Internationals make Presidents Cup history with Sunday lead on U.S. soil

The Internationals made Presidents Cup history on Saturday, taking a 10.5-7.5 lead over the United States heading into Sunday singles. It is the first time the Internationals will enter Sunday with a lead on U.S. soil.

After the Internationals swept Friday’s foursomes and moved ahead 7-3, U.S. captain Brandt Snedeker said he was not concerned that the Americans were about to lose their first Presidents Cup in almost 30 years.

“This thing is 35, 40 percent over — it’s not even halftime of a football game. There’s a lot of golf left,” Snedeker said.

The Americans trimmed the deficit in Saturday morning’s fourball session, winning 2.5-1.5. In the afternoon foursomes, a format in which the U.S. has struggled recently, the Americans led all four matches through nine holes despite World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler sitting out.

Cameron Young and Chris Gotterup gave the U.S. the first point, defeating Adam Scott and Sungjae Im 6&4. Young and Gotterup won six of the first nine holes and made the turn 5 up.

“If I get to hit his shots all the time, I’d be pretty good at golf,” Gotterup told NBC’s Cara Banks. “It’s awesome. It has been a lot of fun. He makes it easy. He doesn’t care. He says, ‘Just hit it and I’ll go find it.’”

Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay defeated the previously unbeaten Si Woo Kim and Tom Kim, 2&1. The Americans led for most of the match and held off a late charge.

“[Pat] played great. We sort of fed off each other early and were able to hang on kind of late,” Schauffele told Banks.

“Sneds told us to go out and get a point on the board first,” Cantlay said. “He put us out first, and I’m glad we could deliver.”

The Americans then let a major opportunity slip away. Sam Burns and Wyndham Clark won the first two holes against Min Woo Lee and Ryan Fox, but the Internationals took the lead on the sixth and seventh. Lee and Fox won holes 13, 14 and 15 before closing out the match 3&2.

“We just had to be there for each other. I feel like I started terribly. He was right there on my back cheering me on. It’s OK, and we turned it around,” Lee said.

In the final Saturday foursomes match, Jacob Bridgeman and Russell Henley opened with a 3-up lead against Corey Conners and Nick Taylor after winning the first three holes. The Canadian pair fought back by winning the 11th, 12th, 14th and 15th holes.

Conners then holed a five-foot par putt on the 18th to give the Internationals a 1-up victory.

“What an experience to battle back,” Taylor told Banks. “We’ve just been relentless all week. That has been the message all week from the captain. Just proud of Conners. What a putt.”

The win gave the Internationals a 10.5-7.5 lead heading into singles. The last time the Internationals led entering Sunday was in 2019 at Royal Melbourne in Australia, where they held a 10-8 advantage. The U.S. won the final session 8-4, with the Internationals taking only two matches outright.

Snedeker now hopes Sunday brings familiar singles magic for the U.S. Otherwise, the Internationals will celebrate their second-ever Presidents Cup victory and first on U.S. soil in a historic upset.

“I thought our guys battled hard. It was a tough day out there. This golf course got really hard this afternoon. There is such a fine line between good shots and bad shots. I was really proud of the way the guys hung in there and battled.

“Stay the course. This golf course is difficult. It’s going to be a long, hard day tomorrow. I’ve got the right guys in the team room. I’m proud of how they have hung in there this week despite all of my mistakes. I’m so proud of them and I can’t wait to watch them go out there tomorrow and compete.”

Source: Josh Schrock, GOLF.com.