International captain Mike Weir says LIV Golf players won’t compete at 2024 Presidents Cup

“They knew that when they left, they knew that they weren’t gonna be part of (the Presidents Cup).”

Brooks Koepka was able to tee it up for the U.S. Ryder Cup team last fall in Italy due to a technicality in the PGA of America’s rules for the competition, which allowed LIV Golf players to compete. The same won’t be possible for this year’s Presidents Cup.

Speaking with the media on a conference call Tuesday afternoon, International captain Mike Weir said LIV players would not be eligible for the 2024 event at Royal Montreal Golf Club, Sept. 27-29. The biennial bash between the United States and rest of the world (minus Europe) is organized by the PGA Tour, and competitors must be active members to compete.

“Certainly I want the best players internationally to be playing (the Presidents Cup). Hopefully we come to a point that they are,” said Weir. “It’s just an unfortunate situation that we’re in right now.

“I’ve been told they’re not eligible. They’re not gonna be eligible but hopefully going forward, maybe in Chicago in 2026, they are,” he continued. “It is a shame. I mean, we would want the best players, but I like our team. Our team looks great right now, but yeah, I think as a captain, we want the best international players from around the world to be playing against the best U.S. guys.”

Players like Hideki Matsuyama, Adam Scott, Tom Kim, Jason Day, Sungjae Im and Si Woo Kim are almost assured to be involved, but imagine if the likes of Joaquin Niemann, Cam Smith, Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel, Sebastian Munoz and Abraham Ancer were available?

“I guess the flip side is they knew that when they left, they knew that they weren’t gonna be part of (the Presidents Cup). That was definitely part of the conversation,” Weir explained. “I think some of that’s one of the reasons some guys struggled with (going to LIV) because they loved (the Presidents Cup) so much and they want to be part of it.”

With six months to go until the first round of matches, Weir is now focused on team camaraderie and figuring out how to set up the golf course to make it more favorable to the International team. In fact, a group dinner is scheduled ahead of this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill with guys on the team to start the team-building process.

“That’s always been part of our strategy, we have a lot of different cultures, a lot of different backgrounds,” Weir said of the struggle to build connections on a team with so many language barriers. “We have some new faces this year that are looking like they’ll be part of the team. So just getting everybody together and get to know one another and know what the International team is all about.”

The 2003 Masters champion isn’t just focused on a favorable golf course. He also wants a raucous crowd to provide the Internationals with a much-needed homefield advantage. Weir was a member of the International side the last time the event was held at Royal Montreal in 2007, and he admitted the fans were a bit too cordial to Tiger Woods and the Americans, who won 19½-14½.

“I’ll have something,” said a grinning Weir of his home field plans. The Internationals are leaning on the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens and plan to tap into their fan base to provide a hockey-esque atmosphere. That said, he wants the entire country to be involved and engaged, not just folks from the area.

The Presidents Cup debuted in 1994 and in the 14 matches since, the U.S. has dominated with 12 wins, one loss in 1998 and one tie in 2003.

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Presidents Cup: Can the International team pull off a Quail Mary and upset the Americans?

The Internationals need to win 8½ of the 12 points up for grabs on Sunday to complete the comeback.

CHARLOTTE – The fat lady was warming up and it was only Friday evening of the 2022 Presidents Cup.

That is until 20-year-old Tom Kim, doing his best Ian Poulter imitation, led a spirited charge as the International team outscored the Americans in a two-session day for the first time since 1998.

“We were in a deep hole,” International team Captain Trevor Immelman said, “and we dug deep.”

The putts started to drop for the International side, none bigger than the 10-foot birdie putt on 18 at Quail Hollow Club by Kim to beat the U.S. team of Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay, and cut the deficit to 11-7 going into Sunday’s singles session.

“We got to refocus, and we’ve got a lot of pissed off guys that want to come out really strong tomorrow,” said Jordan Spieth.

“Guess I’d be one of those pissed off guys,” Schauffele, who was seated next to Spieth said.

