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It’s a lead for the Americans, but far from a coronation Sunday at Quail Hollow.
Captained by Davis Love III, the U.S. got out to a commanding 8-2 lead through the first two days of matches in the biennial Presidents Cup. But the International squad fought back Saturday, highlighted by a 3-1 session win in Fourballs, and the American advantage heading into the final day of matches is *only* 11-7. It’s still a significant edge, with the Internationals needing to take 8.5 of the remaining 12 points, but thanks to the emotional antics of Tom Kim and the steady hand of Adam Scott there’s life once again in the black and yellow team room.
It all comes down to a dozen singles’ matches Sunday at Quail Hollow. Here’s a look at how each of the matches stack up, with all tee times ET and all odds via BetMGM:
12:02 p.m.: Justin Thomas (-250) vs. Si Woo Kim (+190)
The Americans are leading with strength, as Thomas has gone 4-0 alongside Jordan Spieth on the course where he won the first of his two PGA titles back in 2017. He’s done a little bit of everything this week and will look to offer an emotional spark from the leadoff position. Kim has gone 2-1 in his own right, including a Saturday Fourballs win alongside countryman Tom Kim, but has his work cut out for him.
Edge: Thomas
12:14 p.m.: Jordan Spieth (-165) vs. Cam Davis (+135)
The other half of America’s dynamic duo, Spieth has been resplendent while playing alongside his longtime friend. Now he’ll turn his attention toward stopping a mind-boggling drought, as the three-time major champ is 0-6-1 all-time in Singles’ play across the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup. Standing in his way is Davis, who has split his four team matches including a 1-up win alongside countryman Adam Scott in Saturday’s final match. Spieth has all of the intangibles and is riding high, but there’s something about that singles’ mark that has me spooked.
Edge: Davis
12:26 p.m.: Sam Burns (-125) vs. Hideki Matsuyama (+100)
There haven’t been many disappointments on the U.S. side of the ledger, but Burns certainly stands out. Expected to be a big contributor as a rookie playing alongside world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, Burns instead has gone 0-3-1 including a Saturday swap to instead join Billy Horschel. Now he’ll look to get a point from one of the most experienced players in the International team room, as Matsuyama stands 1-3 for the week on a course where he finished T-2 at the 2017 PGA. Something’s got to give, and with a thin line I’m willing to take the American to snap out of it and post a full point.
Edge: Burns
12:38 p.m.: Patrick Cantlay (-200) vs. Adam Scott (+160)
This match may register a combined pulse of 42. It’s hard to envision two cooler customers than Cantlay and Scott, as the former has rekindled his successful partnership with Xander Schauffele while the latter went 2-0 in Saturday’s sessions to keep International hopes alive. At the end of the day, this is a big number to lay with Cantlay and against the most experienced player at Trevor Immelman‘s disposal. Cantlay may in fact win the match, but the line value sits with the Aussie in what should prove to be a close contest.
Edge: Scott
12:50 p.m.: Scottie Scheffler (-200) vs. Sebastian Munoz (+160)
When will the world No. 1 show up? Scheffler was expected to make a big impact as a decorated rookie, but instead his partnership with Burns foundered and he sat out Saturday’s afternoon session after going 0-2-1. It’s a far cry from his strong performance last year at Whistling Straits and one of the reasons why the Internationals still have a chance. Munoz rolled in some putts at the right time Saturday, helping to win a Fourballs match alongside Sungjae Im, but his form is mercurial at best. Last year Scheffler beat Jon Rahm in a high-profile Singles’ contest at the Ryder Cup, and I expect a similar result Sunday from a player who won’t go winless for much longer.
Edge: Scheffler
1:02 p.m.: Tony Finau (-165) vs. Taylor Pendrith (+130)
No one has struggled this week more than the two Canadians, as Pendrith and Conners are a combined 0-6 including a Friday Fourballs loss to Billy Horschel and Max Homa on Homa’s dramatic final putt. Pendrith has the first crack to turn the tide, taking on Finau who won two matches alongside Homa but dropped a Saturday Fourballs match with Kisner. Pendrith was brought in as an outside-the-box pick thanks in large part to his distance off the tee, but it simply hasn’t panned out through three days. Finau isn’t usually flashy, but this is the type of environment that could bring some emotion out of him - especially if he has a chance to notch the decisive point.
Edge: Finau
1:14 p.m.: Xander Schauffele (-165) vs. Corey Conners (+130)
After his perfect record with Patrick Cantlay went up in flames Saturday, as the pair lost to Tom and Si Woo Kim after leading most of the match, Schauffele admitted he’ll be “pissed off” and looking for retribution in Sunday’s match. That could spell bad news for Conners, who as noted above has struggled for much of the week as his elite ball-striking has been negated by a balky putter. That combination usually won’t pan out in match play, and you can expect Schauffele to light a victory cigar by the end of the afternoon in Charlotte.
Edge: Schauffele
1:26 p.m.: Cameron Young (-115) vs. Sungjae Im (-105)
This is the closest line of the 12 matches, with oddsmakers essentially viewing this one as a coin flip. Young has been relatively quiet in his Presidents Cup debut, going 1-1-1, and he’ll have the edge off the tee. But Im gets the nod from the fairway, as the Korean has earned points from each of the two matches that did not require him to face off against Spieth and Thomas.
Edge: Im
1:38 p.m.: Billy Horschel (-135) vs. K.H. Lee (+110)
Horschel has waited his entire pro career for a chance to don the red, white and blue, and it’s been a 1-1 split decision through a pair of team matches. Now he’ll take on the master of the Byron Nelson, who like Horschel split his two team matches. If the Internationals put any sort of pressure on the Americans in the early section, this match could carry some extra weight. But I’ll still trust the former FedEx Cup champ who has often found ways to bottle his (significant) on-course emotions and use them for good.
Edge: Horschel
1:50 p.m.: Max Homa (-145) vs. Tom Kim (+120)
Think there will be any fan interest in this match? Two of the most electric players on either side face off, with Homa two days removed from shutting down proceedings with a walk-off birdie on the 18th green while Kim matched that feat in Saturday Fourballs. The 20-year-old Korean went 2-0 Saturday and is a big reason why the Internationals still have a pulse in this thing, but Homa will be a tough out: one week after going back-to-back in Napa, he’s looking to close out his Presidents Cup debut with a perfect 4-0 record. Still, there’s something about Kim that seems to defy logic this week.
Edge: Kim
2:02 p.m.: Collin Morikawa (-145) vs. Mito Pereira (+120)
These guys should both be well-rested, considering they have each played in two matches and Pereira didn’t factor in either of the two sessions Saturday after letting a win turn into a tie during Friday Fourballs. Last year Morikawa clinched the decisive half-point as a Ryder Cup rookie during a steamroll final day, but this time it’s unlikely the overall outcome will still be in doubt by the time these two are ready to shake hands. I’ll take the more seasoned of the two rookies, as Pereira struggled off the tee down the stretch of his most recent match.
Edge: Morikawa
2:14 p.m.: Kevin Kisner (-135) vs. Christiaan Bezuidenhout (+110)
Let’s be honest: neither captain wants this to be the decisive match. Both men have played sparingly this week, tying a Friday Fourballs match that proved to be Bezuidenhout’s lone team appearance while Kisner added a loss Saturday afternoon alongside Finau. Kisner provided an emotional lift five years ago at Liberty National in his Presidents Cup debut, but he has been unable to replicate those efforts this week on a course where his lack of length off the tee has often proved to be a disadvantage.
Edge: Bezuidenhout
