Heartbreak as US storm to 11th straight Cup victory
Murray Wenzel |
The United States have dominated the final-day singles matches to break International hearts and extend their Presidents Cup dominance into a third decade.
Leading for the first time entering the final day on American soil, Australia’s debutant captain Geoff Ogilvy could only watch on as his men, including Adam Scott and Min Woo Lee, were swallowed up in a one-sided finale at Medinah Country Club in Chicago.
They had taken all five points to lead 7-3 after two days and, ahead 10.5 to 7.5 after three days, needed just five of 12 singles matches to go their way to win for just the second time and first since 1998.
But it was all red as nine Americans saluted – three winning one-up on the final hole – for the 11th straight time.
The 17-13 result was the latest frustrating near-miss for the Internationals, evoking memories of the final-day boilover at Royal Melbourne seven years ago.
“The US came out firing … a couple of matches went up 18 … it was on a knife edge all day,” Ogilvy said.
“Some of those one-downs … if they flip, the numbers look good. But it’s a very difficult thing to beat the US in singles, in the US.”
Scott’s 12th Cup campaign ended in a gutting loss to Patrick Cantlay, while Lee missed short putts on the 16th and 17th, opening the door for Jacob Bridgeman to pinch the point on their final hole that secured victory for the US.
Tom Kim and Sunjae Im were early winners for the International team, over Wyndham Clark and Sam Burns respectively.
But Cameron Young, Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas easily collected points, before Chris Gotterup beat Christiaan Bezuidenhout on their final hole to get the US within one point.
Si Woo Kim then gave up a two-hole lead after the turn, losing by that margin to 21-year-old upstart Jackson Koivon to further swing the tide.
Japan’s Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama also gave up a lead, missing the fairway when scores were tied on the 18th to hand Collin Morikawa a point.
Scott had clawed back to within one in his duel with Cantlay, only for the American to drain a putt from off the green to lead by two with two to play.
He then missed a birdie putt to win the 17th hole and could only watch as Cantlay made par to secure the point and bring the US level on 12.5 points.
The US were in front when Morikawa edged Matsuyama, after the Japanese favourite missed the fairway on the final hole.
Lee, who had earned points on the previous two days, then had a short, breaking putt lip out on the 16th to trigger his, and the International’s demise.
Bridgeman’s point got them to 15.5 and rendered the two remaining matches on course redundant.
Xander Schauffele then heaped more pain on with victory over Ryan Fox, before Nick Taylor and Russell Henley split their match.
Melbourne’s Kingston Heath will host the next instalment in 2028.Â
AAP