EXCLUSIVE ….
Not for the first time in the now 30-year history of the Presidents Cup has the question been raised and that is how do improve the biennial competition between the USA and the Intetrnational team?
Last Sunday’s USA triumph over three days on the host Royal Montreal course was the 10th straight occasion the Americans had savoured success.
Just once, and this journalist was present amid the heat, humidity and annoying flies at the host Royal Melbourne course, has the International team held the trophy aloft when a brilliant Peter Thomson led side led from start-to-finish in what was a stunning nine point triumph.
Billy Horschel (Right in back row) as a member of the 2022 USA winning Presidents Cup side (Image PGA Tour)
The 2003 Gary Player captained Intetrnational tied the competition but since then, and now 21-years on, the Americans have dominated and this after the events of last Friday when Mike Weir’s men dramatically drew level at five points a piece in Canada.
In the final 2024 wash-up it was USA 18 ½ to the Internationals a distant second with 11 ½ points.
Again, it begged the question what does the PGA Tour as event organisers need to do to make the Presidents Cup more competitive.
For Billy Horschel, and a member of the victorious 2022 USA Presidents Cup side, the answer is the same responsse as so many other true followers of golf and that is to allow LIV players to access to the Presidents Cup.
American Billy Horschel speaking this week at the Dunhill Links Championship. Image – GolfByTourMiss
“I watched a lot of last week’s Presidents Cup and I think the Internationals had the best chance of winning in a while”, said Hoschel ahead of this week’s Dunhill Links Championship.
“Especially, after the great International Team efforts on day two but then during both sessions on Saturday they just didn’t make the putts when a few of the matches were so close to being won by either side.
“But I do believe changes will be made as you can’t have guys like Cam Smith, and Joaquin Niemann being left out.
“There’s probaby three-to-four or may five LIV guys who the Interantional Team could have strongly benefitted and have proved a real threat to the Americans. There’s no doubt about that, for sure.”
Horschel’s not wrong and it’s simply endorses what fans have been stating since the formation of LIV
So much so, we are now seeing the PGA of America and the DP World Tour, as organisers of the Ryder Cup, now allowing LIV players to compete in a Ryder Cup.
However while the PGA Tour continues to have its head buried in the sand and make the Presidents Cup an all PGA Tour member affair, you will have a continuation of this one-lopsided, who is really interested competiton.
