The 2024 Presidents Cup is shaping up to be one of the most memorable for some time.
The Internationals suffered a devastating opening session of four-ball that saw them 5-0 behind on Thursday evening. At that point, it looked as though Team USA would run away with the match to continue the dominance that has seen it win 12 of the previous 14 editions.
However, Mike Weir’s team refused to give up the fight at Royal Montreal Golf Club and responded with its own 5-0 clean sweep in the Friday foursomes session to head into Saturday’s sessions of four-ball and foursomes level.
After again going behind following a 3-1 defeat in the morning four-ball session, the International Team entered the afternoon foursomes knowing there was still plenty of work to do to remain in touch ahead of the final round of Sunday singles.
All 24 players on both teams are guaranteed to play in the final session. Therefore, we knew from the moment the foursomes pairings where confirmed which players would complete all five sessions of the match, with nine set for a 100% appearance record.
Adam Scott
Before the match, Australian Adam Scott explained going unbeaten at Royal Montreal was an ambition, saying: “To go undefeated this week is a fantastic goal because my record isn't that stellar in this thing, and I'd love to change that this week.”
That dream fell apart in the opening session when, paired with Min Woo Lee, they faced Collin Morikawa and Sahith Theegala, who won 1-up. However, in the Friday foursomes he was paired with Taylor Pendrith, and the duo beat the same opponents 5&4 in a memorable day for the Internationals. That also ensured Scott broke the record as all-time International Team point scorer.
The 44-year-old was again paired with Pendrith for the Saturday morning four-ball, but this time they came up short 2&1 to Morikawa and Scottie Scheffler before the pair then took on Brian Harman and Max Homa in the afternoon foursomes, which the Internationals duo won 2&1.
Taylor Pendrith
Before his three sessions alongside Scott, Taylor Pendrith played in the opening round of four-ball, this time alongside South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout, as they lost 2&1 to Wyndham Clark and Keegan Bradley. Pendrith will complete his five sessions in the Sunday singles.
Sungjae Im
South Korean Sunjae Im is another Internationals player who will compete in each session after he and compatriot Tom Kim lost 3&2 against Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley in the Thursday four-ball, before he teamed up with Hideki Matsuyama to hammer Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele 7&6 in the Friday foursomes.
Im was again paired with Matsuyama for the Saturday morning four-ball, where Cantlay and Sam Burns won 2&1 before they teamed up for the third successive session in the Saturday afternoon foursomes against Scheffler and Henley.
Hideki Matsuyama
That Saturday foursomes session alongside Im ensured Matsuyama would also play in all five sessions after he was paired with local hero Corey Conners for the opening session of four-ball on Thursday, where they lost to Cantlay and Burns 2&1.
Corey Conners
Following that opening-day defeat alongside Matsuyama, Conners bounced back with a convincing 6&5 victory alongside compatriot Mackenzie Hughes against Wyndham Clark and Tony Finau in the Friday foursomes, before the pair took on Finau and Schauffele in the Saturday morning four-ball, this time slipping to a 3&2 defeat.
Conners’ 100% appearance record was then confirmed when he was again paired with Hughes for the Saturday afternoon foursomes as they took on Morikawa and Burns.
While five players for the Internationals will compate in all five sessions, only four of the US team will be able to say the same by the end of the action.
Xander Schauffele
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Xander Schauffele, who won two of the year’s four Majors, is among them.
He helped see off Jason Day and Byeong Hun An 1-up alongside Tony Finau in the Thursday four-ball session, before being on the wrong end of that Friday foursomes 7&6 drubbing alongside Cantlay against Matsuyama and Im.
He then bounced back in the Saturday morning four-ball, again alongside Finau, with a 3&2 defeat of Conners and Hughes, before he was reunited with Cantlay for the afternoon foursomes against Si Woo Kim and Tom Kim.
Scottie Scheffler
Scottie Scheffler will also play in five sessions after he and Russell Henley beat Sungae Im and Tom Kim in the Thursday four-ball, before Si Woo Kim and Byeong Hun An beat him and Henley 1-up in the Friday foursomes.
Scheffler and Collin Morikawa then saw off Scott and Pendrith in the Saturday morning four-ball session, before the World No.1 was again paired with Henley for the afternoon foursomes against Matsuyama and Im.
Collin Morikawa
Morikawa is another who will appear in all five sessions after his and Theegala's defeat of Scott and Min Woo Lee in the Thursday four-ball.
The pair then lost to Scott and Pendrith in the Friday foursomes before Morikawa's victorious partnership with Scheffler in the Saturday morning four-ball. A quick turnaround saw him head out again, this time alongside Burns as they took on Conners and Hughes in the afternoon foursomes.
Patrick Cantlay
Finally, Patrick Cantlay will also play in all five sessions. His challenge began alongside Burns in their defeat of Matsuyama and Conners, before he and Schauffele’s Friday foursomes drubbing at the hands of Matsuyama and Im.
Cantlay was then back alongside Burns as they beat the same opponents 2&1 in the Saturday morning four-ball, with his afternoon foursomes appearance coming alongside Schauffele against Si Woo and Tom Kim.
