The United States hold a 3-2 advantage over the International team after Thursday’s opening four-ball session at the Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club.
Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns secured the hosts’ session win by beating Sungjae Im and Min Woo Lee by one hole. The result gave the American partnership a narrow victory in the first match out and confirmed the United States’ early overall edge.
Justin Thomas and Jackson Koivun supplied another point for the home side, defeating Corey Conners and Nico Echavarria 4&3. PGA Tour reporting described it as Koivun’s first point in a professional team event, earned alongside Thomas.
Collin Morikawa and Wyndham Clark added the third American win, overcoming Adam Scott and Ryan Fox 3&2. Their point put the United States in a strong position after the first three matches, but the International team responded in the remaining ties to limit the deficit.
Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Hisatsune beat Cameron Young and Xander Schauffele 3&1 for the International team’s first point. Si Woo Kim and Tom Kim then defeated Chris Gotterup and Patrick Cantlay 3&2, meaning the visitors will begin Friday only one point behind.
The late International wins did not alter the United States’ session success, but they ensured that Medinah’s opening day ended with the contest closely balanced rather than with the hosts building a larger cushion.
Five foursomes await on Friday
Friday’s programme changes from four-ball to foursomes, with five matches scheduled. Scheffler and Burns are due to open for the United States against the Canadian pairing of Conners and Nick Taylor.
The other listed matches are Russell Henley and Jacob Bridgeman against Im and Matsuyama; Morikawa and Clark against Fox and Lee; Thomas and Young against Scott and Christiaan Bezuidenhout; and Cantlay and Schauffele against Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim.
Friday’s pairings retain several of the partnerships who collected points on Thursday. Morikawa and Clark remain together for the United States, while Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim stay together after their 3&2 win. Matsuyama, who partnered Hisatsune in the opening session, will play alongside Im, while Thomas moves from Koivun to Young.
The format gives both captains an immediate opportunity to reshape the momentum from the first session. A United States win in Friday’s foursomes would extend the one-point lead, while the International side have evidence from Thursday’s final two matches that they can answer the hosts’ early scoring.
Sky Sports reported that the four-day competition contains 30 points. A team needs 15½ points to win, although the defending United States need 15 points to retain the trophy. The United States are pursuing an 11th consecutive Presidents Cup victory and have won 13 of the previous 15 editions, according to Sky Sports.
Snedeker cites difficult set-up and viewing
United States captain Brandt Snedeker said the atmosphere changed after a loud start on the first tee. In comments reported by Golf Magic, he said the crowd’s energy had faded as the session progressed.
Snedeker attributed that in part to a demanding course set-up, including difficult pin positions which, he suggested, reduced the number of birdie chances capable of prompting bigger reactions. He also pointed to restricted viewing on some holes, saying spectators could not always see the action clearly.
After his win with Morikawa, Clark raised concerns about the crowd atmosphere, and Snedeker’s response indicated that the home captain shared the view that the support had not maintained its opening intensity. That assessment does not change the scoreboard, but it provides context for a first session in which the United States won three matches before the International team restored pressure with two successive points.
Medinah’s Course No. 3 is hosting the 16th playing of the Presidents Cup. The venue previously staged the 2012 Ryder Cup, two PGA Championships and three US Opens, according to the PGA Tour.