Spieth and Thomas won the lone four-ball match of the afternoon session to stretch the U.S. lead to 11-4 before the International side captured the final three points up for grabs. It was shades of the 2012 Ryder Cup when Europe staged a furious rally on Saturday to set up a comeback dubbed the Miracle at Medinah – from four points behind. As if that isn’t enough of a coincidence, the U.S. captain that year was none other than Love.

“Four points is four points. It’s been a big number,” Love said. “I’ve been four behind before too, you know. We’ve been four ahead, four behind. We’ve watched the Solheim Cup be four ahead. So it’s a magical number.”

If the Internationals are to complete the biggest comeback in the event’s 28-year history and win on American soil for the first time, they’ll need to claim 8½ of the 12 points up for grabs.

Love has stacked his Sunday singles lineup with big names going out early: Justin Thomas in the leadoff spot followed by Jordan Spieth, Sam Burns, Patrick Cantlay and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.

Speaking on Golf Channel’s Live From, Paul McGinley said, “it’s very important that they don’t leak any more oil. Then the pressure flips onto America in front of the home crowd. Every one of us thought here thought this was over yesterday.”

Despite playing on foreign soil and being outmanned and missing the likes of Cameron Smith, Immelman has molded a team that took his mantra of playing with freedom to heart. Immelman’s lineup is a bit more eclectic and surprisingly left the team’s Energizer Bunny, Kim, to the 10th match rather than send him out early to provide another spark.

“We have our system, and we try and run it,” Immelman explained. “If we’re 10 up or 10 down, we run our system, and we see what happens.”

Australian Adam Scott, who is competing in his 10th Presidents Cup, liked what he saw on Saturday. It was the future of a team that even if it doesn’t pull off an unlikely upset could be the core for years to come, including someday when he’ll be calling the shots. Saturday’s rally is a day that he’ll not soon forget.

“I think over the course of my career in this, there hasn’t been many times I’ve felt momentum going our way,” he said. “And today, we had the momentum. We certainly have it finishing this evening, and it will be great if we could keep it rolling tomorrow.”

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Budding International star Tom Kim steals the show on Saturday at the Presidents Cup

Tom Kim is a budding star.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Two months ago, Tom Kim joined the PGA Tour as a special temporary member in a quest to earn his card for the 2022-23 season.

Last month, he claimed his first win on Tour at the 2022 Wyndham Championship and started to grow in popularity in the golf world, largely due to the origin of his name stemming from the TV show, Thomas the Tank Engine.

This week, the 20-year-old South Korean is hitting pure 2-irons under immense pressure, walking in clutch putts and providing some much-needed juice to an International team looking to make Presidents Cup history.

And you thought you had a good summer.

Kim has been praised all week long by his International teammates and captains for his youthful exuberance and talent, and on Saturday he was the catalyst for the change in momentum at Quail Hollow Club that saw the worldwide all-stars split the morning foursomes and earn their first win of the week in afternoon four-ball to bring the overall score to 11-7 in favor of the U.S.

Presidents Cup: Sunday pairings, tee times

“But when it comes to Tom Kim, you know, this young kid has burst onto the scene in the last six months, and it has been such a tremendous — he’s been such a tremendous gift to our sport,” captain Trevor Immelman said of his rising star. “He has an ability to be a global superstar, this kid. I know he has the game. We’ve seen he has the game. But what I’ve learned about personality and his heart and what he stands for this week, man, I am a huge fan.”

Kim was victorious in both sessions, first taking down the struggling American pairing of Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns in foursomes, 2 and 1, alongside K.H. Lee. He then teamed up with Si Woo Kim in the first match of the afternoon and took down the previously undefeated pairing of Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele after stuffing a 2-iron to 10 feet and burying the birdie putt on the final hole to win, 1 up.

Kim not only wanted that moment on the 18th green, but he was ready for it, celebration and all.

“I was already thinking in the back of my mind, ‘If this goes in, what am I going to do? How am I going to celebrate?'” he said with a smile. It’s a miracle he didn’t have a wardrobe malfunction, seeing as he’s already split his pants not once, but twice this week.

