The 2024 Presidents Cup has made its return to the Blue Course, Royal Montreal Golf Club in Canada, but what does the tournament have in store for us this time around? Damien Kayat previews.
I always struggle with generating my own personal excitement for this event.
Labelled as the second biggest team event in golf, the Presidents Cup has become arguably the most one-sided team event in world sport.
The tournament began life back in 1994, envisaged as a new team event that could rival the intense rivalry of the Ryder Cup.
The first five events were somewhat competitive, with an International side featuring Greg Norman and Ernie Els pummeling the Americans at Royal Melbourne in 1998.
The 2003 edition hosted at Fancourt was arguably the most iconic moment in the tournament’s career, with Tiger Woods and Ernie Els settling for a tie in the fading Western Cape light.
But the stars and stripes have utterly dominated this event since then, winning the last nine consecutive renewals of this biennial event. The tournament is teetering on the edge of obscurity and could do with a competitive outing.
I’m personally of the belief that the Presidents Cup should always be hosted on international soil.
The USA side would essentially become the British and Irish Lions of team golf, visiting a different international venue every two years.
They have far more depth in their squad, and it would just make for a slightly more competitive spectacle.
Also, those trips would help raise the profile of the sport in countries that perhaps don’t embrace it with the same fervour as America or Great Britain.
In any event, we are where we are.
I think that becoming the USA team captain for this event is basically a lose-lose situation.
If you win, people shrug it off as mandatory. But if you were to lose, then the state of American golf would be called into question (I’m being a tad melodramatic there).
This year is a bit more of an incentive, with Jim Furyk looking to make it ten consecutive wins for a dominant American side.
Former Masters champ Mike Weir is the man tasked with the thankless task of masterminding the downfall of this American juggernaut.
Presidents Cup teams (with official world golf rankings next to them)
USA- average world ranking: 12, majors won: 9
Team Captain: Jim Furyk
- Scottie Scheffler (1)
- Xander Schauffele (2)
- Collin Morikawa (4)
- Wyndham Clark (6)
- Patrick Cantlay (9)
- Sahith Theegala (11)
- Keegan Bradley (13)
- Russell Henley (14)
- Sam Burns (18)
- Brian Harman (19)
- Tony Finau (21)
- Max Homa (25)
International- average world ranking: 34, majors won: 3
Team Captain: Mike Weir
- Hideki Matsuyama (7)
- Adam Scott (17)
- Sungjae Im (20)
- Tom Kim (23)
- Jason Day (33)
- Byeong Hun An (35)
- Corey Conners (37)
- Min Woo Lee (40)
- Taylor Pendrith (44)
- Christiaan Bezuidenhout (45)
- Si Woo Kim (50)
- Mackenzie Hughes (60)
The Format
The format for the Presidents Cup differs slightly from that of the Ryder Cup.
The Ryder Cup starts on Friday and teams require 14½ points to win. The President’s Cup starts with five four-ball (better ball) matches on Thursday.
There will then be five foursomes (alternate shot) matches on Friday. Saturday will see four four-ball matches in the morning session and four foursomes matches in the afternoon session.
The tournament will conclude with 12 singles matches on Sunday. The first team to secure 15½ points will be the team that wins the trophy.
The Course
The Blue Course at Royal Montreal Golf Club will host this event for the second time in its history (Jack Nicklaus led the Americans to a convincing 19½-14½ victory in 2007).
This largely flat parkland layout won’t be a stranger to those familiar with the US PGA Tour, having hosted the Canadian Open five times since 1975.
It is a par 70 that measures a smidge over 7,300 yards. It is a tree-lined course that will require some thoughtfulness off the tee.
Though not extremely narrow, the players will often need to club down to avoid tree trouble from the fairway (this course won’t reward pointless bombing).
This week will be an exacting test of iron play. Players will be left with plenty of middle irons and will need to be dialled-in to attack these smaller than average Poa annua-Bentgrass greens.
So, players who can hold these greens from the fairway will find success at the Blue Course.
Past Winners
2022: USA bt International Team 17½-12½
2019: USA bt International Team 16-14
2017: USA bt International Team 19-11
2015: USA bt International Team 15½-14½
2013: USA bt International Team 18½-15½
Betting Favourites (To Win Outright): USA to win (4/10), Internationals to win (24/10), Tie (14/1)
Team USA
Key Players: Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa
Xander Schauffele: Schauffele has been incredible this season, winning two majors to permanently eradicate the unwanted title of ‘world’s best player without a major championship.’
He is also a proven entity in team golf, forming a wonderfully synchronistic relationship with partner Patrick Cantlay. I see him getting four points minimum this week.
Collin Morikawa: Morikawa enjoyed a potent comeback season, finishing in the top 25 in 14 of his last 15 starts! His flatstick cooperated this year and his brilliant approach play should make him a real factor this week.
Potential Flop: Scottie Scheffler
World No.1 Scottie Scheffler just hasn’t come to terms with the idiosyncratic capture of team golf. He has a 2-5-4 record in Presidents Cup golf. In fact, he has an awful 0-5-3 record in his last two team events.
One to watch: Sahith Theegala
Theegala may not have won this season, but he did finish 3rd in the FedEx Cup standings.
Theegala’s ball-striking has been much improved this season and his wizardry around the greens could make him a wonderful four-ball and foursomes option.
International Side
Key Players: Hideki Matsuyama and Adam Scott
Hideki Matsuyama: 2021 Masters champion Matsuyama is fresh off an excellent season that saw him pick up two PGA Tour victories and ten top-15 finishes.
He ranked third on the PGA Tour in SG: Tee-to-Green and seventh in par-4 scoring (and there are 12 par-4s at Royal Montreal). He has remained largely injury-free this season and will be a vital cog in this International side.
Adam Scott: Another former Augusta champion, Adam Scott has enjoyed a solid end to this season, with five consecutive top-18 finishes to finish the PGA Tour campaign.
He finished runner-up at the Scottish Open and T2 at the BMW Championship. An experienced team campaigner, Scott oozes class and will be a real spiritual leader of the International side.
Potential Flop: Jason Day
Day has a poor 5-11-4 record in this event and carries plenty of scar tissue from some heavy defeats. The former World No.1 has suffered through a mountain of injury setbacks, and I think he could struggle with this end-of-season challenge.
One to watch: Sungjae Im
Im finished seventh in this year’s FedEx Cup rankings and also owns a solid 5-3-2 Presidents Cup record.
Im is one of only two International team members with a positive winning record in Presidents Cup golf (the other being Si Woo Kim). This course- with its emphasis on accurate iron play- seems tailormade for the pinpoint South Korean star.
Some Bets
USA to win by 1-3 shots at 15-4- This could be closer than many are expecting.
The nature of the course negates some of the American bombers and there are some brilliant tinkerers in this International side.
I can see the Canadian crowd inspiring the International side to a solid showing.
The Canadian trio of Hughes, Conners and Pendrith seem perfectly suited to the course while the likes of IM and Matsuyama bring undeniable quality.
Still, this USA side is stacked and it’s almost impossible for this International side to win over four days.
Top Asian
Sungaje Im- 24/10
Top International Wildcard
Mackenzie Hughes- 15/4
Top American Wildcard
Brian Harman- 4/1
Top US Points Scorer
Xander Schauffele- 11/2
