Tag: 2019 Presidents Cup

Presidents Cup: Picks for every singles match as U.S. makes final push

With Tiger Woods sitting out, the U.S. has cut the deficit to 10-8 heading into singles action at the Presidents Cup.

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MELBOURNE, Australia – The Americans won the first match of the Presidents Cup on Thursday.

The Americans will win the last match to win the Cup on Sunday.

After Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas teamed to give the Americans a 1-0 lead in the first session, they have been staring at a deficit as the Internationals won the next six matches.

But the U.S. has cut the deficit to 10-8 heading into singles action on Sunday. The heavily favored red, white and blue, which has all 12 players ranked in the top 25 in the world and hasn’t lost in this matchup since 1998, will unleash its firepower to pull out a narrow victory.

PRESIDENTS CUP: Scores | Best photos | Tee times

This is how it will work out in the final 12 matches.

Match 19: Tiger Woods (USA) vs. Abraham Ancer (INT)

Ancer has been THE answer for the Internationals with his remarkable play despite being a rookie, but this is Tiger Woods we’re talking about. He’s 2-0-0 this week, so make it 3-0-0. After his win, he’ll go and captain his charges until the end. Woods wins 3 and 2.

Match 20: Tony Finau (USA) vs. Hideki Matsuyama (INT)

Finau has played well and is capable of going on birdie binges to whip opponents. But Matsuyama also is world class and is playing well. Matsuyama wins 2 and 1.

Match 21: Patrick Reed (USA) vs. C.T. Pan (INT)

Reed will be without his regular caddie, Kessler Karain. He hasn’t won in three matches. He’s been heckled throughout the proceedings. But he’s a raging bull who will channel his anger and deliver a big point against the rookie. Reed wins 3 and 2.

Match 22: Dustin Johnson (USA) vs. Haotong Li (INT)

Johnson is battling his putter. Li, a rookie, has played just once. Johnson’s firepower will prove too much to handle. Johnson wins 4 and 3.

Match 23: Bryson DeChambeau (USA) vs. Adam Hadwin (INT)

DeChambeau bulked up heading into the matches and his swing hasn’t caught up. Hadwin dealt with a bit of food poisoning and sat out Saturday. Both won’t fire their best. The match will end in a tie.

Match 24: Gary Woodland (USA) vs. Sungjae Im (INT)

Woodland, the reigning U.S. Open champion, has played well in his last two matches. Im has played well in all his matches. But Im missed a 10-footer on the last hole of the last match on Saturday that cost his team a full point. That might linger. The match will end in a tie.

Match 25: Patrick Cantlay (USA) vs. Joaquin Niemann (INT)

Cantlay will have too much firepower – he’s one of the best, longest drivers of the golf ball – and will topple the young, spirited rookie who has played well. Cantlay wins 2 and 1.

Match 26: Xander Schauffele (USA) vs. Adam Scott (INT)

This will be one of the day’s best matches. Both have come up big throughout the week. Both have, at times, struggled with the putter. Scott, however, hasn’t won the Cup and that urgency will prove the difference. Scott wins 1 up.

Match 27: Webb Simpson (USA) vs. Ben An (INT)

Simpson hasn’t won this week in three matches. An has played well and made a bunch of birdies. An wins 2 and 1.

Match 28: Justin Thomas (USA) vs. Cameron Smith (INT)

Forget Thomas and Rickie Fowler squandering a 5-up lead with eight to play Saturday afternoon. Thomas won’t remember it when he steps to the first tee. He has become a leader for the USA and is one of the best in the world. He makes amends. Thomas wins 3 and 2.

Match 29: Matt Kuchar (USA) vs. Louis Oosthuizen (INT)

Kuchar is steady and rarely makes mistakes. Oosthuizen is the team’s best player. Neither will panic as the pressure amps up late on Sunday. The match will end in a tie.

