2022 Presidents Cup capsules: Meet the International team

The International Presidents Cup team features seven first-time participants as it tries to win the biennial competition for just the second time ever.

The Internationals are 1-11-1 in cup history, with its lone triumph coming in Australia in 1998. It nearly won the most recent competition, however, falling, 16-14, in a return to Royal Melbourne in 2019. The 14th edition will be contested Sept. 22-25 at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Here is a closer look at the away team with videos detailing each player’s pertinent information and Presidents Cup credentials (click here for the U.S. team capsules):

Hideki Matsuyama

The lowdown: Matsuyama is the highest-ranked player on the International team and was a two-time winner on Tour last season. That second victory, however, came in January, and he had only three top-10s thereafter. The Japanese star has been bothered by neck and wrist injuries since March.

Sungjae Im

The lowdown: Im’s second-career Tour title came at the Shriners’ event last October. While he hasn’t picked up a trophy in nearly a year, he is one of the International team’s hottest players. The South Korean was T-2 at the Tour Championship, one of three runner-up finishes in his last five starts. He was a bright spot in the ’19 edition in Australia, winning both his fourball matches and his singles match.

Joohyung “Tom” Kim

The lowdown: A non-member most of this year, Kim earned his status – and his place on this team – with a victory in the regular-season finale, the Wyndham Championship. The South Korean is one of the best iron players in the world, as he would have ranked sixth on Tour in strokes gained: approach the green.

Corey Conners

The lowdown: Conners qualified for the Tour Championship for the third time in the last four years, tying for fifth in the penultimate BMW Championship. The Canadian ranked inside the top 20 on Tour in strokes gained: off the tee, approach the green and tee to green, but he was near the bottom of the Tour in both strokes gained: around the green and putting.

Adam Scott

The lowdown: The most experienced player on either team, Scott was buoyed by a FedExCup Playoffs run in which he notched a pair of top-5 finishes. The Aussie has only one win on Tour (2020 Genesis Invitational) over the last five seasons. Here’s a look at his Presidents Cup breakdown: Singles, 5-4-0; Foursomes, 7-9-2; Fourballs, 4-9-4.

Mito Pereira

The lowdown: Pereira made his biggest splash this past season at the PGA Championship, where he led through 71 holes before literally going splash off the tee on the 72nd. A double bogey placed him T-3. The Chilean has struggled over the last couple of months, during which he missed four consecutive cuts and failed to qualify for the Tour Championship.

Taylor Pendrith

The lowdown: One of five rookie captain’s picks, Pendrith hasn’t missed a cut on Tour since February, with his best finish coming in a tie for second at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in late July. The Canadian ranked 10th on Tour in driving distance at 316 yards a pop. He was also 10th on Tour in greens hit in regulation.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout

The lowdown: The South African is known for overcoming a near-death experience as a child, when he accidentally drank rat poison. He is a four-time winner on the DP World Tour and earned his PGA Tour card last season through the KFT Finals. Bezuidenhout made it to the second round of the playoffs to secure his card for next season.

Cam Davis

The lowdown: Davis’ lone Tour win came at the 2021 Rocket Mortgage Classic, but while he was winless last year, he did advance to the BMW Championship. The Aussie had a string of five-consecutive top-20 finishes on Tour before bowing out of the playoffs in the second round.

K. H. Lee

The lowdown: If only this year’s Presidents Cup was being contested at TPC Craig Ranch. Lee successfully defended his AT&T Byron Nelson title there earlier this year on his way to a spot at East Lake. That triumph, however, was one of only two top-10s (BMW Championship) for the South Korean last season.

Sebastian Munoz

The lowdown: Munoz hasn’t won on Tour since 2019, but, like many of his International teammates, he made it to the second event of this year’s playoffs. The Colombian opened May’s AT&T Byron Nelson with a 60 and held at least a share of the lead after each of the first three rounds, before tying for third. That was his most recent top-10 on Tour.

Si Woo Kim

The lowdown: Kim was the lone captain’s pick with Presidents Cup experience as he part of the International team’s 19-11 defeat at Liberty National. The former Players champion was winless last season and didn’t finish in great form. He withdrew from the regular-season finale ahead of the final round because of an illness, finished T-42 after an opening 62 in the first playoff event, and was near the bottom of the leaderboard in the no-cut second playoff event.