Presidents Cup: International Team fights back to tie U.S. 5-5
Sahith Theegala and partner Collin Morikawa suffered a big defeat in their second match as the International Team fought back brilliantly with a 5-0 sweep to tie United States 5-5 in the Presidents Cup.
Theegala and Morikawa were outplayed 5 and 4 by Australian veteran Adam Scott and Taylor Pendrith.
Scott made more history by earning his 22nd point in what was an unprecedented 11th International Team appearance.
A day after the U.S. Team won all five Four-ball matches, the International Team won all five matches, the first time in Presidents Cup history with multiple session sweeps.
Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im sparked a stunning International Team fightback with a record-tying 7 & 6 rout over Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele in the first match of Friday’s Foursomes session before Si Woo Kim and Byeong Hun An put the bow on a 5-0 reversal over the star-studded US. Team to leave the Presidents Cup all tied at 5-5 at Royal Montreal golf course on Friday.
Following the American demolition job in Thursday’s Four-ball session where the title holders won all five matches, Mike Weir’s International Team showed up in full force to put life back into the biennial team competition.
Kim, a captain’s pick, rolled in a pressure-packed 15-foot par putt on the final green of the last match in front of his team and a raucous home crowds as he and An produced a 1-up victory over World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley.
Canadian stars Corey Conners and Mackenzie Hughes also enjoyed a 6 & 5 win over Wyndham Clark and Tony Finau while Jason Day and Christiaan Bezuidenhout edged out Max Homa and Brian Harman 1-up as the International Team brilliantly bounced back from Thursday’s setback as they chase only a second Presidents Cup victory.
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Matsuyama, a 10-time PGA TOUR winner, and Im dovetailed brilliantly in the alternate-shot format as they closed out Cantlay and Schauffele, who until Friday, was undefeated as a pair in Foursomes at the event.
The Asian stars didn’t allow their opponents to win a single hole, missing only two fairways and two greens through 12 holes, and brilliantly made seven straight birdies to close out their match.
Round 2 Results:
Foursomes – International 5, United States 0 Match 6: Hideki Matsuyama/Sungjae Im (INT) def. Patrick Cantlay/Xander Schauffele (U.S.), 7 and 6 Match 7: Adam Scott/Taylor Pendrith (INT) def. Sahith Theegala/Collin Morikawa (U.S.), 5 and 4 Match 8: Christiaan Bezuidenhout/Jason Day (INT) def. Max Homa/Brian Harman (U.S.), 1-up Match 9: Corey Conners/Mackenzie Hughes (INT) def. Wyndham Clark/Tony Finau (U.S.), 6 and 5 Match 10: Si Woo Kim/Byeong Hun An (INT) def. Scottie Scheffler/Russell Henley (U.S.), 1-up.
Overall Score: United States 5, International 5 R1 (Four-ball): United States 5, International 0 R2 (Foursomes): International 5, U.S. 0.