It what has been confirmed a first in either mens or womens professional team golf competition and Mike Weir’s International Team has shattered Amercian dreams of capturing a 10th straight Presidents Cup in handing out a stunning second round 5-0 thrashing to their more fancied rivals.
Weir’s team of Internationals were left reeling on Thursday beaten 5-o in the opening series of matches on the host Royal Montreal course.
It the fourth occasion since the inception of the teams event in 1994 that the International had been left winless after a session and with most observers already wondering if the Jim Furky led Americans would eclipse the 2000 victory margin of 11 points.
But Weir’s men, and each decked-out in black, cleary had not read the script as the results hereunder from day two show:
HISTORY-MAKING ….
A first in either @rydercup @TheSolheimCup or @PresidentsCup as Intertnational Team run amok humbling more-fancied #USA team with a 5⃣-0⃣ second day whitewash at Royal Montreal ⛳️
Read: https://t.co/oOe6hPwDcK
✅ @TOURMISS pic.twitter.com/1QAibciHjx
— Golf & Science News (@TOURMISS) September 27, 2024
Not since the 1998 Saturday Morning Foursomes amid the heat, humidity and annoying flies at Royal Melbourne when the Peter Thomson led Internationals won 4 1/2 points to the Jack Nicklaus led Americans 1/2 point has the Internationals dominated a session,
Leading by example was Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama who with Sungjae Im as his partner inflicted a stinging 7 & 6 drubbing on Patrick Cantlay and this year’ s 152nd Open champion Xander Schauffele.
Matsuyama and Im’s win matched the biggest in Presidents Cuo history after South African David Frost beat Kenny Perry 7&6 in final round singles matches in 1996 while Aussie Adam Scott and K.J. Choi combined to humble Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker by the same margin in a foursomes match in 2011.
“Obviously it was a tough challenge for us, losing five matches yesterday,” Matsuyama said.
“But Sungjae hit a perfect tee shot on the first hole, so that brought us the momentum.”
Scott and Canadian partner Taylor Pendrith kept the crowd roaring loudly with their stunning 5&4 win triumph over Sahith Theegala and Collin Morikawa.
“I had a good feeling about this when we were up here a couple weeks ago scouting,” Scott said of his partner.
“We played a little bit, felt easy to me. I’ve played with lots of different guys, and I knew that we were going to be a good pairing, and the captains seemingly found a lot of good pairings in this format today.”
Day 3 Morning Pairings — Fourball
Match 1: 7:02 a.m. — Scottie Scheffler and Collin Morikawa (USA) versus Adam Scott and Taylor Pendrith (Internationals)
Match 2: 7:20 a.m. — Tony Finau and Xander Schauffele (USA) versus Corey Conners and Mackenzie Hughes (Internationals)
Match 3: 7:38 a.m. — Keegan Bradley and Wyndham Clark (USA) versus Si Woo Kim and Tom Kim (Internationals)
Match 4: 7:56 a.m. — Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns (USA) versus Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im (Internationals)
