Corey Conners and Nick Taylor lost their first three holes, stood three down with eight to play, and still beat Russell Henley and Jacob Bridgeman 1-up.
That final match gave the Saturday afternoon foursomes a 2-2 split and left Geoff Ogilvy’s International side with a 10.5-7.5 lead over Team USA heading into Sunday singles at Medinah Country Club. It is the first time the Internationals have led on foreign soil entering the final day in event history. They need five points from the 12 singles matches. Team USA needs 7.5 points to avoid a home upset, or eight points to come back.
Morning fourballs
The Americans won Saturday morning’s fourballs 2.5-1.5, cutting a four-point deficit. Min Woo Lee and Sungjae Im recovered from two down with four to play to tie Justin Thomas and Jackson Koivun. Thomas said he felt he “let down” his rookie teammate. Si Woo Kim and Tom Kim, two down after eight holes, beat Collin Morikawa and Wyndham Clark 2&1 and shushed the crowd in celebration.
Chris Gotterup and Cameron Young won the first four holes against Taylor and Conners. On the par-4 fourth, both Americans drove the green, and Young buried a 39-foot eagle putt while Gotterup’s 20-footer went untouched. The Canadians cut the deficit to two down through 14, but Gotterup made a 34-foot birdie at the 15th and answered again at the 17th to close out a 2&1 win.
Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns beat Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Hisatsune 2&1 in the bottom morning match. Matsuyama holed a 35-footer at the seventh. Burns converted at the par-3 ninth, but Matsuyama birdied the 10th and 13th to put the Internationals one up. Scheffler birdied the 15th, and Burns stuck his approaches on 16 and 17 within five feet. “The hole felt small for a while, but it opened up there on 15,” Scheffler said.
Afternoon scoreboard
After Team USA captain Brandt Snedeker left world No 1 Scottie Scheffler on the bench and the Americans led all four matches early, the afternoon looked set for a sweep. Cameron Young and Chris Gotterup thrashed Adam Scott and Sungjae Im 6&4 after winning five of the first seven holes. Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele never trailed in a 2&1 win over Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim, avenging a Friday 4-and-3 loss.
The Internationals still took the final two points of the day. Ryan Fox and Min Woo Lee flipped a two-down deficit into a 3-up lead by winning three straight holes from the 13th through the 15th, then beat Sam Burns and Wyndham Clark 3&2. Conners and Taylor completed the comeback when Conners rolled in a 6-footer for par on the 18th.
“What a day!” Ogilvy said. He said his players “weathered the storm.” Snedeker added, “It’s going to be a long, hard day tomorrow. I’ve got the right guys in that team room.”
The Internationals have lost 10 consecutive Presidents Cups and have not won outright since 1998. They tied in 2003. The U.S. entered the week with a 13-1-1 record. The first team to reach 15.5 points will claim the trophy.
Sources
- Presidents Cup: International Team take historic 10.5-7.5 lead over Team USA into Sunday singles and chase Medinah win | Golf News | Sky Sports
- Presidents Cup Day 3: Internationals take historic 10.5-7.5 lead over U.S. into Sunday Singles – PGA Tour