Match 30: Rickie Fowler (USA) vs. Marc Leishman (INT)

The score will be 14½-14½ with one match still in progress. Fowler was the last addition to the American squad and he’ll deliver the winning point in the last match of the day. He’s one of the game’s best putters, one of the game’s best when it comes to imagination, which you need around Royal Melbourne. Leishman is playing all five matches. At times he looked spent on Saturday. The putter that Fowler is will win the Cup for the Americans. Fowler wins 2 and 1.

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Presidents Cup: Day 4 singles matchups, tee times

The final-day singles matches await at the 2019 Presidents Cup. And things are set up for a heck of a conclusion.

It all comes down to this.

The final-day singles matches await at the 2019 Presidents Cup. And things are setting up for a heck of a conclusion.

The score heading into the final day is International 10, U.S. 8.

There will be 12 singles matches, as all members of each team get to compete. The golf starts at 10:02 a.m. in Melbourne on Sunday, 6:02 p.m. ET Saturday.

PRESIDENTS CUP: Photos | Scores | TV info

Here’s the lineup, as announced by U.S. Captain Tiger Woods and International Captain Ernie Els:

Tee time (local) Tee time (ET) Match
10:02 a.m. 6:02 p.m. Tiger Woods (U.S.) vs. Abraham Ancer (International)
10:13 a.m. 6:13 p.m. Tony Finau (U.S.) vs. Hideki Matsuyama (International)
10:24 a.m. 6:24 p.m. Patrick Reed (U.S.) vs. C.T. Pan (International)
10:35 a.m. 6:35 p.m. Dustin Johnson (U.S.) vs. Haotong Li (International)
11:46 a.m. 6:46 p.m. Bryson DeChambeau (U.S.) vs. Adam Hadwin (International)
11:57 a.m. 6:57 p.m. Gary Woodland (U.S.) vs. Sungjae Im (International)
12:08 p.m. 7:08 p.m. Patrick Cantlay (U.S.) vs. Joaquin Niemann (International)
12:19 p.m. 7:19 p.m. Xander Schauffele (U.S.) vs. Adam Scott (International)
12:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. Webb Simpson (U.S.) vs. Byeong-Hun An (International)
12:41 p.m. 7:41 p.m. Justin Thomas (U.S.) vs. Cameron Smith (International)
12:52 p.m. 7:52 p.m. Matt Kuchar (U.S.) vs. Louis Oosthuizen (International)
1:03 p.m. 8:03 p.m. Rickie Fowler (U.S.) vs. Marc Leishman (International)

TV info

10 a.m. local time Sunday/6 p.m. ET Saturday: Final round, singles matches.

TV: 6 p.m. – midnight ET Saturday, Golf Channel; 1 – 6 p.m. ET Sunday, NBC (replay).

Immediately following play: Closing ceremony celebration.

Fast facts

Venue: Royal Melbourne Golf Club.
Length: 7,055 yards. Par: 71.
Points needed to win: 15½.
Defending champion: United States.
Series: United States leads, 10-1-1.

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Tiger Woods, Americans trail by two entering Sunday singles at Presidents Cup

Team USA fought back and enter the final round of the Presidents Cup trailing the Internationals by two points.

It all comes down to Sunday singles.

Just when it appeared as if the Internationals were primed to run away with their second Presidents Cup victory – and first since 1998 – after Saturday morning’s (Friday night in North America) four-ball session, the team from the U.S. fought back in the afternoon foursomes. The Internationals enter singles with a 10-8 lead.

Gary Woodland and Dustin Johnson put the first point on the board, taking down major champions Adam Scott and Louis Oosthuizen in the first match of the afternoon. Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele followed suit, besting Sungjae Im and Cameron Smith, 2 and 1.

Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas held a 5 up lead with just eight holes to play, but Abraham Ancer and Marc Leishman fought back to earn a half point after a wayward shot on the 18th tee by Thomas.

In the final match, Tony Finau and Matt Kuchar led for the first 15 holes, but Byeong-Hun An and Joaquin Niemann clawed their way back to even the match on No. 15 and the teams split the point.

