Group USA delivered a day one-thrashing of the Worldwide aspect to make a dominant begin to their try to win a tenth successive Presidents Cup.
For simply the third time within the fifteenth staging of the biennial groups competitors, the USA produced a round-one clean-sweep to determine a commanding 5-0 lead within the fourballs entering into to Friday’s foursomes.
It marks a dream begin for US captain Jim Furyk’s bid to retain the title at Canada’s Royal Montreal Golf Membership and leaves Mike Weir’s Worldwide crew with an uphill battle over the remaining 4 rounds.
Regardless of Thursday’s one-sided general scoreline, three of the 5 fourball matches did go right down to the 18th gap with the Worldwide aspect left to rue a succession of missed alternatives and gilt-edged birdie putts on the again 9.
World No 1 Scottie Scheffler and taking part in accomplice Russell Henley delivered the day’s most complete win, beating South Korean pair Tom Kim and Sungjae Im 3&2, however the match nonetheless contained the spherical’s largest flashpoint and speaking level.
Kim and Scheffler are recognized to be good buddies however their match appeared to briefly get heated after a collection of birdies on the seventh and eighth holes.
After Kim had shouted in delight after rolling in a birdie putt on the seventh, a jubilant Scheffler then roared ‘what was that?’ in direction of his buddy after sinking his personal putt to halve the outlet.
Issues bought heated mid-way by way of Scheffler and Russell Henley’s match aginst Sungjae Im and Kim
Kim then birdied the eighth to place the strain on the American pair and controversially, earlier than Scheffler had even performed his shot in an try to halve the outlet, Kim and Im had walked on to the ninth tee field.
Scheffler subsequently missed his putt to provide the Worldwide aspect the outlet win, bringing their deficit on the time again to at least one. Kim and Im did not win one other gap thereafter because the Worldwide pair’s problem light, with a half on the sixteenth in the end confirming the US pairing’s snug win.
On Kim and Im leaving the eighth gap early, Sky Sports activities Golf’s Paul McGinley mentioned: “That’s bordering on bad behaviour there. That’s disrespectful in my opinion. I know it’s competitive out there but it certainly shows you there’s an underlying edge here. It’s not all fun and games.”
Day One fourballs outcomes – USA 5-0 Worldwide
- Xander Schauffele and Tony Finau (USA) def Jason Day (Aus) and Byeong Hun An (Kor) 1 UP
- Collin Morikawa and Sahith Theegala (USA) def Adam Scott (Aus) and Min Woo Lee (Aus) 1 UP
- Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley (USA) def Sungjae Im (Kor) and Tom Kim (Kor) 3&2
- Wyndham Clark and Keegan Bradley (USA) def Taylor Pendrith (Can) and Christiaan Bezuidenhout (Rsa) 1 UP
- Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns (USA) def Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn) and Corey Conners (Can) 2&1
Who will win the Presidents Cup? Watch the 2024 contest from September 26-29 reside on Sky Sports activities. Reside protection continues on Friday from 6pm on Sky Sports activities Golf. Stream the Presidents Cup and extra with NOW.
Get the perfect costs and guide a spherical at one in every of 1,700 programs throughout the UK & Eire
