The U.S. team captured the Presidents Cup again, taking down the International team 17½ to 12½ at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Sunday. It was the Americans ninth consecutive victory, and the 12th in 14 editions.
Over four days, Jordan SpiethAnd Justin ThomasAmerican team golfs face, she has been recognized worldwide. Dustin JohnsonAnd Patrick ReedCompetitors on the LIV Golf circuit. South Koreas Tom KimThe International team was a household name and showed a lot more heart than expected in competing well.
Here are five things that we learned at Quail Hollow this week:
These guys get along well
Everyone needs someone who loves them as much as Jordan loves JT, and vice versa.
There is no doubt that the International team has its own set of challenges that Americans don’t have to face, including language barriers, cultural differences, unfamiliarity, and interracial relationships.
International team captain Trevor ImmelmanHe wasnt exaggerating at all when he called the U.S. squad the greatest ever assembled. Five of the top 10 players on the Official World Golf Ranking were part of the 12-man U.S. team. Each of them were among the top 25.
And when the U.S. team captain Davis Love IIIYou can roll out the tandems Thomas-Spieth Xander Schauffele–Patrick CantlayEach session is like Max Scherzer and Justin verlander playing in a five-game series.
Thomas and Spieth, who have been friends since childhood, won 4-0 in foursomes. Schauffele and Cantlay are close friends and won the PGA Tour team competition in New Orleans this year. The players finished a combined 3-1 in singles.
Its really enjoyable, right? Spieth stated this earlier in the week. Hes the best friend I have in the entire world. We have played a lot golf together. We have played a lot together. Now, we play quite a bit together. These team events are more fun when you play alongside JT.
Spieth & Thomas were having a great time interacting with each other, fist bumping and shouting at each other when it seemed like the Presidents Cup was about to turn into another rout.
Thomas stated, Having the chance to not only win points for your team, but also win points with one of your closest friends, its just one among many things. We are good friends and we know each others game. We know how each other can benefit from each other. We can help each other. We know how to keep each other out of our way.
This is what makes the U.S. core so dangerous in team events moving forward. LIV Golf may have done the Americans an favor by luring Reed away. Reed was popularly called Captain America but was not as popular in the team locker rooms. Reed infamously complained of captain Jim Furyks buddy system in choosing pairings at the 2018 Ryder Cup in Paris, which the Americans lost, 17½ to 10½.
The 12 players who competed this week for the U.S. seemed to really like one another. Because of Brysons ongoing beef, there wasnt an elephant at the table. Brooks KoepkaOr Reed was unhappy about being forced to play with Reed. Tiger WoodsInstead of Spieth.
Presidents Cup rookies were seen on a few occasions this week. Max HomaFive-time winner on PGA Tour, Homa said that he wasn’t close to anyone on the U.S. Team. After Sundays win, Homa repeated the statement again at a news conference. Sam Burns quipped, Love you, Max.
Love you, Sam, Homa replied.
Homa stated, Sams a great example of somebody with whom Ive always gotten along and someone with whom I was looking forward getting to spend real-time with.
Tom Kim is a celebrity
The South Korean phenom Joohyung Kim is his real name. But he prefers Tom, his childhood nickname that he got from Thomas the Tank Engine. The 20-year-old is as passionate about steam building today as his namesake.
Kims pro debut at a team event was a celebration after he won the Wyndham Championship, his first PGA Tour win, a month ago. He was the youngest player on each team and the third youngest ever to compete in the Presidents Cup. Ryo IshikawaJordan Spieth.
Kim went 2-3 in matches this Week, and he was the pulse and favorite of the International Team. His exuberant celebrations made him a crowd favourite at Quail Hollow club. Kim arrived at the first Tee Sunday in sunglasses, encouraging the crowd to cheer. He was a rockstar.
Tom Kim has arrived😎 @JoohyungKim0621Ready to Roll @IntlTeam. pic.twitter.com/Zl9gI8avBH
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) September 25, 2022
Kim and his partners gave the International Team some hope after losing his first two matches.
Kim was paired up with South Koreas in the Saturday morning foursomes K.H. LeeTo be the worlds No. 1 Scottie SchefflerSam Burns. Kim and Sam Burns spent the afternoon together. Si Woo KimIn four-ball competition, Kim stunned the seemingly unbeatable pairing of Patrick Cantlay & Xander Schauffele. Kim made an eagle at the par-4 11th hole, and then made a 10-footer to score birdie on the 18th. This defeated Schauffele and Cantlay.
I think theres no limit, Joe Skovron, Kims caddie and who was on Rickies bag up until recently, said. When you are 20 years old, you have already won as many medals around the world as he has, and to respond in such an environment like he did, you will know that he has a work ethic and a strategy.
Homa isn’t bad either
Its hard for us to believe that Homa wasnt confident in his game not too long ago. He was one of the most hilarious pro golfers on twitter (and still is), but his efforts didnt yield much in terms of results. He finished the 2020 season at 70th place in the FedEx Cup standings.
Homa has won on tour four times since February 2021. He won the Genesis Invitational in 2021 and the Fortinet Championship and Wells Fargo Championship in this past season. He then defended his Fortinet Championship crown in Napa (California) last week. He arrived in Charlotte on Monday morning for his Presidents Cup debut.
