He won’t be looping north of the border this week, but Mike “Fluff” Cowan will act as Jim Furyk’s right-hand man at the 2024 Presidents Cup.
Fluff and the captain of Team USA have been working together for 25 years — the pair split briefly earlier this year when Cowan went to caddie for C.T. Pan on the PGA Tour — and will be side-by-side as they wander the layout of Royal Montreal Golf Club over the next four days.
Cowan told our Adam Schupak last month he underwent surgery on his left hip and was hoping to be recovered enough to be Furyk’s cart driver at the biennial event.
The Presidents Cup rookie is rocking a new look in Canada.
Min Woo Lee is donning the International Team black and gold for the first time at this week’s Presidents Cup, but it’s his haircut that has everyone talking heading into the biennial event at Royal Montreal Golf Club.
Let’s just say Rickie Fowler would be proud.
Lee, 26, has yet to win on the PGA Tour but totaled eight top-25 finishes in 18 starts this year, including a pair of runner-ups (Cognizant Classic and Rocket Mortgage Classic). The Aussie’s solid 2024 resume was good enough to earn one of Mike Weir’s captain’s picks, and the Internationals are hoping he can bring some youthful energy to the team.
The Americans have dominated, but the Internationals have the experience this year.
Does experience matter at the Presidents Cup? It can’t hurt.
When it comes to this year’s biennial bash, which begins Thursday at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Canada, there’s a stark advantage for the International team in terms of experience in the competition between the United States and rest of the world, excluding Europe.
Of the 12 golfers on the American team, four of them are rookies, and the remaining eight have 11 combined appearances at the Presidents Cup. This week, Adam Scott will make his 11th start in the competition.
With stalwarts like Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth not competing, there are some new faces for the Americans, like Sahith Theegala and Wyndham Clark, the latter of who competed in Rome last year in his first team competition.
For the Internationals, however, three players have competed in at least four Presidents Cups, and they have only two rookies in 2024, including Canadian Mackenzie Hughes.
With the Americans owning a 12-1-1 advantage in the competition, it’s hard to say experience does matter, but perhaps this year can be when the International team gets an overdue victory.
Here’s a look at past records for every 2024 Presidents Cup competitor in Montreal.
The 2024 Presidents Cup begins Thursday at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Canada, but Tuesday night was one for formal attire. Players and captains, along with their wives and girlfriends, took to the red carpet for the Presidents Cup gala.
Members of the United States and International teams donned their finest gear at The Ring, a sculpture in Montreal.
In the competition, the Americans lead the all-time standings at 12-1-1. The Internationals are looking for their first win since 1998.
“Those are two guys I really miss competing against.”
It has been nearly a month since Scottie Scheffler played a golf tournament, but the last time he did, he was doing something he did a lot of this year: win.
Scheffler, coming off his seven-win season on the PGA Tour, is playing this week at the 2024 Presidents Cup for the first time since the Tour Championship, where he claimed the FedEx Cup. The top-ranked player in the world will lead the Americans against the Internationals at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Canada.
What has life been like since his victory at East Lake?
“Not much. We were at home for most of it. I took a good week off after East Lake, and then I got to practicing pretty quickly after that. That’s about it,” Scheffler said.
Scheffler said his manager brought up the idea to him, and he thought it sounded fun.
“I’ve partnered with Brooks and Bryson at Ryder Cups before. I’ve never obviously had a chance to play with Rory at the Ryder Cup, but those are two guys I really miss competing against.
“Brooks has five major championships. That’s a pretty cool record for him. He’s had a great career. He’s a guy I love competing against. You’ve got Bryson, with all his stuff, I think he’s a fun guy to be around.
“It definitely interested me, and the way things fell together, it seemed to work out nice. It seems like a fun deal.”
Team USA captain Zach Johnson talks with golfer Justin Thomas, golfer Scottie Scheffler, and golfer Brooks Koepka (right) on the 18th hole during day one fourballs round for the 44th Ryder Cup golf competition at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club. (Photo: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)
But first, Scheffler has the Presidents Cup, where in his debut in 2022 he went 0-3-1. He’s motivated to do better this year in another opportunity to represent his country.
“That’s probably why you saw me so emotional after the Olympics. I really do take a lot of pride in playing for my country,” Scheffler said. “I’ve had the opportunity to do it a few times, and it’s very special.
“Coming here to foreign soil for us and trying to compete and bring back the Cup, I think will be pretty fun.”
“It’s nice to actually feel like we have an actual home crowd.”
One of the best parts of team competitions is the home crowd.
In the Ryder Cup, whether the competition is in the United States or Europe, the opposing team is going to deal with constant jeering, raucous applause and more from the fans.
