MELBOURNE, Australia – The Americans won the first match of the Presidents Cup on Thursday.
The Americans will win the last match to win the Cup on Sunday.
After Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas teamed to give the Americans a 1-0 lead in the first session, they have been staring at a deficit as the Internationals won the next six matches.
But the U.S. has cut the deficit to 10-8 heading into singles action on Sunday. The heavily favored red, white and blue, which has all 12 players ranked in the top 25 in the world and hasn’t lost in this matchup since 1998, will unleash its firepower to pull out a narrow victory.
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This is how it will work out in the final 12 matches.
Match 19: Tiger Woods (USA) vs. Abraham Ancer (INT)
Ancer has been THE answer for the Internationals with his remarkable play despite being a rookie, but this is Tiger Woods we’re talking about. He’s 2-0-0 this week, so make it 3-0-0. After his win, he’ll go and captain his charges until the end. Woods wins 3 and 2.
Match 20: Tony Finau (USA) vs. Hideki Matsuyama (INT)
Finau has played well and is capable of going on birdie binges to whip opponents. But Matsuyama also is world class and is playing well. Matsuyama wins 2 and 1.
Match 21: Patrick Reed (USA) vs. C.T. Pan (INT)
Reed will be without his regular caddie, Kessler Karain. He hasn’t won in three matches. He’s been heckled throughout the proceedings. But he’s a raging bull who will channel his anger and deliver a big point against the rookie. Reed wins 3 and 2.
Match 22: Dustin Johnson (USA) vs. Haotong Li (INT)
Johnson is battling his putter. Li, a rookie, has played just once. Johnson’s firepower will prove too much to handle. Johnson wins 4 and 3.
Match 23: Bryson DeChambeau (USA) vs. Adam Hadwin (INT)
DeChambeau bulked up heading into the matches and his swing hasn’t caught up. Hadwin dealt with a bit of food poisoning and sat out Saturday. Both won’t fire their best. The match will end in a tie.
Match 24: Gary Woodland (USA) vs. Sungjae Im (INT)
Woodland, the reigning U.S. Open champion, has played well in his last two matches. Im has played well in all his matches. But Im missed a 10-footer on the last hole of the last match on Saturday that cost his team a full point. That might linger. The match will end in a tie.
Match 25: Patrick Cantlay (USA) vs. Joaquin Niemann (INT)
Cantlay will have too much firepower – he’s one of the best, longest drivers of the golf ball – and will topple the young, spirited rookie who has played well. Cantlay wins 2 and 1.
Match 26: Xander Schauffele (USA) vs. Adam Scott (INT)
This will be one of the day’s best matches. Both have come up big throughout the week. Both have, at times, struggled with the putter. Scott, however, hasn’t won the Cup and that urgency will prove the difference. Scott wins 1 up.
Match 27: Webb Simpson (USA) vs. Ben An (INT)
Simpson hasn’t won this week in three matches. An has played well and made a bunch of birdies. An wins 2 and 1.
Match 28: Justin Thomas (USA) vs. Cameron Smith (INT)
Forget Thomas and Rickie Fowler squandering a 5-up lead with eight to play Saturday afternoon. Thomas won’t remember it when he steps to the first tee. He has become a leader for the USA and is one of the best in the world. He makes amends. Thomas wins 3 and 2.
Match 29: Matt Kuchar (USA) vs. Louis Oosthuizen (INT)
Kuchar is steady and rarely makes mistakes. Oosthuizen is the team’s best player. Neither will panic as the pressure amps up late on Sunday. The match will end in a tie.
Match 30: Rickie Fowler (USA) vs. Marc Leishman (INT)
The score will be 14½-14½ with one match still in progress. Fowler was the last addition to the American squad and he’ll deliver the winning point in the last match of the day. He’s one of the game’s best putters, one of the game’s best when it comes to imagination, which you need around Royal Melbourne. Leishman is playing all five matches. At times he looked spent on Saturday. The putter that Fowler is will win the Cup for the Americans. Fowler wins 2 and 1.
