Hello Canada, and golf fans in the United States and Newfoundland. We’ve got a barnburner at the Presidents Cup after Mike Weir’s International team made history on Day 2 at Royal Montreal.
Unbelievably, after an American 5-0 sweep on Thursday, the 2024 Presidents Cup is tied after a stunning reversal from the underdog home team during Friday’s foursome session.
For the first time in history of the Presidents Cup, Ryder Cup, or Solheim Cup, a sweep was followed by another sweep as the Internationals took it to Jim Furyk’s U.S. squad early and often winning the day 5-0. It was the first International win in an alternate-shot session against Team U.S.A. in 19 years.
The first match of the day took just two-and-a-half hours as Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im blew out Team U.S.A.’s most powerful duo of Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay 7&6, tying the record for largest victory in a Presidents Cup match.
“Our vibe was vibing,” said Matsuyama through a translator following the match.
Matsuyama and Im ended the match on just the 12th hole, finishing with seven consecutive birdies in the difficult alternate-shot format.
Taylor Pendrith made six birdies on Thursday in a losing cause, but on Friday the big-hitting Canuck and partner Adam Scott dominated the American pair of Collin Morikawa and Sahith Theegala, winning 5&4.
The Canadian duo of Corey Conners and Mackenzie Hughes kept the good times rolling, taking out Tony Finau and Wyndham Clark 6&5.
“This is one of the highlights of my life,” Hughes said. “This was one of the funnest days I’ve ever had on the golf course.”
One day after the Canadian fans were called “too quiet” by International sparkplug Tom Kim, the Montreal fans have responded with a complete turnaround of their own, creating a great atmosphere for Day 2.
In the second last match on the course, Aussie Jason Day saved a struggling Christian Bezuidenhout with a fabulous pitch on the 18th hole that turned into a match-winning gimme when Brian Harman couldn’t make a 30-foot birdie to secure a half-point. Day and Bezuidenhout defeated Max Homa and Harman 1-up.
With four matches secured, only Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley stood in the way of an International sweep. Si Woo Kim and Ben An were tasked with taking down the World No. 1 and did exactly that with Kim rolling in a 15-foot par putt on the final green to win 1-up.
At the beginning of the Friday the much-awaited Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal looked all but over.
Heading to the weekend in Canada, it’s game on.