Team USA Gets Obliterated On Day Two Of The Presidents Cup After Dominant Start

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Day One of the 2024 Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal Golf Club on Thursday was a complete demolition by the US Team. Led by world number two Xander Schauffele and world number one Scottie Scheffler, the US won all five fourball matches. Scheffler enjoyed it, talking some trash to Tom Kim early on in their match. 

READ: Scottie Scheffler Talks Some Trash As Team USA Dominates Presidents Cup

But the tables completely turned during the second day of the tournament on Friday. In the foursomes event, essentially an alternate shot format, the US entered with seemingly strong pairings:

  • Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele vs. Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im
  • Adam Scott and Taylor Pendrith vs. Sahith Theegala and Collin Morkikawa
  • Max Homa and Brian Harman vs. Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Jason Day
  • Wyndham Clark and Tony Finau vs. Corey Conners and Mackenzie Hughes
  • Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley vs. Si Woo Kim and Beyong Hun An

Win even two of those matches, and the US would head to the weekend with at least 7 of the 15.5 necessary points already secured. They got completely swept. Not even a half point; after winning all five matches on day one, the US lost all five matches on day two. And the collapse was a team effort.

Presidents Cup

MONTREAL - Russell Henley and Scottie Scheffler of the U.S. Team stand on the 18th green during Friday's Foursomes matches on day two of the 2024 Presidents Cup at The Royal Montreal Golf Club on September 27, 2024. (Photo by Tracy Wilcox/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)

Team USA Back To Square One With Presidents Cup

As good as the US players were on Thursday, the International team was just as good on Friday. And the US collapsed, especially on the greens. 

The top four players on the day by strokes gained were all on the international side, and seven of the top nine. Brian Harman and Sahith Theegala were the two worst players in the event. By far. Even the normally reliable Xander Schauffele struggled, with a negative strokes gained performance. Combined with his partner Patrick Cantlay having the fourth-worst day, their match ended in a 7&6 blowout to Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im. 

At one point, the International team had won 27 holes to just six for the US team. 27-6.

Essentially, the only two positive strokes gained US players of the day were Max Homa and Scheffler. Both lost their matches by one, as Harman's atrocious day sunk Homa and Russell Henley's poor putting luck cost Scheffler.

Still, Scheffler and Henley had an opportunity to at least grab a half point for the US and salvage some positive feelings heading into Saturday. And then Si Woo Kim made a nearly 16-foot putt to save par, secure a one-up win and secure the sweep.

The Presidents Cup has been more contentious than previous events; after day one, assistant captains Kevin Kisner from the US side and Camillo Villegas got into a disagreement over Tom Kim and his partner moving to the next hole while Scottie Scheffler putted. 

"They took gamesmanship too far and over the line on sportsmanship and lose some integrity," Kisner explained to Golf Channel after the day. 

"I thought it was pretty bush league and I told Camilo that if that’s the way they want to do it, then game on. If you can p*** off my No.1 player in the world, then I’m all for it."

Scheffler was his usual self on Friday, but it wasn't enough to overcome failings elsewhere. And now a tournament that seemed like a foregone conclusion is anyone's game heading into Saturday's fourball matches.