Team USA’s quest for an eleventh straight Presidents Cup triumph suffered a dramatic blow on Friday when the International side swept the entire foursomes session, vaulting to an unexpected 7-3 advantage. The United States, who have never been defeated on home soil in the biennial event and have claimed 13 of the last 15 editions, now find themselves playing catch‑up after a superb showing by Geoff Ogilvy’s International squad at Medinah Country Club.
The opening match set the tone as Canada’s own Corey Conners and Nick Taylor held firm against world number one Scottie Scheffler and his partner Sam Burns. After a tense back‑and‑forth, Conners and Taylor secured a 1‑up victory, the first of four points the Internationals would collect in the session. Earlier, Hideki Matsuyama teamed with South Korean rising star Sungjae Im to dominate Russell Henley and Jacob Bridgeman, finishing 3&2 and establishing early momentum for the visiting team.
The drama continued when New Zealand’s champion Ryan Fox paired with Australia’s Min Woo Lee. The duo fought a tight battle against Collin Morikawa and Wyndham Clark, eventually winning on the final hole after a clutch birdie by Fox that turned the tide. In the next match, South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout joined forces with veteran Adam Scott to defeat Justin Thomas and Wyndham Clark 3&2, further widening the gap.
Perhaps the most striking performance came from the Korean brothers Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim. They produced a 4&3 win over Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, marking their second consecutive day of success and delivering the International Team its fourth point of the afternoon.
Their flawless alternate‑shot play, highlighted by six birdies shared between them, underscored the depth of talent on the International roster. The sweeping Friday outcome reversed the earlier Thursday four‑ball results, where the United States had edged the Internationals 3‑2.
Now the visitors enjoy a four‑point cushion heading into the weekend, needing only 8.5 of the remaining 20 points to clinch their first Presidents Cup victory since 1998. Scottie Scheffler, who has struggled in foursomes formats—losing eight of his nine such matches in Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup history—managed to give the U.S. an early lead with a brilliant approach that set up a birdie on the second hole.
However, Burns’ wayward shot that went out of bounds on the third hole allowed the International pair to regroup, winning the fourth and fifth holes in succession. Conners and Taylor never relinquished control thereafter, maintaining a one‑up position with a single hole to play. A pivotal moment unfolded when Conners, after finding himself in thick rough, executed a delicate pitch that landed safely near the pin.
Taylor then delivered an astonishing approach from the fairway, placing the ball within a foot of the hole and securing par. Burns’ 20‑foot birdie attempt clipped the edge and rolled out, leaving the match untouched. "We just tried to be relentless out there," Conners reflected. "Both of us hit a lot of quality shots, and Nick made some crucial putts toward the end.
His approach on the last hole was unbelievable!" The Canadian’s confidence captured the spirit that propelled the International side throughout the session. Matsuyama, who had partnered Ryo Hisatsune on Thursday, formed a formidable tandem with Im on Friday.
The pair surged ahead by winning four consecutive holes from the third onward, building a 3‑up lead against Henley and Bridgeman. Although the Americans clawed back two holes starting at the 10th, Matsuyama’s 20‑foot birdie on the 12th and Im’s birdie on the 15th restored the International advantage.
The decisive moment arrived when Matsuyama calmly made par on the par‑three 16th, sealing the point. In the bottom match, Fox and Lee turned the tables with back‑to‑back birdies on the 15th, flipping the momentum in their favor.
Morikawa missed a short five‑foot putt on the 17th, allowing the Internationals to close the match with a par on the final hole. Meanwhile, Thomas and Young never held the lead against Scott and Bezuidenhout in what became a record‑setting 56th Presidents Cup match. Bezuidenhout capped his win with a spectacular 30‑foot birdie on the 16th. "There’s a lot of golf left," Scott asserted after his loss.
"Tomorrow is a big day. We faced a similar situation two years ago in Canada, and I hope we learned from that and can bounce back tomorrow." His optimism highlighted the resilience that USA captain Brandt Snedeker expects from his squad. International captain Geoff Ogilvy praised his team’s performance, noting the mental edge they displayed. "We loved how we played yesterday – the first match could have gone either way and ended up 2‑3 their way, but we just wanted to win this session.
The Internationals were in a great frame of mind, and you never imagine doing five sets. We did it in Montreal, so maybe it’s a pattern now.
The boys played incredibly well; it was an amazing day for us." Snedeker, for his part, commended the visitors while acknowledging the disappointment of his own players. "Hats off to the International Team – they went out there and played great.
They made a ton of putts. I feel like our guys hit a bunch of great putts and just couldn’t find the bottom of the hole. Sessions like this happen in these events. I feel terrible for the guys because they gave everything they had today, and it wasn’t meant to be.
That being said, there are still 20 points out there. There’s a lot of golf left to play." The weekend now promises a fierce showdown as the United States must rally to overcome a seven‑point deficit. With 20 points still up for grabs, both sides will need to capitalize on every opportunity. Live coverage continues on Saturday, starting at 1 p.m.
on Sky Sports+ and 4:30 p.m. on Sky Sports Golf.
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