Presidents Cup 2024 Preview — Royal Montreal Golf Club (September 26-29)

The Presidents Cup is here, eh! Is an upset looming in Canada? Or will the star-studded American team stroll to another easy win? Can Tom Kim bring it again or will Scheffler and Schauffele utterly dominate like they’ve done all year? Will it be 11 ^th time lucky for Scotty? We can’t wait to find out how this year’s Presidents Cup plays out. Bring it on!

Which team has a better chance of winning: the International Presidents Cup team or the Washington Generals?

While the hapless Generals, the easybeat rivals of the Harlem Globetrotters, are the most consistent losing team in sport, the Internationals are slowly creeping towards ignominy with every Presidents Cup loss. Their winning strike rate makes for unsettling reading: in 14 editions the Internationals have won the Cup just once, way back in 1998 at Royal Melbourne (although there was the infamous tie in 2003 in South Africa). The US team hasn’t been beaten for over 25 years and every way you look at it, that is a one-sided flogging. Home games are without doubt the Internationals’ best chance of snaring a win. But Royal Montreal is a mere hop, skip and jump from the US border so any culture shock or acclimatisation issues will a non-factor in this edition of the Cup. Despite the hostile crowd, Royal Montreal will feel almost like a home game for the Globetrotters Americans.

Who is playing on the respective Presidents Cup teams?

US: Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay, Sahith Theegala, Keegan Bradley, Sam Burns, Tony Finau, Brian Harman, Russell Henley and Max Homa.

Internationals: Hideki Matsuyama, Sungjae Im, Adam Scott, Tom Kim, Jason Day, Ben An, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes, Si Woo Kim, Min Woo Lee and Taylor Pendrith.

Is Korea’s Tom Kim the new spiritual leader of the International team?

Kim’s deep conviction and spirited buy-in at the Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow two years was the highlight of an otherwise ho-hum event. It showed the young Korean cared deeply about playing for something bigger than himself, which he showed again at the Paris Olympics in July. Kim ultimately went 2-3-0 at Quail Hollow but his enthusiasm and heart endeared him to his Presidents Cup teammates, and golf fans on both sides of the divide. His undeniable talent and stellar play makes him a lock for future editions of the Presidents Cup, as long as his mandatory 18-month stint of Korean military service doesn’t derail his career (exhibit A and B: Sangmoon Bae and Seung-yul Noh). Tour pros generally skew towards reclusive loners who prefer their own space, but Kim seems entirely energised by a team environment so expect him to lead from the front in Canada.

How many Presidents Cups has Adam Scott played? Will this be his last?

This will be Scotty’s 11^th Prez Cup after the veteran Aussie lit it up late in the season to earn one of the six automatic qualifying berths for the International side. As an elder statesman of the International brotherhood, Scott brings much experience to the team; unfortunately much of that experience is tainted with the bitter taste of defeat. Still, the 44-year-old Queenslander is all-in on the Presidents Cup and would love nothing more than to chalk one up for the underdogs in Canada. If he does, it would surely be a career highlight after enduring so much heartache.

Who will partner world No.1 Scottie Scheffler and No.2 Xander Schauffele?

You suspect Scheffler’s close mate, Sam Burns, will be playing alongside the world No.1 in the foursomes/fourballs. After his driver-snapping tantrum at the FedEx St Jude Classic, Sam could do well spending time with Scottie, who is one of the most level-headed and even-keeled players in the game. Meanwhile, the highly effective Schauffele/Cantlay combo is pretty much set in stone. Where does that leave third wheel Collin Morikawa? Expect him to babysit one of the Prez Cup rookies in Sahith Theegala or Russell Henley in the first two days of competition.

What happened in the last Presidents Cup?

The US team smoked the Internationals 17.5-12.5 on home soil at Quail Hollow Golf Club in North Carolina. The inexperienced Internationals fumbled the opening day, trailing 4-1 after the foursomes bracket. The early margin meant the event was devoid of any real tension, however, the margin didn’t blow out as much as expected. Heading into the final day’s 12 singles matches, the US team led 11-7 and went on to win comfortably 17.5-12.5. The biggest upset of the week came when Sebastian Munoz beat world No.1 Scottie Scheffler 2&1 in his Sunday singles match, the Colombian later describing it as “probably one of the best things I ever achieved in my life.” Unfortunately for the Internationals, Munoz won’t be playing at Royal Montreal after decamping for the LIV Tour last year.

How do the Internationals avoid another rout at Royal Montreal?

A virulent strain of gastro that cuts a swathe through the far superior, and much deeper, US team seems their best hope.

Royal Montreal is a good course, eh?

From the strategic brilliance of Royal Melbourne at the 2019 Presidents Cup, Quail Hollow’s 2022 Cup was a bit of a bummer. While the course seems less of a factor in team golf, Quail Hollow’s bland front nine didn’t seem to create the buzz and intensity that’s normally associated with a mega event like the Presidents Cup. Royal Montreal, the oldest golf club in North America, seems livelier. Its Blue Course hosted the 2007 Presidents Cup, where the Americans rolled to 19.5-14.5 victory, and the layout offers a fairly even split between rewarding power and accuracy. Royal Montreal is a parkland course but its watery stretch of closing holes serves up a classic risk-reward scenario that will no doubt influence the outcome of more than a few matches at this year’s Cup.

