The Walker Cup was given a new lease of life when Great Britain and Ireland replicated the Miracle at Medinah and then some with a legendary comeback at Lahinch three weeks ago to beat the USA for the first time since 2015. The Presidents Cup desperately needs that injection.
Only once have the Internationals beaten the Americans in fifteen attempts, that coming in 1998 while they shared the spoils in 2003. Since then it’s been ten wins in a row for USA with eight on the facile side.
To say the Internationals are underdogs would be an understatement, especially away from home. But this home venue for the Americans has its demons. Medinah. It’s fourteen years since the miraculous comeback by the Europeans in the Ryder Cup so can Geoff Ogilvy be the captain that changes the record for the Internationals?
“I don’t know. I think the spirit of this group is really strong. I think we’re more together than we’ve ever been. We’ve had a lot of sort of together moments this year more than normal. The chat group is as active as it’s ever been.
“They just seem to be in really good spirits. They’ve been very excited to get here for quite a long time. I don’t know, it’s just a good-feeling group. I think the time is right.”
The International team comprises of four rookies and just three players from the world’s top-30 although they do have current Open champion Ryan Fox. Recently, the Internationals have rattled the Americans but not only in fits and starts. The USA needed a final day comeback in 2019 while they were whitewashed in a foursomes session two years ago, so Ogilvy believes his side are closer to the Americans than the results suggest.
“They know the scores probably didn’t look — when you look at the final result the last couple of times, it probably didn’t look that close, but if you go back and see how they were unfolding, they were pretty level contests really. I mean, we lost 18 a few times in Montreal, but we ended up winning more holes, individual holes, than the U.S. did. That’s a sign that you’re playing good enough golf.
“No, the boys know we’re close. As I said, they’re super excited about this tournament. They want to win this for the International Team. I think that’s the most important ingredient to these things.”
For the Internationals, Tom Kim has rediscovered his form and is a PGA Tour winner again while Nico Echavarria also won the Cognizant Classic. Fox is the Open champion and he and Adam Scott boast strong form on the DP World Tour recently.
There is a sense that USA need to win this Presidents Cup for morale if nothing else. Europe holds the Ryder Cup and the Solheim Cup, while GB&I are still looking back fondly on their Walker Cup victory over the Stars and Stripes. So can the Internationals leave the Americans trophyless?
“All we need now is the Internationals to do it (win) – that would be great,” McIlroy said at Wentworth.
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