“I mean, in tournaments, I would never, ever shout this loud or go this crazy,” Kim explained. “But I’m just trying to bring some good energy to the team. You know, that’s all I can do. We’re behind a little bit. So I’m just trying to bring positive vibes and try to get the team going and just give momentum to the team.

“To beat a team like (Cantlay-Schauffele) today, I feel like tomorrow we’re going to have a lot of momentum going in.”

And the Internationals will need every bit of that momentum if they are to win on American soil for the first time and complete the comeback, which would be the largest in the event’s 28-year history.

“Job’s not done. We’ve got a job to do tomorrow,” Kim said of Sunday. “We’ve got a great group of guys, and we believe. I think that’s the biggest thing. No one really believed in us, but we believe in ourselves.

Kim takes the stage once again at 1:50 p.m. ET Sunday for his singles match against fan-favorite Max Homa. Talk about an encore.

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Presidents Cup 2022 Sunday singles matches, tee times as U.S. leads Internationals, 11-7

The Americans lead 11-7 and need just 4½ points to win the cup.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It’s advantage Americans in the race to 15½ points on Sunday at the 2022 Presidents Cup, but the Internationals gained some ground on Saturday.

Trevor Immelman’s squad dug themselves into a hole with a pair of 4-1 losses on Thursday and Friday but put the shovel down on Saturday. The Internationals split the morning foursomes at Quail Hollow Club then proceeded to win their first session of the week in afternoon four-ball after flipping a pair of matches over the final three holes to bring the overall score to 11-7.

The largest final-session comeback in Presidents Cup history came in 2003 when the Americans overcame a three-point deficit to tie the match at Royal Melbourne in Australia, the lone tie in the event’s history. If the Internationals are to win on American soil for the first time, they’ll need to claim 8½ of the 12 points up for grabs on Sunday and complete the biggest comeback, and upset, in the event’s 28-year history

Here’s are the 12 singles matches for the final day of the 2022 Presidents Cup. All times Eastern.

Sunday singles matches, tee times

Time Match
12:02 p.m. Si Woo Kim (Intl.) vs. Justin Thomas (U.S.)
12:14 p.m. Cam Davis (Intl.) vs. Jordan Spieth (U.S.)
12:26 p.m. Hideki Matsuyama (Intl.) vs. Sam Burns (U.S.)
12:38 p.m. Adam Scott (Intl.) vs. Patrick Cantlay (U.S.)
12:50 p.m. Sebastian Munoz (Intl.) vs. Scottie Scheffler (U.S.)
1:02 p.m. Taylor Pendrith (Intl.) vs. Tony Finau (U.S.)
1:14 p.m. Corey Conners (Intl.) vs. Xander Schauffele (U.S.)
1:26 p.m. Sungjae Im (Intl.) vs. Cameron Young (U.S.)
1:38 p.m. K.H. Lee (Intl.) vs. Billy Horschel (U.S.)
1:50 p.m. Tom Kim (Intl.) vs. Max Homa (U.S.)
2:02 p.m. Mito Pereira (Intl.) vs. Collin Morikawa (U.S.)
2:14 p.m. Christiaan Bezuidenhout (Intl.) vs. Kevin Kisner (U.S.)

How to watch, stream, listen

Sunday, Sept. 25

NBC/Peacock: 12-6 p.m. ET
PGA Tour Radio: 12-6 p.m. ET

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Presidents Cup: What you missed from Saturday morning foursomes as Internationals split the session

The Internationals fended off a Saturday finish with two big points from the morning foursomes.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After losing the first two sessions on Thursday and Friday the International squad stopped the bleeding Saturday morning at the 2022 Presidents Cup.

The worldwide all-stars split the morning foursomes session, 2-2, with big wins from veterans Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama, who both have struggled this week at Quail Hollow Club. Speaking of struggling, Americans Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns lost yet again in foursomes, just as they did on Thursday, while the prosperous pairing of Tony Finau and Max Homa earned another win in the alternate-shot format.

Here’s a breakdown of each match on Day 3 at the 2022 Presidents Cup.