You can watch the final round singles matches from 6 p.m. – midnight ET on Golf Channel and the NBC Sports app, and again from 1 – 6 p.m. ET on NBC on Sunday.

Foursomes matches

Johnson-Woodland (U.S.) def. Oosthuizen-Scott (Int.), 2 and 1

Fowler-Thomas (U.S.) vs. Ancer-Leishman (Int.), tie

Cantlay-Schauffele (U.S.) def. Im-Smith (Int.), 2 and 1

Finau-Kuchar (U.S.) vs. An-Niemann (Int.), tie

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Bryson DeChambeau joins Presidents Cup fans to cheer on American team

Bryson DeChambeau was benched for both of Saturday’s matches at the Presidents Cup, so he spent some time with the fans.

Team events like the Presidents Cup feature the best players in the world, but not everyone can play in every session during the biennial competition.

Team USA playing captain Tiger Woods benched himself for both rounds on Saturday at Royal Melbourne against Ernie Els and the Internationals, joining rookie Bryson DeChambeau on the pine pony.

The 26-year-old bulked-up DeChambeau struggled in his first match Thursday with Tony Finau, but put a smile on and had some fun with the fans on the first tee, cheering on his teammates during Saturday afternoon’s (Friday night in North America) foursomes matches at Royal Melbourne.

PRESIDENTS CUP: Scores | Best photos

The group he’s with, the Fanatics, serenaded Woods and Patrick Cantlay earlier in the week. DeChambeau also participated in the famous I Believe That We Will Win chant.

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Report: Patrick Reed’s caddie gets into altercation with fan at Presidents Cup

Golf Channel reports that after the Saturday morning matches, Patrick Reed’s caddie Kessler Karain got into an altercation with a fan.

Patrick Reed has taken more than an earful this week at the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne.

Reed came into the event fresh off a rules violation at the Hero World Challenge.

And right from the get-go fans have let him have it before and after each shot. Cries of “Get in the bunker!” among others have been heard frequently.

At one point during the Day 2 action, Reed did a mock shovel motion twice with his putter after draining a putt, in response to the continued barbs.

And during the afternoon matches of Day 3, we get this: A Golf Channel report that Reed’s caddie, Kessler Karain, got into it with a fan. Karain is also Reed’s brother-in-law.

Perhaps the continued heckling has affected Reed. He has gone 0-3 so far before being sidelined by captain Tiger Woods for the Day 3 foursomes.

Details were scant as to exactly what kind of altercation took place.

Golf Channel’s Steve Sands reported that the PGA Tour and security are aware of the incident. Another report said that Reed will meet with Tour commissioner Jay Monahan before the day is over.

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Presidents Cup: The answer for the Internationals is Aussie Abe

Abraham Ancer is undefeated with three different partners and hasn’t played past the 16th hole at Royal Melbourne.

MELBOURNE, Australia – Dale Vallely stood behind the 16th green with a golf bag on his back and the look of confusion on his face said that he didn’t know where to go. All he knew was that his match was over.

Vallely is the caddie for Mexico’s Abraham Ancer, who had just buried a 27-foot birdie putt from off the green to clinch a 3-and-2 victory with Sungjae Im in their four-ball match over Team USA’s Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay.

“I still don’t know where the 17th tee is,” Vallely joked.

That’s because Ancer, a 28-year-old Presidents Cup debutante, has won all three of his matches with three different partners without needing to play beyond the 16th hole.

Ancer, ranked No. 39 in the world, has been channeling Japan’s Shigeki Maruyama, who was tabbed “The Smilin Assassin” after going 5-0 as the Internationals won their only Presidents Cup here at Royal Melbourne in 1998.

PRESIDENTS CUP: Scores | Photos | TV info

Call him “Aussie Abe.” Ancer, who won the 2018 Australian Open for his biggest victory as a professional, leaned on his putter, which has been both shield and sheath this week. As Marc Leishman, who teamed with Ancer for a 3-and-2 win in Friday’s foursomes, put it, “He’s such a good putter and loves being in the heat of the battle.”

