The United States has established a 3-2 advantage over the International team following Thursday’s fourball matches at the Presidents Cup, held at Medinah Country Club in Illinois. The victory keeps alive the Americans’ pursuit of an eleventh straight title in the biennial competition.
Brandt Snedeker’s squad gained momentum early, with Justin Thomas and rookie Jackson Koivun delivering a dominant 4&3 victory against Canada’s Corey Conners and Colombia’s Nico Echavarria to claim the first point.
World number one Scottie Scheffler, partnered with Sam Burns, secured the second point by closing out their match against Min Woo Lee and Sungjae Im 1 up, holding firm on the 17th hole after his opponents missed several key putts down the stretch.
Wyndham Clark and Collin Morikawa completed the day with a 3&2 win over Australia’s Adam Scott and reigning Open champion Ryan Fox, taking an early lead from the first hole and finishing with two holes remaining.
“A session win is a session win; we’re going to take it any way we can get it,” Snedeker said following the successful opening session.
Despite the deficit, International captain Geoff Ogilvy’s team remains optimistic heading into Friday’s alternate shot format. Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and debutant Ryo Hisatsune defeated Cameron Young and Xander Schauffele 3&1, while South Korea’s Kim Si-woo and Tom Kim comfortably beat Chris Gotterup and Patrick Cantlay 3&2.
The International side, whose last triumph came 28 years ago in 1998, will look to close the gap as the contest moves to foursomes on Friday, followed by combined fourball and foursome sessions on Saturday. All 24 players will compete in singles matches on Sunday, with 15½ points needed to win the overall trophy.
Medinah always seems to favor the Americans. I wonder if the course setup gives them an unfair edge?
Jackson Koivun as a rookie already delivering like that is impressive. What a debutante performance!
Is 3-2 really that big a deal? The International team has experience winning away from home.
Scottie Scheffler looked incredibly solid today. That 17th hole was crucial for keeping the lead intact.