Sept 25 (Reuters) – The International Team swept the US 5-0 in Friday’s foursomes to seize a 7-3 lead in the Presidents Cup, a stunning turnaround after trailing by one point following the opening session.
On a cloudy day at Medinah Country Club’s Course No. 3 outside Chicago, the Internationals dominated the alternate-shot session and quietened the home crowd as they moved within 8-1/2 points of their first Presidents Cup triumph since 1998.
The US, seeking an 11th consecutive success, need to fight back when the competition resumes with two sessions on Saturday.
The sweep echoed the 2024 event at Royal Montreal, when the Internationals responded to a 5-0 opening-day loss by sweeping the Americans 5-0 in Friday’s foursomes.
The teams are now separated by four points with 20 still available over the final two days.
“We loved how we played yesterday. But we just wanted to come win the session. The team were all in a really good frame of mind, but you would never imagine doing five sets,” International Team captain Geoff Ogilvy said.
“We did it in Montreal, so maybe it’s a pattern now. The boys played really well. It was an incredible day for us.”
FIVE FOR FIVE
Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im got the Internationals off to a winning start, overcoming an early deficit to beat Russell Henley and rookie Jacob Bridgeman 3&2.
The Japanese-Korean pairing fell one down after the second hole but moved ahead on the fourth and controlled the match from there.
Corey Conners and Nick Taylor then delivered another blow, beating world number one Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns 1-up.
Scheffler and Burns, who had finally won together in a team competition on Thursday after four previous losses, surrendered an early advantage and could not find a way back as the Canadians held on to win.
Conners and Taylor never led by more than one hole, but held their nerve down the stretch, with Taylor’s approach on 18 leaving him a short birdie putt before Burns missed his chance.
“We just tried to be relentless out there,” Conners said. “Both hit a lot of quality shots, and Nick made some key putts there towards the end to keep us in the position, highlighted by his approach shot into the last here. It was unbelievable.”
Ryan Fox and Min Woo Lee added another point for the Internationals, edging Collin Morikawa and Wyndham Clark 1-up in the day’s closest match.
Morikawa had a chance to close out the contest with a birdie on the final hole but could not convert, allowing Fox and Lee to take the point.
Adam Scott and Christiaan Bezuidenhout then defeated Justin Thomas and Cameron Young 3&2, with the International pair taking control early and maintaining their advantage through the closing holes.
Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim completed the sweep, beating Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele 4&3 to remain unbeaten together this week. The win improved their Presidents Cup record as a partnership to 4-1, with the South Koreans again delivering in the anchor match after beating Cantlay and Chris Gotterup on Thursday.
“Hats off to the International Team. They went out there and played great,” Team US captain Brandt Snedeker said.
“You’re going to have sessions like this in these things. I feel terrible for the guys because I know they grinded out there and gave me everything they had today, and it wasn’t meant to be.
“There’s still 20 points out there. There’s a lot of golf left to play.”
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Ken Ferris)