The Americans always have a home-field advantage, with events on home soil being a big advantage regardless of which team competition it is. For the Internationals, this year is bound to be different from the past. And that’s a key if the Internationals want to get their first win since 1998.
“It’s a big part of this competition, I believe, and a big part of team golf where you can ride some momentum and the crowd gets behind you, and you can really feed off that,” International captain Mike Weir said. “I certainly did here in 2007, not only with my match playing Tiger, but just the other matches, you get the crowd energy, and you can raise your level a little bit. So it can be a huge factor.”
One of the challenges the Internationals have faced is trying to unify golfers from around the world for a week to take down the Americans, who compete in team competitions every single year. The Internationals are forced to get people from numerous continents to bond and come together to take down an often-time overmatched foe, and that’s not always simple.
The Presidents Cup has been hosted in Australia, Canada, South Africa and South Korea, which is a home game for a handful of players on the International team. For the rest of the players, though they’re on the same team as the hometown favorites, they’re still outsiders to the fans.
On Tuesday during the pre-tournament press conferences ahead of the 2024 Presidents Cup, Weir and some of his players raved about the Canadian crowd and how it seems different this year. In the past, many International fans were infatuated with cheering for American stars like Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson as much as they were pulling for their country’s players to have success.
Canadian fans likely won’t be as starstruck.
Jason Day of Australia and the International Team reacts during a practice round prior to the 2024 Presidents Cup at The Royal Montreal Golf Club on September 24, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
“It’s going to be interesting,” Jason Day said. “This is probably the closest home game that I’ve played in front of because when we go down to Australia, I think they’re just so excited to see everyone because we don’t get a lot of golf down there, like especially the big names. In Canada, it’s obviously so close to the United States, and there’s like that friendly rivalry between the two countries, so it’s nice to actually feel like we have an actual home crowd. I don’t think I’ve ever felt like that before in the times that I’ve played.”
In addition to the friendly rivalry between the countries, there’s a PGA Tour event every year in Canada. Numerous Canadian teams play in American sports leagues, so fans north of the border are familiar with stars across all sports.
When it comes to golf, they will pull for their Canadians over anyone, and this week, it’s the International shield they’ll be backing.
“We’re certainly hoping the fans come out hard and cheer a lot for our guys,” Weir said. “Hopefully it is a factor.”
Here are a few picks for the week at Royal Montreal.
The 2024 Presidents Cup gets underway Thursday with a fourball session scheduled for 11:35 a.m. ET at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Quebec, Canada. Jim Furyk will lead Team USA, while Canadian Mike Weir is set to captain the Internationals in his home country.
Some of the big names on the American side include world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa. For the Internationals, they’ll lean on veterans Adam Scott, Jason Day and Hideki Matsuyama while boasting young stars Tom Kim and Min Woo Lee.
Team USA leads the all-time series at 12-1-1 and hopes to once again raise the Cup coming Sunday afternoon.
Scottie Scheffler of the U.S. Team warms up on the range prior to the 2024 Presidents Cup at The Royal Montreal Golf Club on September 24, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Presidents Cup teams
Team USA
International Team
Scottie Scheffler
Hideki Matsuyama
Xander Schauffele
Sungjae Im
Collin Morikawa
Adam Scott
Wyndham Clark
Tom Kim
Patrick Cantlay
Jason Day
Sahith Theegala
Byeong Hun An
Keegan Bradley
Christiaan Bezuidenhout
Sam Burns
Corey Conners
Tony Finau
Mackenzie Hughes
Brian Harman
Si Woo Kim
Russell Henley
Min Woo Lee
Max Homa
Taylor Pendrith
Presidents Cup format, schedule
Thursday: Fourball (best ball). The first tee time is scheduled for 11:35 a.m. ET.
Friday: Foursomes (alternate shot). The first tee time is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET.
Saturday: Fourball in the morning, starting at 7:02 a.m. ET. Foursomes in the afternoon, starting at 1:40 p.m. ET.
Sunday: Singles. The first tee time is scheduled for 12:02 p.m. ET.
Presidents Cup odds
Unsurprisingly, especially when you take into account the all-time record, Team USA is -250 to win, with the Internationals sitting at +275. A tie is +1200.
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Presidents Cup picks
Team USA golfer Sam Burns celebrates winning the 17th hole during the four-ball match play of the Presidents Cup golf tournament at Quail Hollow Club. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports
Pick: Sam Burns, top Team USA scorer (+750), top captain’s pick (+210)
Take: Let’s start the card with some value. Burns didn’t win a match two years ago at Quail Hollow, going 0-3-2. However, I think it’s time Burns gets some payback.
He enters the Presidents Cup in fantastic form. Over his last four starts, he’s finished T-12 (3M Open), T-5 (FedEx St. Jude Championship), T-2 (BMW Championship) and T-12 Tour Championship.
