ILE BIZARD, Quebec—Nothing induces sleep faster than a predictable result in an athletic contest. The spirit of meaningful competition resonates only when combatants are equally matched and the outcome keeps you guessing.
The Presidents Cup, pitting a U.S. golf team against an International team, has been a one-sided competition since commencing in 1994. This week’s matches, the 15th staging of the competition, are being played at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Canada (par 70, 7,319 yards).
The U.S. squad holds a 12–1–1 record in the bi-annual tussle, with the only International win coming in 1998. But recent matches have featured narrow margins of victory for the American side.
Royal Montreal also hosted the 2007 event, which the U.S. won by five points.
The squads are led by former major championship winners—Jim Furyk for the U.S. squad and Canadian Mike Weir for the Internationals.
A total of six rookies will be playing for the first time—two on the International side (Min Woo Lee and Mackenzie Hughes ) and four on the U.S. side (Wyndham Clark, Russell Henley, Brian Harman and Sahith Theegala).
The depth of the U.S. side is shown by its collective world ranking. The current world ranking positions of the American team add up to 149—including five of the top 10 players in the world. The International team’s total is a far higher 413.
The U.S. is clearly the deeper squad, led by the two top players in the world in Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele. But in partner play and with just 18-hole matches, the gap between players is not that wide.
The contest is split into three distinct formats. For the first three days, teams engage in foursomes and four-ball play. In the former, two-man teams play alternate shot. In the latter, the low score for the group counts for the team. On the final day, all 12 players engage in singles with match play (hole-by-hole) the manner by which the event is staged.
A total of 30 points, one for each match, is on the line and the team that gets to 15.5 points is declared the winner.
The PGA Tour created the event as a means to piggyback on the global attention paid to the Ryder Cup, which is owned separately by the PGA of America.
The brain trust in Ponte Vedra, Florida, made a business decision to jump on the “team” bandwagon and have an event played in the years between Ryder Cup stagings.
Unfortunately, the Presidents Cup has never captured the fanfare attached to the Ryder Cup. Golf fans globally have elevated the Ryder Cup to a stature trailing only the likes of the World Cup and the Olympics.
In an interesting twist, the U.S. dominance in the Presidents Cup is nearly matched by Team Europe in Ryder Cup play.
It’s unclear how the Americans can excel in one team event where they have won every event hosted outside the United States—with just one exception—while struggling in the Ryder Cup, where the last time a U.S. squad won on the road against Europe was 1993.
Clearly the pressure gauge during a Ryder Cup is far higher and the U.S. has failed to respond, especially when Team Europe has hosted.
The Presidents Cup needs an International win to stoke interest. When one side in any competition becomes too dominant, the fans’ interest wanes and the players sense it.
The Ryder Cup went through a similar process when the U.S. Team was routinely beating a team from Great Britain and Ireland. In 1983 the GB&I squad was expanded to the rest of the European continent, and the infusion of talent provided a much-needed balancing act.
There are a few things Captain Weir can do to pull off a major upset.
First, it’s critical to get the home fans excited. How does one do that? Simple. Be sure the Canadian players are in the mix early. A Canadian hitting the opening tee shot could get the enthusiasm going.
Second, Weir will need to switch players as needed. Staying with nonproductive combinations can only mean a growing point deficit to overcome.
Third, while the upper echelon of U.S. players (Scheffler, Schauffele, Collin Morikawa) are worthy of respect, the bottom half of the American squad has its weaknesses. Weir will need to remind his team of that and do whatever he can to have the Internationals leading before the start of the 12 singles matches on Sunday.
The Internationals will need to secure momentum. Should the U.S. team rattle off several early wins, the mounting disappointment could have the Internationals feeling that another loss is inevitable.
The Presidents Cup will likely generate low television ratings, especially with weekend matches competing against college and pro football. Ryder Cup matches also face this hurdle.
The simple reality is that sporting contests grow in fan interest only when the outcome is in doubt. The Americans have routinely defeated the Internationals, but the vagaries of match play can produce improbable outcomes.
If the U.S. rolls to another dull win, the need to make some format tweaks will be in order. The Internationals now gathered at Royal Montreal want to send a clear signal that they are alive and well.
A win on home soil would do that.
Just don’t bet the ranch on that happening.
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.
