I can’t remember the last time I felt as simultaneously perplexed and vindicated by a single sporting event. I thought this was going to be a Jason Voorhees-level massacre, with the International side cast in the role of unwitting camp counsellors.
The average world ranking of the USA side was about 15 compared to the International’s 50. Moreover, Medinah No.3’s facelift appeared- on the surface- to favour the American’s let-it-rip approach. But Geoff Ogilvy’s side were impeccable over the first three days, taking a 10½- 7½ lead into Sunday’s singles. The curse of Medinah appeared to be alive and well.
USA revel in singles
But Brandt Snedeker’s side produced a singles comeback that the 2012 European Ryder Cup-winning side would have been proud of, taking 9½ of the 12 available singles points to prevail 17-13. The scoreline doesn’t really paint the entire picture, does it? The tournament was the ultimate expression of rugged American individualism overcoming a lack of team cohesion. Geoff Ogilvy and his men will have a bit of soul-searching to do. Yes, they have laid a blueprint for how an International side can be competitive on US soil. But the lopsided manner of that singles defeat suggests that no level of bonhomie was ever going to tip the scales in their favour.
USA need Foursomes Bootcamp
Of the two team formats, foursomes is the one that emphasizes team cooperation. Sure, players can use strategy in fourballs, opt for one guy to play a bit conservatively while the other guy goes hell for leather. But foursomes is the true test of cohesion, as the two teammates essentially converge into one being (in a non-Substance way, fortunately). And America just don’t have any clue of how to do it. They were embarrassed in the foursomes on Friday, going down 5-0 to give Ogilvy’s side a 7-3 lead going into Saturday. America led in all four of Saturday’s foursome ties before ultimately splitting the difference at 2-2. That means the USA went 2-7 in foursomes this tournament. To extrapolate that further, USA have now gone 8-26 in foursomes in their last two combined Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup outings. That inability to share toys may be fine against an International side punching far above their weight, but it could be crippling when it comes to winning the Ryder Cup in Adare Manor next year.
Rookies lead the way for USA
There is one thing that you can say about US golf after this weekend: the future looks extremely bright. All three of the US rookies would go on to play pivotal rules in securing an 11th consecutive Presidents Cup title. Chris Gotterup played like a senior member of the outfit, scoring three points out of four matches to match world No.1 Scottie Scheffler’s contribution. Collegiate superstar Jackson Koivun captured the imagination, going undefeated to cement his status as arguably the most exciting young player in the world. He pulled off a minor miracle on Sunday, coming back from 2-down on the 11th to beat an in-form Si Woo Kim 2-up. With a twinkle in his eye and a swagger in his step, Koivun radiates the all-American energy of a young Bobby Jones. Jacob Bridgeman struggled at times but pulled through at the most vital moment, securing the winning point for USA with a 1-up triumph over Min Woo-Lee.
Tom Kim rediscovers Presidents Cup mojo
South Korean firebrand Tom Kim ended up the highest scorer from either side, compiling an impressive 4-1-0 record to rehabilitate his somewhat tattered Presidents Cup image. Kim shone brightly on his Presidents Cup debut at Quail Hollow in 2022, bringing a cocky effervescence to a side that bordered on submissive. He got high on his own supply in Royal Montreal, matching the worst tendencies of the American side with rude OTT gusto. He brought just the right energy to Medinah, finding the sweet spot between confidence and focus. He didn’t have time to enjoy his singles win over Wyndham Clark, immediately leaving for Japan to make sure he makes it in time for the start of the Asian Games. Kim will need to win Gold in either the Team or Individual event to avoid automatic military conscription. Little wonder he played with seemingly no pressure this week! The Presidents Cup was a glorified hitting session ahead of the big showdown (I only partially jest).
Final Thoughts
In summation, this year’s event flirted with the impossible before veering dramatically- almost absurdly- towards the utterly predictable. The only way that the International side can ever close the gap is if LIV dissolves or if the PGA Tour finds some kind of common ground with the rebel tour. Just think of the aura that Niemann and Cam Smith would bring. As for the Americans, I think they require some type of task force to go in and crack the foursomes code. You can’t win a Ryder Cup on foreign soil purely off the back of individual excellence.
