Team USA established a strong position in their quest for an 11th consecutive Presidents Cup title, securing a 3-2 advantage during Thursday’s fourballs competition against the International Team at Medinah Country Club.
While Team USA has historically dominated this biennial contest, the International Team provided a formidable challenge on the opening day, claiming two of the five available points.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns ended their winless partnership by clinching a dramatic final-hole victory over Min Woo Lee and Sungjae Im, while Justin Thomas teamed up with rookie Jackson Koivun to defeat Corey Conners and Nico Echavarria 4&3.
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Min Woo Lee holed a 50 foot putt on the second hole of his match with Sam Burns and Scottie Scheffler
The International pairing of Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Hisatsune delivered a commanding performance, defeating Cameron Young and Xander Schauffele 3&1, while Clark and Morikawa secured a 3&2 victory over Ryan Fox and Adam Scott, ensuring Team USA’s session win. The United States has maintained the lead after the first day in nine of the last ten Presidents Cups, though the Kim brothers—Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim—narrowed the gap by overcoming Gotterup and Cantlay 3&2 in the bottom match.
