Pivotal moments: How the Internationals fought back with Presidents Cup sweep of their own

Well, we have ourselves a Presidents Cup.

With a 5-0 American four-ball sweep still fresh in their minds, the Internationals turned in a shutout of their own on Friday, dominating the foursomes session, 5-0, and storming back to tie the competition through two days at Royal Montreal.

While the U.S. eked out most of its wins on Thursday (three 1-up victories), the Internationals posted several routs, including a record-tying 7-and-6 win by Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im over American cup veterans Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay. The foursomes were so lopsided that the U.S. led for just one hole compared to 57 holes for the Internationals. The Internationals also won 27 holes to the Americans’ six.

“We listened to Mike and other assistants, and we took the positives of how close it was, and we didn’t get deflated,” Adam Scott said. “We came out and we knew we were playing well. … I said it in the meeting yesterday; there’s a lot of fight in this team, and we’re not going to go away.”

Furyk is now 2-11 as a captain in foursomes, with this marking the second foursomes session that his American teams have been swept (0-4 in opening foursome session at 2018 Ryder Cup).

“We got to watch them jump up and down on the 18^th green and celebrate, excited,” Furyk said. “I hope that sticks with everyone, and I hope that’s a pit in their stomach tonight. We’ll regroup, we’ll get some good pairs out there in the morning, and it’s our turn to come out firing.”

Here were the most pivotal moments in each match:

Hideki to the heart

Hideki Matsuyama/Sungjae Im (Int.) def.
Patrick Cantlay/Xander Schauffele (U.S.), 7 and 6

The Internationals led the whole way in this one, though the Americans finally seemed to be settling in late on the front nine. Schauffele stuck his tee ball to 8 feet at the par-3 seventh, and Cantlay rolled in their first birdie of the match to tie the hole and remain 4 down.

But a hole later, Matsuyama shut the door with a 16-foot birdie make, which he celebrated with a huge fist pump.

Im added an important par save at the ninth hole, where Cantlay hit his approach to tap-in range, and the Internationals turned with a 5-up lead. Matsuyama and Im carded seven straight birdies to close out the 7-and-6 blowout, which tied the largest margin of victory in event history. Schauffele and Cantlay have now lost three straight matches as partners, their record as a duo dropping to 6-6.

“Today from the beginning, our vibe was vibing,” Im said.

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Scott from downtown

Adam Scott/Taylor Pendrith (Int.) def.
Sahith Theegala/Collin Morikawa (U.S.), 5 and 4

After a flurry of pars to start, Scott notched the first birdie of the match with a 9-foot make at the par-4 fourth. But it was at the next hole, the par-3 fifth, that the Internationals grabbed hold of this match.

While Morikawa splashed out of the sand to 4 feet, Scott erased any hope of a tie by draining a 40-foot birdie bomb to push the International lead to 2 up.

Morikawa stubbed a chip from a juicy lie at the par-5 sixth, and the Internationals won that hole, too, never looking back. Scott’s International-record 22nd point was officially obtained at the par-4 14th hole after Theegala flubbed a 50-yard pitch shot well short of the green and Morikawa caught a chip, which he had to make, a little heavy.

“Lots of great moments and tough moments, too,” Scott said. “I’m going to enjoy this one because this is Taylor’s first win. I’m stoked for him, and he’s going to have many more.”

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Day Man

Christiaan Bezuidenhout/Jason Day (Int.) def.
Max Homa/Brian Harman (U.S.), 1 up

It was a rough Thursday for Bezuidenhout, who missed three crucial putts inside of 7 feet on his last five holes, but he got a confidence boost early by sinking a 12-foot birdie putt to win the first hole.

From there, Day took over.

He hooped a 28-footer at the par-3 seventh to give he and Bez the lead again – and for good. The biggest moment, though, came at the par-4 finishing hole, where Bez flew the green with his approach and Day picked him up with a nifty chip to gimme range.

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Canadian reversal

Corey Conners/Mackenzie Hughes (Int.) def.
Wyndham Clark/Tony Finau (U.S.), 6 and 5

Conners and Hughes, two Canadians, jumped on the Americans from the start, as Finau and Clark didn’t even finish at each of the first two holes and fell 2 down early. But the dagger came on the par-4 eighth hole.

Clark pounded a drive and left Finau just 87 yards to the hole, while Hughes put Conners in the righ fairway bunker, 128 yards away and with a poor angle. Conners, though, didn’t care, hitting a beauty to inside 3 feet. Finau only managed 8 feet, which Clark couldn’t convert from.

The Internationals won that hole and the next to go 5 up at the turn, and it was essentially over at that point, as the Canadian duo poured in seven birdies on their opponents.

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Shakin’ dat…

Si Woo Kim/Byeong Hun An (Int.) def.
Scottie Scheffler/Russell Henley (U.S.), 1 up

This was the only match in which the Americans led, 1 up after two holes. But that was short-lived. The Internationals went 1 up after Kim flagged his tee shot at the par-4 13th hole, and Kim tied the 15th hole by converting a 12-footer for birdie.

Kim played hero one last time at the 18th hole, where he muscled an approach from the thick rough just shy of the green and then sank a 15-foot par saver to complete the 5-0 sweep.

“It’s game on,” Kim said.