In these match-play competitions, it’s all about making putts. Burns ranked 15th in Strokes Gained: Putting on the PGA Tour this season.
Tom Kim of South Korea and the International Team reacts after winning the 11th hole during Saturday morning foursomes on day three of the 2022 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow Country Club on September 24, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Pick: Tom Kim, top International point scorer (+700)
Take: Some players are born for these team competitions, and I think Tom Kim is one of those guys. The show he put on at Quail Hollow two years ago was his “Hello, world” moment and I think he keeps it going at Royal Montreal.
When his putter gets hot, he can pour them in from all over the place and his tee-to-green game is consistently a strength.
Sahith Theegala of the United States hits his tee shot on the fourth hole during the third round of the Procore Championship 2024 at Silverado Resort on September 14, 2024 in Napa, California. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
Pick: Sahith Thegala, top USA rookie (+250)
Take: Like Kim, I think Theegala has the personality to thrive in this team environment. Plus, he’s coming off a stellar performance at the Tour Championship (third) and most recently tied for seventh at the Procore Championship.
The series has been a bit one-sided, with the Americans owning a 12-1-1 advantage.
It’s time for the latest biennial matchup in men’s professional golf, the 2024 Presidents Cup.
The four-day competition kicks off Thursday at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Canada, where a 12-team group of International players (excluding Europe) will take on their counterparts from the United States. The series has been a bit one-sided, with the Americans owning a 12-1-1 advantage in the Presidents Cup. The lone International win came in 1998 at Royal Melbourne.
Royal Montreal hosted the Presidents Cup in 2007, where the Jack Nicklaus-captained Americans came away with a 19½-14½ victory.
Team USA, led by captain Jim Furyk, is set to take on the International Team, captained by Mike Weir, at this week’s 2024 Presidents Cup. The biennial bash is taking place north of the border at the Royal Montreal Golf Club in Quebec, Canada. Three players on the International side — Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes and Taylor Pendrith — and captain Weir are Canadian natives.
Team USA, on the other hand, will be led by several of the best players in the world including Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa.
The Americans won the last edition at Quail Hollow 17½-12½ in 2022 and lead the all-time record at 12-1-1.
Here’s everything you need to know for the 2024 Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal.
Golf course
Royal Montreal Golf Club | Par 71 | 7,319 yards
Format, schedule
Two formats will be used over the first three days of the match-play competition. On Thursday and Saturday morning, two-man teams from each side will compete in fourball — best ball — sessions. All players will play their own golf ball until it is holed, and the best score from each two-man team will count for the team.
On Friday and Saturday afternoon, two-man teams from each side will compete in foursomes — alternate shot — sessions. Each team will decide which player tees off on odd-numbered holes and which will tee off on even-numbered holes. The players will alternate shots until the ball is holed.
On Sunday, all 12 players from each team will play in Sunday singles. One-on-one matchups to decide the winner of the Presidents Cup.
Team USA
Scottie Scheffler
Xander Schauffele
Collin Morikawa
Wyndham Clark
Patrick Cantlay
Sahith Theegala
Keegan Bradley
Sam Burns
Tony Finau
Brian Harman
Russell Henley
Max Homa
International Team
Hideki Matsuyama
Sungjae Im
Adam Scott
Tom Kim
Jason Day
Byeong Hun An
Christiaan Bezuidenhout
Corey Conners
Mackenzie Hughes
Si Woo Kim
Min Woo Lee
Taylor Pendrith
What’s different between the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup?
The format schedule for the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup are the same. However, there’s one key difference. The European team for the Ryder Cup is constructed with 12 European players. For the Presidents Cup, the International Team is made up of 12 players from all other countries.
TV coverage
*All times listed are ET.
Thursday, September 26: 11:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. (Golf Channel) Friday, September 27: 1-6 p.m. (Golf Channel) Saturday, September 28: 7-8 a.m. (Golf Channel); 8 a.m.-6 p.m. (NBC) Sunday, September 29: 12-6 p.m. (NBC)
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NBC, Golf Channel and Peacock will tee up more than 100 hours of competition coverage.
Did you know Jim “Bones” Mackay has been involved in every Presidents Cup since it started in 1994? As either a caddie or broadcaster, Bones has seen every just about everything at the biennial match-play competition.
The 15th Presidents Cup is a four-day affair with competition beginning Thursday, Sept. 26, but the TV and streaming coverage of the biennial duel between the U.S. and the International squad starts Monday at Royal Montreal with Golf Channel’s Golf Central Live From the Presidents Cup.
It’s the beginning of 50 hours of studio coverage of the event on Golf Channel. In all, NBC, Golf Channel and Peacock will serve up more than 100 hours of competition coverage over seven days. There will also be streaming coverage on NBCSports.com as well as the NBC Sports app.
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