Presidents Cup: Best photos | Must-see merch

Jordan Spieth-Justin Thomas (U.S.) def. Sungjae Im-Corey Conners (Intl.), 4 and 3

Did you really think this pair of pals would lose? Spieth improved to 7-0-0 in Presidents Cup foursomes and has yet to lose with Thomas yet this week (3-0-0). After losing the second hole to fall behind 1-down, the Americans took control and never trailed again in the match thanks to wins on Nos. 3, 4 and 7. The only other win for the Internationals came with birdie on the par-4 8th. The U.S. put the first point on the board with wins on Nos. 9, 13 and 15 to win, 4 and 3.

Adam Scott-Hideki Matsuyama (Intl.) def. Cameron Young-Collin Morikawa (U.S.), 3 and 2

Scott and Matsuyama were blown out in foursomes on Thursday, had new partners on Friday and fared no better separately. But International team captain Trevor Immelman had faith in reuniting them for Saturday’s foursomes and the pair of former Masters champions delivered.

Matsuyama and Scott defeated Americans Morikawa and Young, 3 and 2.

“We had to, you know,” Scott said. “It was kind of story of the week. Slow starts, at least for me, and they’ve been tough. But we played a few good holes, and they had a bit of a battle for a couple of holes, and we managed to hang on and we got on top of them and held on.”

It was a tale of two nines on Saturday morning with the U.S. taking the early lead thanks to bogeys at the second and fifth by the Internationals. Scott and Matsuyama turned it on starting at the ninth, erasing the 2-down deficit with a par at nine followed by three consecutive birdies. Scott rolled in putts of 13 feet at 10, 15 feet at 11, and just over a foot at 12. When the U.S. went from bunker to bunker at 13 and made double bogey, the Internationals had opened a 3-up lead. Pars at 13-15 and the match was over, a much-needed point for Team International.

K.H. Lee-Tom Kim (Intl.) def. Scottie Scheffler-Sam Burns (U.S.), 2 and 1

Kim walked in a 15-foot birdie putt at 10, then dropped in a 36-foot eagle putt at 11 and dropped his putter, screamed, “Come on! Let’s go! Woo!” and walked off to the next tee, leaving his caddie to collect his ball and putter. Ladies and gentleman, a star is born.

“Tom’s like the Energizer bunny, just keeps going,” said foursomes partner K.H. Lee.

Kim and his fellow Korean Lee secured a full point with a 2-and-1 victory over the American team of Burns and Scheffler.

Before the matches got underway, American Kevin Kisner told Captain Davis Love III that he’d be crazy if he didn’t play Sam Burns and Scottie Scheffler together in all four sessions of team play. But the partnership of good friends didn’t produce the goods – they went 0-2-1 – and world No. 1 Scheffler, who shanked a tee shot at a par 3 on Saturday, is riding the pine as Burns hooks up with Billy Horschel for an afternoon four-ball match.

It was a back-and-forth affair through 14 holes with neither side gaining more than a 1-up lead. Kim broke the deadlock with a 14-foot birdie putt at 15 – clenching his fist while holding onto his putter in celebration – and when the U.S. made bogey at 16, the International team grabbed the first 2-up lead of the match and held on for the win.

It meant the morning foursomes session was split and the score heading into the afternoon session of four-ball stood at 10-4 in favor of Team USA.

Tony Finau-Max Homa (U.S.) def. Si Woo Kim-Cam Davis (Intl.), 4 and 3

Like the first match, the last of the morning was another 4-and-3 win for the Americans. Finau and Homa never trailed against the Internationals and lost just two holes consecutively on Nos. 5 and 6. The Red, White and Blue then won Nos. 8-10 to take a 3-up lead and ended the match on the 15th with a par for the win.

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Presidents Cup: Usual suspects help Americans extend lead over Internationals after Friday four-ball session

The rout is on at Quail Hollow.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The usual suspects for the Americans got the job done in convincing fashion on Friday at the 2022 Presidents Cup, but the Internationals didn’t go down without a fight.

Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas continued their impressive partnership with a 2-and-1 win over Australians Adam Scott and Cam Davis to give the Americans the first point of the day at Quail Hollow Club. And speaking of unbeatable duos, Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele won yet again on Friday, taking down Hideki Matsuyama and Tom Kim, 3 and 2.

They weren’t wins, but the International pairings of Sungjae Im-Sebastian Munoz and Mito Pereira-Christiaan Bezuidenhout picked up a clutch point with a pair of ties in the second and third matches of the day, while Max Homa and Billy Horschel sealed the deal on the 18th for the Americans to win the session, 4-1, and extend their overall lead to 8-2.

Here’s a breakdown of each match on Day 2 at the 2022 Presidents Cup.

Presidents Cup: Best photos | Must-see merch

Our Presidents Cup Friday four-ball predictions: Can Internationals cut into American lead?

Thursday proved the Internationals won’t just roll over. Can they get it done on Friday?

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — We’re only one round down at the 2022 Presidents Cup and the International squad is already in a hole.

The Americans rolled to a 4-1 win during Thursday’s foursomes (alternate shot) session at Quail Hollow Club and will trot out three of the same pairings for Friday’s four-ball session (each player plays his own ball and the lowest score wins the hole). The Internationals, on the other hand, have a fresh lineup of five new pairings for Day 2 of the biennial bout, including a couple countrymen combos.

Golfweek’s Adam Schupak and Adam Woodard are on the scene this week and made picks for the second round of matches (after nailing the Thursday final score and admittedly missing the mark on a few matches). Don’t be surprised if the Internationals cut into the deficit.

Presidents Cup: Yardage book | Results over the yearsTV times

11:35 a.m. ET: Adam Scott-Cam Davis (Intl.) vs. Jordan Spieth-Justin Thomas (U.S.)

AS: I’m calling the upset. JT-Jordan is a tough foe but neither looked sharp on Thursday. Scott has too much pride to lay another egg and Davis is underrated, if you ask me.

AW: “It’s really fun, right? He’s my best friend in the whole world,” Spieth said of Thomas. “We’ve played a lot of golf together. We’ve played a lot of golf against each other. Now we’ve played quite a bit with each other. There’s nothing more fun than these team events, playing alongside JT.”

All due respect to the other Adam, and I mean with all due respect, but those two aren’t losing. Gimme the Americans.

11:50 a.m. ET: Sungjae Im-Sebastian Munoz (Intl.) vs. Scottie Scheffler-Sam Burns (U.S.)

AS: Don’t sleep on Munoz, who can be a birdie machine but The Scotty-Sammy Show got renewed for another season and doesn’t want to be canceled. I can’t see those good friends, the only American side to lose on Day One, letting their teammates down again.

AW: Captain Davis Love III is trotting out three of the same pairs for four-ball on Friday as he did for foursomes on Thursday, and I’m shocked he didn’t stop at two with Thomas-Spieth and Cantlay-Schauffele (more on them to come). There must be something in the stats that points to this group staying together, but I think we see Munoz come out firing after being left on the sidelines Thursday to lead the Internationals to at least a tie, if not a win.

12:05 p.m. ET: Mito Pereira-Christiaan Bezuidenhout (Intl.) vs. Kevin Kisner-Cam Young (U.S.)

AS: I really like teaming Kisner and Young together and I just have my concerns about whether Pereira and Bezuidenhout can make enough birdies to keep up with the Americans.

AW: Couldn’t agree more. I also wouldn’t be shocked if Kis shows some early emotion and gets the crowd going out at Quail Hollow. After all, this ain’t no hobby.

12:20 p.m. ET: Hideki Matsuyama-Tom Kim (Intl.) vs. Patrick Cantlay-Xander Schauffele (U.S.)

AS: This is going to be a fun one. Until I see Cantlay and Schauffele go down to defeat, I’m going to keep picking them and expecting them to win.

AW: I am all in on Tom Kim. The guy is just what this International team needed in a turbulent time with its roster: he’s young, funny, energetic and absolutely thrilled to be a part of this team. Cantlay and Schauffele have to lose some time, right? I’ll take the underdog Internationals.