I haven’t heard of the Presidents Cup? What’s it all about?

Good for you! The Presidents Cup mirrors the Ryder Cup — the famous golfing grudge match between the US and Europe — but is played between the US and a rest-of-the-world-except-Europe team known as the Internationals. The event is played every two years, with a dozen players per side competing over four days of match play (rather than the three-day Ryder Cup). The first two days feature five matches of fourball (best ball) and foursomes (alternate shot) and eight matches on Saturday. On the final day, every player competes in 12 singles matches. There are 30 matches in total and the first team to reach 15.5 points wins the Presidents Cup trophy.

Which player is most likely to replicate Woody Austin’s fall into the pond at the 2007 Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal?

Given his muddy escapades at last year’s PGA Championship, this has to be Tom Kim.

Will Patrick Cantlay wear a team cap?

Hmm… excellent question! After Hatgate blew up at last year’s Ryder Cup, gut feel suggests Patty Ice will continue to eschew a cap for the entire duration of the Presidents Cup — just to prove his point. What that point is exactly, remains a mystery.

Will Sahith Theegala be the hot hand this year?

US rookie Sahith Theegala makes his Presidents Cup debut and has been in some sparkling recent form. Theegala shot the lowest score in four rounds at the Tour Championship at East Lake yet finished third, six strokes behind Scottie Scheffler at the unique Staggered Strokes event. Sahith earned admiration at the Tour Championship when he called a two-shot penalty on himself after believing he had touched a few grains of sand in a bunker while taking his backswing. It ultimately cost him US$2.5million — the difference between second and third. Theegala is one of four rookies for the US team along with Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman and Russell Henley.

Is Max Homa the weak link in the US side?

US captain Jim Furyk used one of his six picks to select Max Homa, initiating a stream of social media outrage. While golf fans generally get steamed up over captain’s picks regardless, it must be said Max hasn’t been at his best. Homa’s high point of 2024 was a third at the Masters but since the PGA Championship in May, the Californian hasn’t finished better than 35^th. In defence of Furyk, Homa was an absolute star as a rookie at Quail Hollow, where he was undefeated (4-0-0). And he was also one of the best performers in a losing side at last year’s Ryder Cup in Rome, compiling a 3-1-1 record that was full of grit. Furyk will also know Homa is one of the best guys to have in his team room, with his breezy Californian vibe a welcome presence in a team filled with uptight golfing nerds. While he may be short of his best form, Homa will still be extremely valuable both on and off the course.

How many Canucks are teeing it up?

Internationals captain Mike Weir used half his captain’s picks on Canadians, with Corey Conners, Taylor Pendrith and Mackenzie Hughes teeing it up on home soil. The logic of inserting some homegrown talent is sound enough but Weir will be crossing his fingers that his countrymen turn up. Conners and Pendrith both went 0-4 at the last Presidents Cup while Hughes will be campaigning as a rookie. Three Canadians in the International team is a record number, and the Maple Leaf crew gives the Cup some much-needed identity.

What does the Presidents Cup look like without LIV players?

It probably disadvantages the Internationals to be honest, which isn’t ideal for what is already a one-sided contest. Hypothetically, if you were to add LIV players Cam Smith, Mito Perreira, Joaquin Niemann and Louis Oosthuizen to the International side, it would provide potency. Would that quartet change the complexion of the event significantly? Probably not enough if the US team were able to add Brooks Koepka (who played in the Ryder Cup) and US Open champ Bryson Dechambeau to their squad. On paper, Big Bad Brooks and The Mad Scientist should enhance the US team, however, they are perhaps the most polarising personalities in golf. Thus, any gain on the golf course could be negated by the pair’s prickly presence in the locker room.

How will Min Woo Lee go on debut?

Out of all of Mike Weir’s captain’s picks, selecting Min Woo makes sense. While he hasn’t been in scintillating form the past few months, finishing 22^nd at the Paris Olympics after a lacklustre first round and failing to progress beyond the first week of the FedEx playoffs, Lee’s length off the tee is a strength. But Lee’s game has an X-Factor that can prove so critical in match play. His propensity to hole chips and drain long putts can shift momentum quickly and given Weir said he “can’t wait to let him cook”, Min Woo appears to have free rein to play his freewheeling brand of golf.

At this year’s Presidents Cup which player/players exude match play character?

By character, I’m assuming we’re talking about the Cup’s grittiest, most tenacious and persistent individuals, rather than the most talented? Keegan Bradley has the grinding kind of game tailormade for match play and as the recently appointed captain of the 2025 US Ryder Cup team, the guy basically bleeds red, white and blue. On the International team Christiaan Bezuidenhout, aka the typist’s nightmare, has an internal fortitude and resolve gained through the University of Hard Knocks. As a two-year-old, the South African nearly died after accidentally ingesting rat poison, the effects of which still linger (the incident left Bezuidenhout with a stutter and anxiety). But Bezuidenhout has beaten the odds and dealt with life’s adversities with considerable poise and patience, winning 10 times in his career so far. The 30-year-old has some serious stones and that always translates well into match play.

If it’s close, does that count as an upset?

Yes.

Written by Jamie Martin Jamie Martin is currently locked in a battle to keep his handicap hovering around the mid-single digits. Despite his obvious short-game shortcomings, Jamie enjoys playing and writing about every aspect of golf and is often seen making practice swings in a mirror.