US Complete Extraordinary Comeback To Win Presidents Cup

Team USA completed a stunning comeback against the Internationals in the Sunday singles to win the Presidents Cup

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Team USA with the Presidents Cup trophy

(Image credit: Getty Images)

After three days of action, a major shock appeared to be brewing in the Presidents Cup at Medinah, as the Internationals took a three-point lead into the final session of singles against the US.

In the previous editions of the match, the Internationals had won just once with one tie, with Team USA winning the other 13 contests outright.

Such was the scale of the surprise at the Internationals' 10.5-7.5 lead over the hosts that US captain Brandt Snedeker blamed himself for the way the match had unfolded, saying on Saturday: "I don't think I've done a very good job this week to be where we are right now."

Fortunately for the Americans, there were still 12 points up for grabs on Sunday, while the singles format is generally one where the team excels.

Those facts left reasonable room for optimism for a US comeback, and it wasn't misplaced, with the team winning 9.5 of the available points on Sunday to close out a 17-13 win.

Cameron Young got the ball rolling for the US with a 3&2 win over Ryo Hisatsune, and when Justin Thomas completed an even more comprehensive 5&3 win over Corey Conners, perhaps the writing was already on the wall.

Elsewhere, the Internationals were keeping things interesting, not least in the match between Hideki Matsuyama, which was nip-and-tuck throughout.

Even better for the visitors was the performance of Tom Kim, who secured the first point of the day for the team with a 3&2 win over Wyndham Clark.

Tom Kim during the Presidents Cup

Tom Kim provided some hope for the Internationals

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The US edged closer when Scottie Scheffler completed an expected 2&1 win over Nico Echavarria, but soon after, the Internationals were within just three points of victory when Sungae Im beat Sam Burns 3&1.

With seven matches still to complete, that seemed within reach, but the problem for Geoff Ogilvy and his team was that the US led in five.

Soon, one precious Internationals lead became a tie when Morikawa holed a long putt at the 15th and Matsuyama missed his.

Meanwhile, Jackson Koivun was on a run of winning holes to seize the initiative in his match against Si Woo Kim.

Not for the first time in a big match play contest, Patrick Cantlay stepped up when the moment required it, holing an outrageous 57-foot birdie putt at the 15th to go 2-up against Adam Scott.

Next, Chris Gotterup beat Christiaan Bezuidenhout, and, if it hadn't been apparent already, it became clear that the momentum was firmly with the hosts.

That built when Cantlay completed a 2&1 win over Adam Scott, and when Morikawa finally saw off Matsuyama at the 18th, the US led the match for the first time since Friday.

That left three matches in progress. Si Woo Kim was 1-down to Koivun at the 18th, meaning the best the South Korean could hope for was half a point.

Jackson Koivun during the Presidents Cup

Jackson Koivun won a full point for the US

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Min Woo Lee and Nick Taylor were tied in their matches against Jacob Bridgeman and Russell Henley, respectively.

Even the maximum 2.5 points from those matches wouldn't be enough for the Internationals, meaning they would need to rely on Ryan Fox, in the last match, to get something against Xander Schauffele.

The problem was the New Zealander was 3-down at the 16th.

After Koivun beat Kim, the best the Internationals could do was tie the match, and it felt inevitable that the US would complete its comeback sooner rather than later.

Schauffele spurned a golden opportunity to do just that with a missed five-foot putt against Fox, but Bridgeman seized his chance, completing his par putt to beat Min Woo Lee and give a relieved US team a hard-fought victory.

Following the win, Snedeker said: "I'm super proud of them. These guys never gave up. They believed in each other. They did a helluva job. They were really special.

"I knew these guys were special. I knew they were close. I saw it last year at the Ryder Cup, how hard those guys fought for Keegan on Sunday. I was just trying to get them to fight for me the same way. Super proud of them, man. Super proud of all these guys."