12:35 p.m. ET: Corey Conners-Taylor Pendrith (Intl.) vs. Billy Horschel-Max Homa (U.S.)

AS: Oh, Canada! I’ve got a feeling. These two have been playing as a team since before college. Apparently, the stats say they don’t make a great pairing in foursomes, but I guess I’m old-school: familiarity and experience together matter and I’m bullish on Pendrith.

AW: I don’t disagree with the Canada connection, but something tells me after all this time that Billy Horschel isn’t going to lay an egg in his first appearance for the national time. Plus that Max Homa guy is playing pretty well these days, too.

Schupak: USA wins session, 3-2 | Woodard: USA wins session, 3½-1½.

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How did Trevor Immelman get his International Presidents Cup team to mesh? Hard work, planning and a big dose of rookie Tom Kim.

“His attitude is almost matching that of Trevor, which is, for as many guys being as passionate as he is, it’s awesome.”

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Remember that feeling you got as a kid during the holidays or a birthday where you just couldn’t wait to open your presents? Trevor Immelman equated that same emotion to the vibe around his International team ahead of the 2022 Presidents Cup this week.

“It’s kind of like Christmas morning when you can’t wait to open your presents up. That’s what I’m seeing from these kids walking into the team room for the first time (Monday night),” said Immelman on Tuesday at Quail Hollow Club. “So that’s what’s fun for guys like me and (Adam Scott) and the captains, (Hideki Matsuyama), that have been here before. It’s good to see that excitement out of them.”

Like the six captains to come before him, the South African has been tasked with meshing together a team of 12 players – eight of which are rookies – from seven different countries for one week of play.

“He’s been passionate about us being as prepared as possible. To the dinners we’ve had, to the trip we had out here a couple weeks ago, to just even earlier this week the last couple of days, it’s just been eyes forward,” said rookie Cam Davis of how Immelman has prepared the squad for the week. “We’ve got a job to do. We’ve got the best chance we’ve ever had to do it with the preparation we’ve got and the strategy we’ve got in place to try to make it all work.”

“It’s one of the areas that’s been quite a hurdle for us over the years, trying to make sure that everybody is comfortable together,” explained Immelman. “Like you’re blending seven or eight cultures and trying to get everybody in their sweet spot.”

Meet the teams: Americans | Internationals

The International squad is starting to see the results of that culture being built, especially with regard to Joohyung “Tom” Kim. The 20-year-old from Seoul, South Korea, is making his debut for the Internationals in their biennial bout with the Americans after a PGA Tour season last year that featured 10 made cuts in 11 starts with six top-25 finishes and a win at the 2022 Wyndham Championship last month. Kim’s youthful exuberance has been key for the Internationals, who are looking to win on foreign soil for the first time in the Cup’s 28-year history.

“And for a guy like Tom Kim to be able to be hanging out with Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama in the team room last night, I mean, I wish you could have seen the kid’s face,” Immelman said with a smile. “It was just pure joy and excitement and anticipation for the week.”

“I wouldn’t say I’m a big trash talker. I’m a jokester with the guys I’m close with. And the whole team, I feel like I have a really good relationship with,” said Kim of his role on the team. “So I just, as the youngest team member, you know, I just like to joke around a lot. I’m lucky enough that they don’t give me (expletive) for it. But I’m pretty fortunate.”

The captain wasn’t the only member of the team to single out Kim’s efforts so far in helping the team gel together.

“He’s got a great sense of humor. Brings a lot of positive energy,” said Sungjae Im. “He’s obviously the youngest player on the team, so he’s kind of the baby. But brings a lot of positive energy and a lot of humors to keep the energy very light and lighthearted.”

“There’s definitely different identities, cultures, likes, dislikes. This year, we’ve done a great job,” added Sebastian Munoz. “I feel like it’s always been kind of tough to integrate the Koreans with us, but I feel like having Tom on the team, he’s super fluent and super funny so he really helps the whole team kind of mesh in that aspect.”

