Keegan Bradley was energized after sinking a crucial putt on the 18th hole, giving the United States a commanding 5-0 lead in the Presidents Cup.
The initial session of the Presidents Cup matches proved to be intense, but the score reflected a different narrative. The Americans maintained a narrow lead in all five matches on Thursday, increasing their dominance as they delivered consistent shots and putts.
With their latest victories, the U.S. team completed a clean sweep of the first day of fourballs at Royal Montreal. Sparked by an impressive performance from Scottie Scheffler and clutch plays from Xander Schauffele, the struggling International team found themselves overwhelmed.
This marked the third occasion that the Americans achieved a shutout on the first day, a feat not accomplished since 2000. Historically, that year they went on to secure an 11-point victory.
“We’re thrilled with our start – high fives, celebrations – and we plan to keep the momentum going,” said U.S. captain Jim Furyk.
International captain Mike Weir had strategized for the first two days and saw no need for changes ahead of Friday’s foursomes matches. Despite Adam Scott’s history of losses since his debut in 2003, he remained optimistic.
“The best news is we’ve got tomorrow. It’s not over yet,” Scott expressed. “We need to come out, put up a strong fight, win a session, and begin turning things around. The score looks harsh, but I don’t think the performance gap was that wide today.”
Three matches reached the 18th hole, while one concluded on the 17th. The shortest match featured Scheffler and Russell Henley, who bested Tom Kim and Sungjae Im with a score of 3-and-2.
Scheffler and Henley consistently led in what turned out to be the most exciting match of an otherwise quiet day for the Canadian crowd, which lit up when Mackenzie Hughes, who did not play in the opening session, energized them with a beer on the first tee.
Scheffler shares a friendly rivalry with Kim, often competing in money games in Dallas. During the par-3 seventh hole, Kim celebrated after making a long birdie putt, prompting Scheffler to respond with a birdie of his own.
Tension arose on the next hole, as Kim celebrated another long birdie before he and Im walked to the ninth tee without watching Scheffler putt. “It’s all in good fun,” Scheffler commented. “We enjoy competing against each other. We may not be friends during the game, but we are afterward.”
The Internationals struggled throughout the session, not anticipating a complete shutout. Canadian player Taylor Pendrith made a birdie on the 12th hole, managing to square his match against Bradley and Wyndham Clark.
Schauffele and Tony Finau fell victim to missed short par putts on the 16th, leaving their opening match against Jason Day and Byeong Hun An tied.
Despite some opportunities, the Internationals found things worsening. Bezuidenhout missed several critical putts, while Scott also failed to convert makeable opportunities.
The Americans, on the other hand, made the most of their chances. Schauffele redeemed his earlier miss by hitting a tee shot to 7 feet on the par-3 17th, scoring a birdie, before hitting another great approach on the 18th to seal his match.
“Tony got the party started early, and he supported me all day,” said Schauffele. “I felt it was my turn to return the favor.”
Bradley, set to captain the Ryder Cup next year and returning to competition after 10 years, displayed raw emotion after making a 35-foot putt on the 13th and finishing his match with a 10-foot putt. “It was 10 years of anticipation for this moment. I had an incredible experience today,” Bradley shared.
Collin Morikawa and Sahith Theegala rallied from being 1-down through 11 holes, with Morikawa making crucial birdies at the 12th and 14th. Theegala then notched the win with an approach that put him within 3 feet for the putt, marking the first time all day he retrieved the ball from the cup.
In the final matchup, Patrick Cantlay displayed his usual tenacity, and a 10-foot birdie from Sam Burns on the 13th hole allowed them to establish a 2-up lead, which never diminished.
The Americans previously swept the opening session in 1994 and this marked the eighth instance in the last nine Presidents Cups they led after the first day.
Looking ahead, five foursomes matches are scheduled for Friday. Furyk has decided to keep two teams intact, including Scheffler and Henley, while Cantlay and Schauffele are looking to build on their record in the format. “The last few away games have been competitive,” Cantlay remarked. “This is a significant statement, and we need to build on our start tomorrow.”