Louis Oosthuizen, who teamed with Ancer to pummel Americans Dustin Johnson and Gary Woodland 4 and 3, was even more emphatic: “My man just made everything,” Oosthuizen said Thursday. “He hit fairways, greens, and it’s all on him today. It was unreal.”

And on Saturday morning Ancer delivered again in tandem with Im.

Abraham Ancer and Sungjae Im celebrate defeating Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay during Saturday four-ball matches at the 2019 Presidents Cup. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

“My partner, Abraham Ancer, made some ridiculous putts, especially on the third hole. There was a huge curving putt that he made, and he made a clutch putt on the last for us to win. I think we motivated each other a lot and that’s what helped us win the match.”

Of the winning putt at 16, Ancer said, “Oh, man, that was so much fun. These are the moments that we’ve been practicing for our whole life.”

Despite an impressive PGA Tour campaign in which he finished a career-best second at the Northern Trust in. August, Ancer didn’t garner much talk leading into the Presidents Cup. He wouldn’t go so far as to say that the Americans underestimated his abilities, but his caddie explained why he entered the biennial competition floating under the radar.

“Guys don’t realize how good he is. It’s because he’s never won (on the PGA Tour) so he doesn’t get paired with the best players,” Vallely said. “But he’s going to win, and he’s going to win a lot.”

Asked before the pairings were released if he’d be raring to go back out for the afternoon foursomes, Ancer said, “I’m ready. Put me in coach!”

Aussie Abe will partner with Leishman against Justin Thomas, who is the only other player at 3-0, and Rickie Fowler. Something’s gotta give in that match. Perhaps Vallely will figure out where the 17th tee is located.

“Nope,” he said. “Don’t want to.”

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Presidents Cup: Team USA struggles as Internationals win Saturday four-ball

The Internationals extended their lead over Tiger Woods and the Americans during Saturday morning’s four-ball matches at the Presidents Cup.

For the third consecutive day in Australia the Internationals dominated the Americans.

Entering Saturday’s morning (Friday night in North America) four-ball session with a 6½-3½ lead at the 2019 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne, the Internationals put the pressure on with another stellar day of play to extend their lead after winning the session 2-1-1. At the start of afternoon foursomes, the Internationals lead 9-5.

After earning two points alongside playing captain Tiger Woods in the first two days, Justin Thomas remained hot, earning a third point and the day’s first alongside Rickie Fowler, 3 and 2, over Haotong Li and Marc Leishman.

“That’s why we’re on this team,” Thomas said to Golf Channel in response to why the big moments bring out the best in his game. “That’s why we play, why we chose professional golf as our careers. We want that putt.”

Known as Captain America for his strong play in team events, Patrick Reed has yet to win a point for Team USA in this year’s competition, and has struggled in recent team events since earning the nickname. Reed and Webb Simpson dropped their third match of the event, losing to C.T. Pan and Hideki Matsuyama, 5 and 3. Pan and Matsuyama never trailed, and Simpson won the lone two holes for the Americans in the match.

When paired with Jordan Spieth in either the Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup, Reed is 8-1-3. He’s 0-7-0 with anyone else.

The MVP of the event thus far has undoubtedly been Abraham Ancer. The Presidents Cup rookie has dominated on the greens en route to a perfect 3-0 for Ernie Els and the Internationals, earning another win with a clutch putt alongside fellow rookie Sungjae Im, defeating Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, 3 and 2.

Just six holes were won in the final match of the morning between the Internationals’ Byeong-Hun An/Adam Scott and Americans’ Tony Finau/Matt Kuchar. Team USA held a brief three-hole 1 up advantage on the front nine, and a Kuchar missed putt from three feet on No. 15 gave the Internationals a late 1 up lead with three to play.

On the 17th hole, An made a 20-foot birdie putt, but Finau followed suit to take the match to the 18th hole, where he made birdie once again to earn the half point.