Presidents Cup Sunday Singles

INTERNATIONAL 13 vs 17 USA

  • Ryo Hisatsune 3&2> Cameron Young
  • Tom Kim <3&2 Wyndham Clark
  • Corey Conners 5&3> Justin Thomas
  • Nico Echavarria 2&1> Scottie Scheffler
  • Sungjae Im <3&1 Sam Burns
  • Christiaan Bezuidenhout 1 UP> Chris Gotterup
  • Hideki Matsuyama 1 UP> Collin Morikawa
  • Adam Scott 2&1> Patrick Cantlay
  • Si Woo Kim 2 UP> Jackson Koivun
  • Min Woo Lee 1-UP> Jacob Bridgeman
  • Nick Taylor TIED Russell Henley
  • Ryan Fox 2&1> Xander Schauffele
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Mike Hall

WELCOME!

Welcome to Golf Monthly's coverage of the singles session of the Presidents Cup.

The match appears to be heading for a tight finish, with the Internationals looking to win five points for victory but the US going strongly in pursuit of the eight points they need to retain the trophy.

FIRST POINT GOES TO TEAM USA

The first point of the day is on the board, and it goes red, with Cameron Young holing a brilliant left-to-right putt to secure a 3&2 win over Ryo Hisatsune.

US TURNING UP THE HEAT

Geoff Ogilvy deliberately held some of his biggest names back with his singles selections. Because of that, we had an inkling the US would start strongly. But this is starting to turn the US's way a little more than the Internationals would be comfortable with.

The US has one point, and is up in eight more matches...

SI WOO TAKES INITIATIVE

Si Woo Kim drains a long won at the ninth in his match against Jackson Koivun, and it proves important as the young American misses his right. That puts the internationals 2-up in that match.

LEE TIED WITH BRIDGEMAN

Min Woo Lee ties things up against Jacob Bridgeman at the eighth in match 10. Suddenly, the leaderboard doesn't quite look as ugly for the Internationals.

JT DOES IT

Justin Thomas completes a comprehensive 5&3 win for the US against Corey Conners, who was let down by his putting all day.

FIRST POINT OF THE DAY FOR THE INTERNATIONALS

The Internationals are the next to get a point, after Tom Kim, who is heading to Japan for the Asian Games in the coming hours, claims a 3&2 win over Wyndham Clark.

CLOSE!

Nico Echavarria, 3-down against Scottie Scheffler, has a long putt at the 15th to claw back the deficit - and it just misses! That guarantees Scheffler half a point.

CANTLAY INCREASES LEAD

Needing two putts to win the hole, Patrick Cantlay is given it after getting close with his first to go 2-up against Adam Scott at the 11th.

TIDE TURNING

Nick Taylor ties his match against Russell Henley at the ninth, right before Hideki Matsuyama goes 1-up against Collin Morikawa. From the US apparently taking control a little earlier, it suddenly feels as though the Presidents Cup is going right to the wire.

NICO STILL IN IT

He seemed all but done, but Nico Echavarria chips in a 50-footer! Scheffler need to hole his far more straightforward birdie putt to win the match. And he misses!

Scheffler is 2-up with two to play.

CLASSY FROM SCOTTIE...

A little earlier, Scottie Scheffler conceded a 32-footer to tie the hole after a fan shouted during Echavarria's swing...

IM STILL 2-UP

The match between Sungae Im and Sam Burns has two holes to play, with Im 2-up, meaning half a point, at least, for the Internationals.

SCHEFFLER GETS IT DONE

Despite a spirited attempt from Nico Echavarria, Scottie Scheffler completes a 2&1 win to get another vital point on the board for the US.

The Internationals' lead is now down to one.

IM BEATS BURNS

Sungae Im wins his match against Sam Burns and now the Internationals need just three points.

MATCH TIED

Jackson Koivun continues to impress in his young career, getting back to a tie against Si Woo Kim after 12.

KOIVUN HITS THE FRONT

Jackson Koivun wins his third consecutive hole, and just like that, he's 1-up against Si Woo Kim.

STATE OF PLAY...

The good news for the Internationals? They only need three points to win outright, with seven matches still to finish.

