It’s strange that the US makes its shortest trip as the visiting team in the Presidents Cup and might feel most on foreign soil. Score one for Mike Weir and his International team as it seeks to end a 26-year winless drought this week at Royal Montreal in Quebec, Canada. Of course, the Internationals will need more than a dressed-up golf course to capture only their second win in the biennial series that began in 1994.
Fortunately for them, they might just have what it takes to get the job done. The American team is still the favourite. It always is the favourite. But the past two ‘away’ wins – in 2015 in Korea and 2019 in Melbourne – were slugfests that truly tested US mettle. We expect this 15th edition to be equally close.
Having said that, close stopped being a moral victory with the one-point setback at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea. Five years ago Down Under, a motivated International team led by Ernie Els had the Americans exactly where they wanted them and let them wriggle free as playing captain Tiger Woods sparked a final-day rally. The Woods mystique only grew that day at Royal Melbourne, if that’s possible.
Woods is convalescing at home in Florida after his latest back surgery. The emotional upper hand belongs to Weir, the former Masters winner and a hero in his native Canada. Because of LIV Golf defections, there are a few top players not at his disposal. But his dozen are still good enough, and after two days of bonding and getting acquainted with Royal Montreal two weeks ago, the host squad has to see that they have a way forward to victory.
Some things have to fall in place. Some things they have to make happen. Here is how an International upset victory could possibly unfold.
Get the fans involved early
This is a priority for Weir, and it means taking a page out of the Paul Azinger playbook from the 2008 Ryder Cup. Not necessarily fielding a powerhouse side at Valhalla, Azinger did a lot of things right, pulled the right strings. One of the most important was whipping fans into a frenzy on Tuesday. Captain Nick Faldo will tell you his European team just never got comfortable amid the crazies in Kentucky. The mood has to be set.
A Canadian player hits the first shot
Come Thursday, letting anyone other than a home-country player hit the first shot would be a gross mistake. This is so obvious even a caveman would do it. The Americans are likely to march out the highly successful duo of Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele to lead off, or world No.1 Scottie Scheffler with whomever (probably Sam Burns). They’ll want to jump on top quickly. Weir has to counter with two of his three countrymen. Give the natives what they want. Let them work themselves into a lather. Their excitement might just have a residual impact on succeeding matches and not just the opener.
Ride the best putters
Form is important, and when you have solid ball-striking talent like Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im at your disposal, pairings seem pretty easy. But it’s putting that wins these team events, and that could mean playing 44-year-old Adam Scott five times. Others who should get plenty of work based on their putting stats are Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Jason Day and Canadians Mackenzie Hughes and Taylor Pendrith. They need to know that their job is to frustrate the Americans on the greens. If they can’t win, then at least extend matches and be a nuisance.
Bear down on late holes in late matches
This plays into the last key aspect of planning and execution. It is imperative that the home team has a lead going into the singles matches, with Saturday afternoon being especially important. Els’ International team let the Americans off the hook on Friday and again on Saturday in Melbourne, especially in the final session when the US won three of four points in foursomes to cut the deficit to a manageable two points. The momentum has to be seized or blunted, depending on developments.
Since the 2011 Presidents Cup, each team has won two singles sessions and twice the sides tied 6-all. The Internationals coughed up the lead in Melbourne, but we don’t believe history can repeat here, and we certainly don’t believe a raucous hockey crowd will let that happen.
The International contingent has a better-than-average chance to get it done this week. They have to play well, and they have to get lucky. But frankly, they are out of excuses.