After the morning session, Woods and Els made their selections for the Day 3 afternoon foursomes matches, where Woods will be on the bench once again. You can catch all the action on Golf Channel from 3 p.m. ET Friday – 2 a.m. ET Saturday, and again on the replay from 2:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. ET Saturday on NBC.

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Presidents Cup: Breaking down Day 3 four-ball pairings

Captain Tiger Woods is benching Tiger Woods for Day 3’s morning four-ball session. Suffice to say, it has nothing to do with his play.

MELBOURNE, Australia — Captain Tiger Woods is benching Tiger Woods for Day 3’s morning four-ball session of four matches. Suffice to say, it has nothing to do with his play, which has been nothing short of brilliant through the opening two days, but rather a tactical decision, Captain Woods said.

“That was the game plan,” said the 43-year-old Woods, who had knee surgery only a few months ago. “It would be hard for me to go all the sessions.”

Expect Woods to reunite with Justin Thomas, who together are 2-0, in the afternoon foursomes session. But Thomas will team with Rickie Fowler in the opening match (Match 11) against Marc Leishman and Haotong Li, who will be making his Presidents Cup debut after sitting on Thursday and Friday. Thomas and Fowler made a formidable tandem at the 2017 Presidents Cup, recording a 2-0-1 record.

In the next two matches, Woods stuck with a couple of tandems he clearly likes together. Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay, who capped off a dramatic 1-up victory with a birdie on 18 on Friday, are paired against Sungjae Im and Team USA killer Abraham Ancer, who is 2-0, in Match 12.

PRESIDENTS CUP: Scores | TV info | Photos | Day 3 four-ball tee times

Woods also entrusted Patrick Reed and Webb Simpson, who are winless in two matches and have only led for one hole in their 34 holes of competition.

“They have played well. Unfortunately, they just haven’t won points. But they have done all the little things right. It’s just a matter of having things go your way,” Woods said. “They are excited about being with one another, and they have handled everything extremely well.”

Reed and Simpson’s opponents in Match 13 will be Hideki Matsuyama and C.T. Pan in a rematch of Day 1 in which the Internationals won 1 up thanks to a clutch putt by Matsuyama on 17. International Team Captain Ernie Els finally trotted out a repeat team after having 12 different pairings and he went back to the well for his final pairing – Adam Scott and Ben An – who will face Matt Kuchar and Tony Finau.

With only four matches per session on Saturday, four players have to sit on both sides. Els benched Louis Oosthuizen, Adam Hadwin, Cameron Smith and Joaquin Niemann. In addition to sitting himself, Woods benched Dustin Johnson, Gary Woodland and Bryson DeChambeau, who is sidelined for a second consecutive session.

“Leaving four players out is very difficult because we all know that all 12 guys are very talented. They can all play,” Woods said. “They are part of this team and part of the squad. For guys on our team who have been part of Ryder Cups, it’s very difficult.”

As it must have been difficult for Woods to bench his best player through two days – himself.

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Presidents Cup: Things got chippy between Cameron Smith and Patrick Reed

MELBOURNE, Australia – On the eve of the Presidents Cup, Cameron Smith was asked about the state of his relationship with Patrick Reed after Smith didn’t mince words in calling Reed “a cheat” for his rules infraction at the Hero World Challenge last …

MELBOURNE, Australia – On the eve of the Presidents Cup, Cameron Smith was asked about the state of his relationship with Patrick Reed after Smith didn’t mince words in calling Reed “a cheat” for his rules infraction at the Hero World Challenge last week.

“I think there is a little bit of tension there. I’ve looked at Patrick a couple times but he hasn’t looked back,” Smith said. “I think our friendship, I guess, is not quite there anymore.”

Things got a bit chippy between the two on Friday when Smith, who sat out the first session of the Presidents Cup, was supporting teammates Hideki Matsuyama and C.T. Pan in their Four-ball match against Reed-Webb Simpson.