Homa, a 31-year-old woman, delivered a momentous moment at Fridays Presidents Cup. Playing with Billy HorschelTheir match against Canadas Taylor PendrithAnd Corey ConnersAfter 16 holes, was tied. Homa putted a 12-foot par putt on the 17th to move 1 up. After Pendrith had made a clutch 15-footer on the 18th hole, Homa made another 12-footer in order to win the match.
Homa improved his Presidents Cup debut score to 4-0 after defeating Tom Kim. He is the fourth Presidents Cup rookie who has gone 4-0-0 or higher in his debut.
Ive repeated it a million times but last year, at Kiawah [Island]Homa said that it was hard to do the fitting for Ryder Cup because I knew I didn’t have much chance. It was difficult to look at myself in the mirror and see all the USA gear. But I have a thought in my head, and my main focus this year was to make this team, and to play with these guys.
A lot went into this. Being here was one thing. Then to go out and play some amazing golf was another. This week was extraordinary, validating, meaningful, and all of the above. It meant a lot.
The PGA Tour needs more stars, especially after the success of Dustin Johnson and DeChambeau. Cameron SmithOthers emigrated to LIV Golf. Homas personality should be embraced more than ever.
The International team is closer
Despite losing for the ninth time in succession and the 12th time during 14 Presidents Cups, Trevor Immelman, International team captain, believes that his team is closer to winning. Smith, the No. 3 player in the world, was the overwhelming underdog of the International team. The worlds No. 3 player. Marc Leishman, Abraham Ancer, Louis OosthuizenAnd Joaquin NiemannLeft for LIV Golf
Thomas and Spieth, Burns and Scheffler were longtime friends. While many U.S. players live close to each other in Florida, Texas, many of the International teams members are spread around the globe. This makes their dynamic different.
Immelman says his team has made great strides in overcoming the obstacles it faces. He attributes this to his teams success in overcoming the obstacles. Ernie ElsThe transformation was started before the 2019 Presidents Cup in Australia. Els introduced the International team shield, which is worn on the uniforms, bags, and caps of the players. Quail Hollow saw them selling merchandise sporting the shield.
While some have suggested that the Presidents Cup needs to undergo major changes, including allowing LIV Golf players and bringing in women to play, Immelman believes that his team will continue its improvement.
Immelman stated that We have a system we like, a plan, and a strategy, so it feels like this week was important for us to just lay a few more bricks in the house that were trying build. Were here for this event for the long-term. We will win this event. Well keep building. We will continue fighting. We will win at some point.
Love doesnt believe that the format should change.
Love stated that neither Trevors nor our teams had discussed changing the format. We are having a lot fun, and its great. Our team looks forward to next years in Italy and Canada.
Jay Monahan, PGA Tour commissioner, believes that the International team is on the right track.
Monahan stated that two of the last three were extremely competive. Monahan spoke to ESPN this week. I think Ernie and Trevor have started here in terms building a team, building a culture. Having been kind of inside that and understanding that, and seeing it evolve and being close, theyre building something sustainable and really special. Every player on the International squad wants to be part of that team.
The next Presidents Cup will be held at Royal Montreal Golf Club, Sept. 24-29 and 29, 2024.
What about the 2023 Ryder Cup.
The Americans victory at Whistling Straits in the 2021 Ryder Cup was just one example of how deep and talented this team is.
The 2023 Ryder Cup is the next major team event and will be held at Marco Simone Golf Club in Rome, Italy, from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1.
As long as they are healthy, up to 10 players could be back on the U.S. roster. Remember that Will ZalatorisThe No. 8. 8 player in the world, he would have been on Presidents Cup team if he didnt have a back injury. It seems unlikely that the No. 8 player in the world, if not for a back injury, would have been on Presidents Cup team. It seems unlikely. Kevin KisnerAnd perhaps Billy Horschel is back, although they could be back in contention for a roster slot.
Northern Irelands leader will lead the European team Rory McIlroyThe No. Spains No. 2 player, Jon RahmWho is No. 6. The European team was probably in dire need of a boost after being beaten in Wisconsin. After Ryder Cup veterans, itll get one. Paul Casey, Ian Poulter, Lee WestwoodAnd Sergio GarciaJoined LIV Golf.
The European top is quite strong. U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, Norways Viktor HovlandIrelands Shane LowryThey are strong. Englands Tyrrell HattonAnd Tommy FleetwoodYou are capable of playing excellent golf. Thomas Pieters, Sepp StrakaAnd Seamus PowerThey are becoming more consistent players. Italys Guido MigliozziYoung, but talented, are Denmarks Rasmus Hojgaard (Nicolai) and Denmarks Rasmus Hojgaard (Nicolai).
The American team faces the challenge of winning a Ryder Cup abroad, something it hasn’t done since 1993.
Spieth stated, I believe that winning at home in its own way is special, and theres no other way to beat it. But going over there and winning next year would be incredibly special, and I really hope that Im part of the team.
And the type of team rooms that weve had over the past few years, its going stay that way. Im very confident that we can go over there to win. Its possible to tell me what happened the last time, but no one here has any scar tissue. Everyone on the panel would love to see what it looks like next year.
