International Team Sweeps Friday Foursomes to Take Presidents Cup Lead
The International team grabbed a 7-3 lead over the United States at the Presidents Cup after sweeping all five alternate-shot foursomes matches at Medinah Country Club. Following a 3-2 deficit after Thursday’s fourballs, Geoff Ogilvy’s squad produced a dominant Friday turnaround to fuel hopes of securing just their second tournament victory since the competition started in 1994 and their first since 1998, as reported by BBC Sport and PGATOUR.com.
International Team Sweeps Friday Foursomes at Medinah
The alternate-shot format saw the U.S. side lose all five matches as the International pairing of Sungjae Im and Hideki Matsuyama put the first point on the board with a 3&2 victory over Russell Henley and Jacob Bridgeman. Bridgeman had opened the scoring early for the Americans on the second hole, but Matsuyama and Im seized control by taking four consecutive holes and finished off the match on the 16th green, according to PGATOUR.com.
Canadian teammates Corey Conners and Nick Taylor delivered another crucial result by defeating world number one Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns by one hole. PGATOUR.com noted that Taylor hit a wild tee shot on the 12th hole that bounced off a corporate tent into a playable lie, allowing Conners to stick a wedge and secure the advantage. Burns missed a 20-foot birdie attempt on the 18th green that lipped out, preserving the full point for the Canadian duo.
Close Contests Extend International Momentum
Open champion Ryan Fox and Min Woo Lee added to the U.S. misery by edging Collin Morikawa and Wyndham Clark by one hole in a see-saw battle. Shortly after, veteran Adam Scott and Christiaan Bezuidenhout dispatched Justin Thomas and Cameron Young 3&2, aided by a long birdie putt from Bezuidenhout on the seventh hole.
Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim capped off the Friday sweep by defeating Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele 4&3. The comprehensive victory marked a dramatic shift from Thursday’s opening session, leaving the U.S. team facing a four-point deficit heading into the weekend matches.
Weekend Schedule and Format Ahead
Competition continues with four additional foursomes matches and four more fourballs. The tournament will conclude with 12 singles matches, with the first team to reach 15.5 points claiming the trophy. U.S. Captain Brandt Snedeker’s squad must mount a significant comeback over the final two days to defend a U.S. streak that includes wins in the past 10 editions of the event.