After Reed canned a birdie putt at the fifth green, he walked off the green and brushed shoulders with Smith. One witness described it as a “love tap” to Golf Digest Australia’s Brad Clifton. When asked after Saturday’s round whether it was done playfully or with a bit of venom, Smith said, “I’m not really sure what it was about to be honest. I mean, I haven’t said anything wrong.”

PRESIDENTS CUP: Scores | TV info | Photos | Day 3 four-ball tee times

At the Australian Open last week in Sydney, Smith said he didn’t have sympathy for anyone that cheats.

“If you make a mistake once, maybe you can understand, but to give like a bit of a bulls–t response like the camera angle, I mean, that’s pretty up there,” Smith told reporters. “I know Pat pretty good and he’s always been nice to me, so I don’t want to say anything bad about him. But for anyone that is cheating the rules, I’m not up for that.”

Smith stopped short of adding anymore fuel to fire in the war of words.

“I just don’t want to really talk about it anymore. I think it’s all said and done. I’ve said my bit. He’s said his bit. Let’s just get on with our job and try and play the Presidents Cup.”

Small sample size but nearly every Australian this reporter has talked to is hoping that Captains Els and Woods let them settle their differences in a Sunday singles match.

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Presidents Cup: Americans fight back during foursomes with 18th green theatrics

At one point it looked as if the Internationals were going to run away with the Presidents Cup. Then the Americans turned the tide.

At one point during the Presidents Cup foursomes matches on Friday (Thursday night in the U.S.) at Royal Melbourne, it appeared as if the Internationals were destined to run away with the trophy.

After taking a commanding 4-1 lead in the first round four-ball matches, Ernie Els and company led in all five matches late on Day 2, but the Americans fought back with some theatrics on the 18th green. Both sides earned 2½ points, with the Internationals maintaining their three point lead. Entering the third day of play, the Internationals hold a 6½-3½ advantage.

Here’s a recap of Day 2 at the Presidents Cup.

PRESIDENTS CUP: Scores | Best photos
MEET THE TEAMS: USA | Internationals

Foursomes matches

Scott-Oosthuizen (Int.) def. Kuchar-Johnson (U.S.), 3 and 2

Matt Kuchar and Dustin Johnson were 2 up through seven holes in the first match of the day and it appeared as if they would cruise to victory. That’s when the dynamic pairing of Adam Scott and Louis Oosthuizen got hot. The major champions won five of the next seven holes, ultimately putting the first point of the day on the board on the 16th hole with a 3 and 2 victory. At the time of their win, the Internationals held the lead in every match.

Cantlay-Schauffele (U.S.) def. Niemann-Hadwin (Int.), 1 up

The closest match of the day, no team went more than 1 up over the 18 holes. The Internationals held a 1 up lead for five of the opening nine holes, but the Americans were able to tie the match at the turn and then close it out on the final hole thanks to Patrick Cantlay’s flat stick magic.

Ancer-Leishman (Int.) def. Reed-Simpson (U.S.), 3 and 2

The television highlight of this match will probably by Patrick Reed responding to a heckler with an “I can’t hear you” and a shoveling motion down two on the 11th hole. The real story? Abraham Ancer and his can’t-miss putter. The Internationals extended their lead to 4 up and on the 14th hole and cruised to a 3 and 2 victory. Oh, and Ancer can play from the sand, too.

Woods-Thomas (U.S.) def. Matsuyama-An (Int.), 1 up

Foursomes, or alternate shot, is not an easy format, but you’d have no idea after watching Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas on the front nine. The Americans got out to a 2 up lead through five before Hideki Matsuyama and Ben An fought back, setting up for some 18th green theatrics from Thomas.

Smith-Im (Int.) vs. Fowler-Woodland (U.S.), tie

Welcome to the Presidents Cup, Cameron Smith. The 26-year-old native of Brisbane made his debut on home soil with some flair, chipping in for birdie on the first hole. Smith and Sungjae Im held a 2 up lead through 15 holes, but some clutch shots from Rickie Fowler and Gary Woodland earned the Americans two birdies on Nos. 16 and 17, with Fowler closing out the tie on the 18th green.

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