“I think, if anything, a lot of the guys on this team have been traditionally pretty reserved, and it’s great having a young guy on the team,” said Davis of Kim. “I’m sure he’s like that all the time. To be honest, this is the first time I’ve spent time around him. I’m enjoying it. I could see myself spending more time around him after this week because he’s a lot of fun. His attitude is almost matching that of Trevor, which is, for as many guys being as passionate as he is, it’s awesome.”

Kim has dreamt of unleashing “crazy first bumps” in this event since he was a kid, and he’s not taking the opportunity for granted.

“We have a really great bond, like a lot of rookies and a couple of veterans,” said Kim, “so it’s a great vibe. Again, like we said, a lot of young guys and a lot of veterans so it kind of evens it out. It’s definitely enjoyable in the team room.”

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‘Have a blast and let ‘er rip’: International captain Trevor Immelman embraces his eight Presidents Cup rookies and their underdog role

“I think it’s quite clear that we’re the underdogs … So we can go out there and play absolutely as free as we want.”

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Golf fans and media members alike have all but written off the International team’s chances at the 2022 Presidents Cup this week, and it’s justified on paper.

Only five International players rank inside the top 30: Hideki Matsuyama (17), Sungjae Im (19), Tom Kim (22), Corey Conners (26) and Adam Scott 30. All 12 players on the American squad sit inside the top 25, with five inside the top 10.

In the 13 previous editions of the biennial bout, the U.S. has won 11 times, with its lone loss coming in 1998, as well as a tie in 2003. With the odds stacked against his side, International captain Trevor Immelman is embracing the underdog role and his team full of rookies at Quail Hollow Club.

“I think it’s quite clear that we’re the underdogs. We generally have been in this competition over the years, so it’s a tag that we’re used to,” said Immelman during his pre-event press conference on Tuesday. “So we can go out there and play absolutely as free as we want, free as we can, and see if we can match up with the crazy good skills the Americans have, that they show us week in and week out.”

Meet the teams: Americans | Internationals
More: What if LPGA stars were added to the Presidents Cup?

Davis Love III and the Americans are used to being the favorite, but he also knows the eight rookies on the other team – Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Conners, Cam Davis, Kim, K.H. Lee, Sebastian Munoz, Taylor Pendrith and Mito Pereira – have arrived in North Carolina with a chip on their shoulder.

“I think it’s worked out quite well that we’ve got eight rookies here because they are just so excited,” added Immelman. “Everything is new and fresh, and they’re seeing everything for the first time.”

Despite the stats painting a grim picture, the Internationals enter with a good bit of form, as well. As pointed out by stats guru Justin Ray on Twitter, four of the top-six players in strokes gained ball striking from July 1 through the Tour Championship that are competing this week will do so behind the International shield: Pendrith (4th), Conners (5th), Im (7th), Scottie Scheffler (8th), Tony Finau (9th) and Kim (11th).

Immelman and his staff don’t plan on complicating things this week. According to Immelman, their message is clear: “Have a blast and let ‘er rip.”

“We have absolutely nothing to lose. These guys have worked their butts off since they were kids, and they finally made it into this team. Making this team is a big deal,” added Immelman, who further praised Ernie Els for helping establish an International identity in 2019 with the shield and team colors. “So my message to them is to, number one, trust yourself, believe in yourself, and then have a blast. Enjoy every second.”

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Presidents Cup: Stats, records and fun facts for the American and International teams

Take a scroll through these interesting Presidents Cup stats and records.

If you’re a fan of history, you may want to tune in to the Presidents Cup this week.

The biennial bout between the United States and Internationals tees off for the 14th time this week at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, where the Americans are looking to continue their dominance in the competition. Team USA holds an 11-1-1 record, with its lone loss coming in 1998 at Royal Melbourne.

While Trevor Immelman’s International side attempts to become the first to win on American soil, the team’s veteran leader Adam Scott has his own shot at setting another all-time record. Oh, and did you know that no player has never made a hole-in-one in the competition?

For more on the event’s history, take a scroll through these other interesting Presidents Cup stats and records.