Sept 25 (Reuters) – The International Team swept the US 5-0 in Friday’s foursomes to seize a 7-3 lead in the Presidents Cup, a stunning turnaround after trailing by one point following the opening session.
On a cloudy day at Medinah Country Club’s Course No. 3 outside Chicago, the Internationals dominated the alternate-shot session and quietened the home crowd as they moved within 8-1/2 points of their first Presidents Cup triumph since 1998.
The US, seeking an 11th consecutive success, need to fight back when the competition resumes with two sessions on Saturday.
The sweep echoed the 2024 event at Royal Montreal, when the Internationals responded to a 5-0 opening-day loss by sweeping the Americans 5-0 in Friday’s foursomes.
The teams are now separated by four points with 20 still available over the final two days.
Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im got the Internationals off to a winning start, overcoming an early deficit to beat Russell Henley and rookie Jacob Bridgeman 3&2.
The Japanese-Korean pairing fell one down after the second hole but moved ahead on the fourth and controlled the match from there.
Corey Conners and Nick Taylor then delivered another blow, beating world number one Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns 1-up.
Scheffler and Burns, who had finally won together in a team competition on Thursday after four previous losses, surrendered an early advantage and could not find a way back as the Canadians held on to win.
Ryan Fox and Min Woo Lee added another point for the Internationals, edging Collin Morikawa and Wyndham Clark 1-up in the day’s closest match.
Morikawa had a chance to close out the contest with a birdie on the final hole but could not convert, allowing Fox and Lee to take the point.
Adam Scott and Christiaan Bezuidenhout then defeated Justin Thomas and Cameron Young 3&2, with the International pair taking control early and maintaining their advantage through the closing holes.
Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim completed the sweep, beating Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele 4&3 to remain unbeaten together this week. The win improved their Presidents Cup record as a partnership to 4-1, with the South Koreans again delivering in the anchor match after beating Cantlay and Chris Gotterup on Thursday.
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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