Ben Coley previews the second day of the Presidents Cup, where the USA lead 3-2 heading into foursomes.
Golf betting tips: Presidents Cup day two
2pts Scheffler/Burns and Morikawa/Clark to win at 9/5 (General)
In yesterday's preview of the opening round of Presidents Cup matches, I wrote that the draw had been kind on paper – 'in theory, at least.' Theory then met reality. There's no use hiding away from the simple fact that, in the end, each of the five matches went against us in some way.
Min Woo Lee (top Internationals pick) and Sungjae Im had Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns there for the taking and blew it, I'm afraid. They ought to have been comfortably ahead by the time both somehow bogeyed the penultimate hole to gift their opponents the match, Lee by missing the green from the fairway, Im by three-putting with his partner in trouble.
It was careless, to put it mildly, whereas Ryan Fox (other top Internationals pick) and Adam Scott were more lifeless. They ran into an excellent performance from Wyndham Clark, but four-under in fourballs isn't enough. Geoff Ogilvy needed more from the two oldest players in the competition and, in Scott's case, by far the most experienced.
On the other side, both top overall scorer selections played together but Xander Schauffele's putter was poor and Cameron Young couldn't contain Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Hisatsune by himself. Then, Chris Gotterup and Patrick Cantlay were equally disappointing (Gotterup at least made some clutch putts, but he didn't play well), which meant Thursday's 11/4 double lost.
Just as the prospects of the Internationals winning took a hit when they narrowly lost a session they ought to have won, ours don't look good now. There is one saving grace: because the logic was largely sound, and because of the way the draw has fallen for Friday's foursomes, a set of results that go in our favour on Friday evening could change everything.
Lee and Fox play together, so if they win their chances of being top International will be rekindled. Young and Schauffele are separated, but both get a game – a big part of the task is to predict who will play. Among the reasons for selecting Fox to be the top rookie was that Jackson Koivun and Gotterup would likely be benched for foursomes and they have been, in Koivun's case despite winning (Justin Thomas rather carried him).
In summary, we need everything that went wrong yesterday to go right today, but at least the Friday foursomes draw didn't stick the boot in. Although it'll take some turnaround from both for Fox and Lee to win a game of foursomes, I have to say. On to those foursomes...
Scheffler/Burns vs Conners/Taylor (1905 BST)
He may struggle to, but Corey Conners ought to take heart from the way he battled on Thursday, despite seeing his fourballs record move to 0-4-0. The Canadian was far from his best, but he was the reason his match made it to the 15th green; partner Nico Echavarria was appalling and it must be said, given how he was hitting the ball at the end of the PGA Tour season, his selection seems questionable.
I doubt we see Echavarria until singles now and Conners ought to be much happier playing foursomes with a compatriot, Nick Taylor, who has waited a long time for this opportunity. Conners has only won one foursomes match but this seems the better format for him and we've seen vulnerability from this American duo before.
That said, while they were let off the hook on Thursday, Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns both played to a good standard, ranking fifth and second respectively in strokes-gained among 10 American players. Getting their first full point together was big, however they did it, and Conners simply has to hit the ball better if the Canadian pairing are to stand a chance.
Verdict: USA 3&2
Henley/Bridgeman vs Im/Matsuyama (1919 BST)
While it was his three-putt which ultimately cost his side the match, Sungjae Im was statistically the third-best Internationals player on day one. Hideki Matsuyama was second, in strokes-gained terms, and this is therefore the strongest possible pairing without splitting the Kims, which was never going to happen. It makes a lot of sense.
Im and Matsuyama are 1-1-0 together in this format but won 7&6 in Montreal and have big potential if each player is in the same form they showed on Thursday. In fact, were they to perform to that standard again, you'd give these two US rookies very little chance.
Golf seldom works like that of course and while Russell Henley has lost his world number one partner from two years ago, he picks up a rookie who won last week in Jacob Bridgeman. Both can be deadly on the greens and the Internationals were very much the opposite of that in their fourballs, Im somehow producing the best approach play across all five matches despite being the worst iron player on paper.
I give a narrow edge to the Internationals on the strength of their performances yesterday. In that sense alone, Henley and Bridgeman couldn't have landed a worse draw. Hopefully, Matsuyama delivers again.
Verdict: Internationals 2&1
Morikawa/Clark vs Fox/Lee (1933 BST)
As touched upon earlier, Ryan Fox and Min Woo Lee both have a lot of improving to do, in a difficult format, if they're to bounce back from difficult starts. Fox will have hoped for so much more from himself and Adam Scott, while Lee knows he played a part in blowing a massive chance to strike a blow for the Internationals. It really may be that this was their one chance in this competition.
The positives are that they're the sort of characters who can put things behind them quickly, they should gel well, and they're electric players. However, each can be wayward, neither hit it well on Thursday, and they were two of the worst three Internationals on paper. Lee almost won regardless but when Im needed him, he simply wasn't there.
Collin Morikawa and Wyndham Clark, who downed Fox and Scott, will strongly fancy their chances. Clark was excellent despite later complaining that the crowds were not. Morikawa didn't score well but his iron play was dialled in. Both could improve for their first competitive action in a month. There's no logical conclusion here except that the US pairing win comfortably, unless Clark suffers one of his wild days off the tee.
Verdict: USA 4&3
Thomas/Young vs Scott/Bezuidenhout (1947 BST)
Justin Thomas delivered a brilliant performance on day one, expertly positioned to guide a rookie through a tough start and come out with a point. It was exactly what he was selected for and I don't think anyone should be surprised. And, in terms of the bigger picture, if he keeps driving it like this then he's in for a massive 2027 which will see him play in the Ryder Cup.
Cameron Young was a tad unfortunate I felt, both in terms of the performances of his opponents but also his partner. Again, whether it was planned before or not, we're seeing two of the day's strongest performers on paper grouped together. It makes for a formidable blend and while it was a fourballs match, remember they won 6&5 together in an otherwise poor session for the US at Bethpage a year ago.
Adam Scott though does get a good partner for foursomes, a format which suits him better than fourballs. He's 10-10-2 over the course of a lengthy Presidents Cup career and that's strong when you consider how one-sided the matches themselves have tended to be. Christiaan Bezuidenhout is one of just two members of Ogilvy's team with a winning overall record, and he's also one of the most reliable.
If Thomas continues to drive it the way he did on Thursday, it won't matter. But if there is any weakness there, I quite like this quiet Internationals duo and their prospects of exposing it. On average, about one in six Presidents Cup foursomes matches is halved. Maybe this is the one.
Verdict: Match halved
Cantlay/Schauffele vs Kim/Kim (2001 BST)
The shining light for Ogilvy was undoubtedly the performance of his star duo, Tom and Si Woo Kim, who are now 3-1-0 together. However, their one defeat came the one time they played foursomes, and it was against today's opponents, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay.
This therefore is the most fascinating game of all and a big one for the US duo, who started their partnership exceptionally but have looked less imperious as the years pass by. Cantlay in particular may lose part of the argument in favour of a Ryder Cup place if this once reliable foursomes option no longer looks it. Today's match could have bigger implications for both.
And much will depend on whether either American can make a putt. Cantlay ranked eighth of 10 US players in that department, Schauffele 10th, whereas Tom Kim was first on his side and Si Woo third. Regression to the mean would lead you towards the US pairing, but after what we saw on Thursday, it's the two Koreans who arguably deserve favouritism. This could be a classic.
Verdict: Internationals 1up
Posted at 0625 BST on 25/09/26
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