Presidents Cup: Staff U.S. stymies Worldwide momentum; dominates Day 1

Day 1 of the Presidents Cup is within the books as Staff USA dominated at Royal Montreal Golf Membership Thursday to guide 5-0.

It marked the third time within the occasion’s 30-year historical past that the People swept the Worldwide within the opening competitors.

Day 1 of the competition proved to be fairly memorable.

From Mackenzie Hughes shotgunning a beer on the opening tee to the chippiness between groups, it’s straightforward to say Day 1 supplied loads of leisure.

Tony Finau and Xander Schauffele took on Jason Day and Byeong Hun An within the day’s first match.

It got here right down to the 18th gap, and the Day/An pairing wanted to win it to half the match.

An’s strategy shot landed somewhat over 4 ft from the outlet, however Schauffele’s hit his to 2 ft away. That shot arrange the 1UP victory.

The second level got here from the Scottie Scheffler/Russell Henley versus Tom Kim and Sungjae Im match.

This matchup noticed chirpiness from each the American and Worldwide gamers.

All of it started on the seventh inexperienced when Scheffler and Kim trashed-talked one another. Kim made an enormous birdie putt, however Scheffler responded along with his long-distance putt and matched the power.

The drama didn’t finish there.

Kim made a clutch putt on the eighth. After, he and Im walked to the subsequent tee field 60 yards away.

This gesture didn’t impress the People.

Kevin Kisner, one of many assistant captains for Staff USA, didn’t like that transfer from the Worldwide Staff. He let Camilo Villegas, an Worldwide assistant, know he didn’t respect the gesture, which brought on the second dramatic second of the match.

The gesture clearly didn’t hassle Scheffler or Henley, as they might not recollect it after profitable the match.

“I didn’t see it,” Scheffler mentioned. “He might have. I didn’t. They informed me a couple of holes later.

“I didn’t discover it (laughter). Look, we’re all out right here competing, making an attempt to win factors,” Henley added. “So, like Scottie mentioned, it’s all good enjoyable, and we’re simply making an attempt to win factors.”

Scheffler continued along with his feedback, referencing the change of phrases between him and his good good friend Kim.

“To be truthful to them strolling off, I did like scream at them on the outlet (laughter),” Scheffler mentioned. “I’m not going to say it was their fault, you understand what I imply?”

Henley picked up the momentum after Kevin Kisner predicted he would on X, previously generally known as Twitter.

Picture by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Photos

The previous Georgia Bulldog made a pair of birdies on the 14th and fifteenth, simply minutes after Kisner posted his tweet.

Scheffler and Henley went on to win 3 & 2 over Kim and Im to present the People a 2-0 lead.

Staff USA’s third level got here from the Californian duo Collin Morikawa and Sahith Theegala. They took on the all-Australian crew in Adam Scott and Min Woo Lee.

This match went all the way in which to the 18th gap. The People got here again from being 1 down till the twelfth gap. Morikawa tied it on 12 earlier than they took the lead on 14.

Picture by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Photos

From there, the duo held onto the lead and received 1UP, which gave Theegala, a Presidents Cup rookie, his first factors within the occasion.

Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay performed towards Corey Conners and Hideki Matsuyama. They earned the fourth level of the day with a 2 & 1 victory.

The session got here right down to Keegan Bradley and Wyndham Clark towards Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Taylor Pendrith.

They received 1 UP after the 2025 Ryder Cup Captain’s flat stick received sizzling. He made 34, 11, and 19-foot putts, with the final on the 18th to verify the victory.

This week marks his first crew begin because the 2014 Ryder Cup, when he secured the purpose for the People to open the 2024 Presidents Cup at 5-0.

Friday’s session will probably be a foursome format, with the People trying to construct on their sizzling begin and the Worldwide gamers trying to bounce again after the tough begin.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By means of. For extra golf protection, comply with us @_PlayingThrough on all main social platforms. You may as well comply with her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @golf_girl_sl.