Four keys for the United States to secure another Presidents Cup

Early in the week, the 16th edition of the Presidents Cup has all the makings of the prior 14: a victory by the United States. An overwhelming favorite stretched out to -600 in some places — implying the Americans should win just about eight out of 10 contests — the red, white and blue strolls into Medinah Country Club with some already handing them back the cup.

But this is golf after all, an outdoor sport played in the elements. Variables are introduced. Budding stars blossom while others may wilt. Factor in a volatile format like the Presidents Cup — 30 points up for grabs between 12 singles matches, nine foursomes bouts and nine four-ball duels — and while no one may be singing the praises of the International team, that does not mean there will not be a time when that happens.

Just look at the last time these teams squared off. The buildup was similar. The teams were mostly the same. Early on, the result was a 5-0 U.S. advantage after Thursday’s action … until the International team started to believe. They started to think that it was possible, and they squared the Presidents Cup at 5-5 heading into the weekend.

A performance like that will be required by the International team for more than just one day if they are to pull off another upset defeat of the Americans at Medinah. They will need the ball to bounce their way with the bad breaks falling mostly on the home team.

It sounds impossible and unlikely, but crazier results have occurred in sport. So, while they may have the better roster on paper, the U.S. team will still need to perform at a high level and do these things if they are to improve its all-time Presidents Cup record to a whopping 14-1-1.

Don’t assume

The competition is every bit as psychological as it is about the golf for the Americans. They are expected to win. They are expected to run away with the Presidents Cup, given the conjecture up to this point, the history of the event and the clear talent discrepancy that even they cannot ignore.

However, the United States cannot expect one another to pick up the pieces if a player crashes and burns; they cannot assume that Scottie Scheffler or Xander Schauffele will simply bail them out if they lose their match. They still have to fight to push matches as deep as possible if they are behind.

The Americans still need to make it tough on the International team. They need to have the same mindset that Daniel Berger had going into Sunday singles in 2017 when the Americans nearly won the Presidents Cup on Saturday. Keep the foot on the gas.

Give no hope in foursomes

The International team has only won the first session in the Presidents Cup four times. Two of those instances led to the team’s lone win and lone tie. Both of those were contested in the foursomes format, the same format in which the International team climbed back to draw even Friday evening in 2024 with a 5-0 sweep.

It is a format that has troubled the U.S. team between the Ryder Cup and sometimes in the Presidents Cup, one they need to figure out at large. Given that the opening session is four-ball and the U.S. claimed eight of nine possible points in 2024, they hope to build an advantage in that format.

But they must not give any hope in the foursomes as momentum Friday evening can leak into the weekend, and the same is true come Saturday evening into Sunday singles. Getting points on the board late in the day can do something to spark belief for the International side in their locker room. 

Chop the head off the snake

The U.S. has done a great job of this throughout the Presidents Cup’s existence, especially over the last decade or so. The top International players must get points on the board for the black and gold to gain momentum, but they have rarely done so consistently. 

Tom Kim, Adam Scott, Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im all have losing records in the Presidents Cup. Only Si Woo Kim and Christiaan Bezuidenhout have winning margins on this team. With the ability to match players against players (unlike the Ryder Cup), the Americans need to attack the top players from the international side.

Throw your best against their best and let your stars shine. 

Bury them with depth

If the U.S. stars were to fall to those from the International side, guess what? The roster is loaded with depth. If Scheffler, Schauffele and Sam Burns are having bad weeks, the good news is Cameron Young, Wyndham Clark and Collin Morikawa are right behind them.

This U.S. roster is loaded from top to bottom — a luxury that the International team does not have. It is imperative for captain Bradnt Snedeker to find the right mix of players and pairings for each format and not be afraid to keep players who may be struggling on the bench.