MAIN EVENT
LUCKY
no. 11?
It's been 28 years since the International Team last tasted victory in The Presidents Cup. What chance have they got against the powerhouse Americans at Medinah, asks BRENDAN BARRATT
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The Women’s Open tees off at Royal Porthcawl
The numbers make for uncomfortable reading. Ten straight wins for the American team – and 28 years since their one and only loss. On US soil, the closest the International Team has come to victory in the last 30 years is three points, back in 2013.
The underdogs certainly have their work cut out, against a team that, on paper, appears far superior. Anchored by the current world No 1, the reigning Players and US Open champions, and comprising six Major winners, it's likely that the lowest-ranked player in the team will be 26th in the World Ranking.
By contrast, the International Team features only three Major winners, and the lowest-ranked player could potentially be sitting at 91st in the World Ranking.
So what does the International Team need to do to reverse the trend and be remembered as more than plucky losers?
1 Keep building chemistry
For a long time, the International Team has struggled to find an identity. For a week every two years, different nations, cultures and languages come together and try to become something more than a collection of accents, flags, and world rankings.
It's almost like they need to build chemistry in real time – whereas their opponents know each other well from college golf, time on the PGA Tour, and the Ryder Cup.
Former captains Ernie Els, Trevor Immelman and Mike Weir have done a great job in creating a team spirit – and many of the team will have great memories from previous Presidents Cups, including events where they have come close. It's important to keep building on this platform.
2 Anchors lead the way
There is no doubt that the International Team has enough talent to compete and win the Cup. However, what it lacks is depth – meaning that the top players, who are likely to play in every session, will need to anchor their team and secure early points. That's a lot of pressure on the shoulders of the likes of Hideki Matsuyama, Si Woo Kim (pictured), Tom Kim, Adam Scott, Min Woo Lee and Ryan Fox, but if they can keep the ship steady, it will create some space for the remaining players to fire.
ALL THE PRESIDENTS' MEN
TEAM USA
Confirmed:
Scottie Scheffler (above), Cameron Young, Wyndham Clark, Sam Burns, Russell Henley, Collin Morikawa
Predicted:
Chris Gotterup, Ben Griffin, Xander Schauffele, JJ Spaun, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay
Captain:
Brandt Snedeker
Captain's Assistants: Gary Woodland, Jim Furyk, Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson
INTERNATIONAL TEAM
Confirmed: Si Woo Kim (Korea), Hideki Matsuyama (Japan), Ryan Fox (New Zealand), Tom Kim (Korea), Min Woo Lee (Australia), Adam Scott (Australia)
Predicted: Corey Connors (Canada), Nico Echavarria (Colombia), Sungjae Im (Korea), Jason Day (Australia), Aldrich Potgieter (SA) / Nick Taylor (Canada), Casey Jarvis (SA) / Ryo Hisatsune (Japan)
Captain:
Geoff Ogilvy
Captain's Assistants: Trevor Immelman, Camilo Villegas, Tim Clark, Taylor Pendrith
3 Smart pairings
The pairings will have been researched, analysed and discussed long before the matches tee off. Captain Geoff Ogilvy will be acutely aware of which players complement each other for each of the formats. He will lean hard into familiar combinations, pairing countrymen, players with shared coaching voices or those with similar emotional styles.
On paper it will look good, but the players need to deliver out on the course against an unrelenting opponent.
4 Get off to a steady start
This one seems obvious, but last time out, at Royal Montreal, the International Team got off to the worst start possible, going down five zip in the fourball matches. It's hard enough to beat this American team without handing out a five-point deficit.
5 Roll the dice in fourballs, play steady in foursomes
Birdies matter most when it comes to fourballs, so this will be Ogilvy's opportunity to use his most volatile, streaky players. South Africa's Aldrich Potgieter (main image) – if selected – is a great example of this, as he will make a few bogeys, but with his length off the tee, he will also make a heap of birdies. Hopefully his playing partner will back him up when he does invariably drop shots.
By the same token, it would make sense to pair the best ball strikers in the alternate-shot foursomes format – players who won't place too much pressure on their partners by hitting into trouble.
6 Stay in the game until Sunday
If the Internationals can stay within striking distance heading into the final-round singles, anything can happen. Sure, the US team has traditionally been stronger in singles, but a bit of momentum and a smidgen of luck can give the visitors a look in.
What we don't want is a four-point deficit going into the final day – the 'Miracle at Medinah' is unlikely to happen again, and not in favour of the visitors.
7 Use 'home' advantage
Medinah may be an American classic, but there's one small detail that could benefit the visiting team – Geoff Ogilvy has been at the heart of recent design modifications.
In what could prove important, the final six holes have been rerouted, bringing Lake Kadijah more into play. In doing so, Ogilvy's design team has given the closing stretch more volatility, with more shot variety and potential for dramatic finishes.
What could be more dramatic than players coming down the home stretch with The Presidents Cup on the line?
HOW IT WORKS
The PGA Tour FedExCup Playoffs is a three-event, post-season series featuring a progressive reduction in the field, culminating in The Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta to determine the 2026 FedExCup champion.
The FedExCup Playoffs begin with a field of 70 (on FedExCup standings after the Wyndham Championship on August 6-9) for the FedEx St. Jude Championship, is then reduced to 50 for the BMW Championship, and then 30 for the TOUR Championship, where the FedExCup Champion will be determined. There are no cuts in FedExCup Playoffs events.
PGA Tour FedExCup Playoffs Schedule
FedEx St. Jude Championship:
August 13-16
TPC Southwind, Memphis, Tennessee – Top 70 players
BMW Championship: August 20-23
Bellerive Country Club, St. Louis, Missouri – Top 50 players
Tour Championship: August 26-30
East Lake Golf Club, Atlanta, Georgia – Top 30 players
Points structure
Regular-season PGA Tour events award 500 FedExCup points to the winner.
The first two Playoffs events award 750 points to the winner (matching that of the majors and The Players Championship).
The TOUR Championship will be played as a 72-hole stroke-play event, with all players starting the tournament at even par.
TOUR Championship
At the TOUR Championship, the player with the lowest stroke total over the 72 holes will win the FedExCup, be credited with an official victory at the TOUR Championship, earn a bonus of $10 million and receive a five-year PGA TOUR exemption.
Players compete for a $40 million purse at the TOUR Championship that is considered Official Money, separate from the nearly $100 million in FedExCup Bonus Money.
KEVIN C. COX | TROY WINFIELD | SUNSHINE TOUR | GETTY IMAGES