The bad news for Geoff Ogilvy's team? The US is currently up in five of them.

MORIKAWA MAGIC

At the 15th, Collin Morikawa piles the pressure on Hideki Matsuyama with a long-range putt. The fist-pumps say it all.

Matsuyama can still tie the hole from four feet, but it lips out and now the match is tied!

US TURNING THE SCREW

The leaderboard does not currently make pleasant reading for fans of an Internationals persuasion.

Five matches are going in favor of the US, with just two ties. As things stand, the US would win 16.5-13.5.

CLOSE FOR COLLIN

Collin Morikawa's putt to win the hole at the 16th against Hideki Matsuyama looks in all the way, but just avoids the cup at the last moment. That remains tied with two to play, and the way things are looking, Matsuyama will need to find something to claim the whole point.

STILL TIGHT

Even though the US leads in several matches, most are close. Two are currently tied, while the US is just 1-up in two. Still time for the pendulum to swing back the other way, but right now, the hosts will be the happier of the two teams.

PRESSURE BACK ON US

The US is now just 1-up in four matches after Adam Scott reduces the deficit against Patrick Cantlay with three to play. Then Chris Gotterup misses his chance to tie the 17th against Christiaan Bezuidenhout to take that to the final hole.

KOIVUN TAKES CONTROL

Jackson Koivun makes it four winning holes in the last five over Si Woo Kim to go 2-up.

CANTLAY BRILLIANCE!

Not for the first time in match play, Patrick Cantlay delivers. At the 16th, he drains a 57-foot putt to ask all the questions of Adam Scott. He can't tie the hole and the American goes 2-up with two remaining.

US CLOSING IN

Another point for the US as Chris Gotterup beats Christiaan Bezuidenhout 1-up. The US are now just four points away, and up in four of the six remaining matches.

ALL EYES ON 18TH

The match of the day is arguably the one between Hideki Matsuyama and Collin Morikawa.

That's now at the 18th and tied.

US LEAD!

Patrick Cantlay beats Adam Scott and the US draw level.

Next, after a back-and-forth match, Collin Morikawa closes it out against Hideki Matsuyama and suddenly, the US look like big favorites.

US TURN SCREW

Crucial misses for Si Woo Kim and Min Woo Lee give the US even more of an edge, and now the hosts have real control.

TIME RUNNING OUT

Even if Si Woo Kim gets half a point against Jackson Koivun, and Min Woo Lee and Nick Taylor win their matches, to win outright, the Internationals would still need something from Ryan Fox against Xander Schauffele in the last match.

However, the New Zealander is three-down at the 16th....

KOIVUN GETS HOME

Si Woo Kim's last throw of the dice lips out and that gives Jackson Koivun the win! The US needs just one more point to retain the Presidents Cup. The best the Internationals can do it a tie.

TIED BETWEEN TAYLOR AND HENLEY

A brilliant putt for Nick Taylor gives him the chance to win the 16th against Russell Henley, who needs to hole from 10 feet to tie. Henley makes it and the match stays tied.

TEAM USA SO CLOSE

The final match is at the 16th, and now it's quite simple. If Xander Schauffele ties just one hole, the US wins the Presidents Cup.

SCHAUFFELE MISSES CHANCE

Xander Schauffele has a chance to win the cup from inside five feet, and he misses left!

It's another hole back for Ryan Fox, who finds himself two down with two to play.

TEAM USA WINS PRESIDENTS CUP!

Now Jacob Bridgeman has the chance to win it for the US. At the 18th, his and Min Woo Lee's match is tied, but he has a birdie chance from distance. It goes left, and now Lee to keep it going for the Internationals with his par putt. It misses too.

Bridgeman again to win it with his par putt. It's a five-footer. He holes it and the US complete the comeback!

FORMALITIES...

We're now merely completing the formalities. First, Xander Schauffele secures a 2&1 win over Ryan Fox to move the US lead to 16.5-12.5.

That leaved the tied match between Nick Taylor and Russell Henley, and it finishes that way.

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