After dominating the opening Presidents Cup session, the United States holds a 5-0 lead over its International counterpart heading into Friday’s foursome matches, which begin at 1:05 p.m.Â
Foursomes (also known as alternate shot) feature teams of two with one ball per pairing. Partners take turns hitting until the hole is completed. One will tee off on odd-numbered holes, the other on even-numbered holes. Each match is worth one point. If there’s a tie after 18 holes, each team earns half a point.
Here’s a look at Friday’s matchups:
Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele (U.S.)
Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im (International)
Cantlay and Schauffele are arguably the best foursomes pairing on the U.S. squad. In their Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup careers, they are 5-2-0 together in alternate shot.
On the other hand, Matsuyama and Im have never paired up in foursomes. Both have exceptional short-game skills. In the PGA Tour’s strokes gained around the green metric, Matsuyama ranks first while Im is 25th.
The Schauffele-Cantlay pairing has been incredibly successful. It will be tough to take them down.
Pick Cantlay and Schauffele
It didn’t feel like a blowout, but the Americans swept all five matches at Royal Montreal.
Collin Morikawa and Sahith Theegala (U.S.)
Adam Scott and Taylor Pendrith (International)
After a win on Day 1, the Americans will run back the Morikawa-Theegala partnership. On paper, they are perfect alternate-shot partners. Morikawa is very accurate off the tee, third on tour in driving accuracy. Theegala isn’t as efficient with his tee shots but makes up for it with his putter, an area where Morikawa struggles.
The pairing of Pendrith and Scott can roll the rock. Pendrith is seventh in strokes gained putting, while Scott is 26th. Both are also inside the top 50 in driving distance. I think this match goes the distance.
Pick Tie
Max Homa and Brian Harman (U.S.)
Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Jason Day (International)
The Americans pair up the two players who did not play Thursday. Homa and Harman teamed up three times at the 2023 Ryder Cup, going 2-1-0 with both victories in foursomes.
The International side counters with Bezuidenhout and Day, who both rank in the top 20 in strokes gained putting. However, Bezuidenhout struggled with the flatstick down the stretch on Thursday, missing key putts inside 10 feet on holes 14, 16 and 17. The misses seemed to rattle him, and I’m not sure he can bounce back Friday.
Pick Homa and Harman
Wyndham Clark and Tony Finau (U.S.)
Corey Conners and Mackenzie Hughes (International)
Canadians Conners and Hughes are good friends and former teammates at Kent State University. They are very familiar with each other’s game and, by the numbers, make a solid foursomes team. Conners ranks third in strokes gained approach, and Hughes is fifth in strokes gained putting. The plan is simple: Conners hits them close, Hughes knocks them in.
The Americans are hoping Finau and Clark will follow the same formula. Finau is 12th in strokes gained approach, Clark 16th in strokes gained putting. The teams are two sides of the same coin, but I like the Canadians in this one.
Pick Conners and Hughes
Plenty of trouble lurks down the stretch at Royal Montreal’s Blue Course, which makes it a
Russell Henley and Scottie Scheffler (U.S.)
Byeong Hun An and Si Woo Kim (International)
Scheffler and Henley were the dominant team at Royal Montreal on Thursday and even though it is a different format, there is no reason to expect anything less on Friday. Scheffler’s only real weakness is putting, and Henley is solid with the flatstick, sitting 37th on tour in strokes gained putting.
The Internationals counter with Koreans An and Kim, the latter of whom didn’t play Thursday. Making putts could be tough for this duo. They both rank outside the top 100 in strokes gained putting.
Pick Scheffler and Henley
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