 in a row.
