MEDINAH, Ill. (AP) — U.S. captain Brandt Snedeker observed a significant turnaround in the Presidents Cup, leading the Americans to a historic victory after overcoming a three-point deficit. The U.S. team achieved the largest final day rout in the tournament's history, securing their 11th consecutive win.
After three days of competition, the Americans turned the tide in two critical singles matches on the back nine, with notable performances from Collin Morikawa and rookie Jackson Koivun. The Americans won nine of the 12 singles matches and halved the final match, resulting in a 17-13 victory.
President Donald Trump attended the event, making a brief speech at the start of the singles matches, stating, “It’s going to be a very interesting game of golf.” He remained for the trophy presentation, similar to his presence during the 2017 victory at Liberty National.
The Americans' performance was not as precarious as in 2012, when the European team came back from a 10-6 deficit to win the Ryder Cup at Medinah. The U.S. team enjoyed strong support from the home crowd throughout the day.
An incident occurred when a fan yelled during Nico Echavarria's backswing, causing him to mishit his shot. Scottie Scheffler responded by conceding a 30-foot par putt to Echavarria, demonstrating sportsmanship. Scheffler, along with Cameron Young, Justin Thomas, and Chris Gotterup, contributed to the team's success.
Snedeker expressed pride in his team, noting the historical significance of Medinah and the unexpected outcomes that can occur. Koivun, who had previously won the Walker Cup and helped Auburn secure an NCAA title, showcased his skills by coming back from a 2-down deficit to win his match.
Patrick Cantlay also made headlines with a birdie putt from nearly 60 feet on the par-3 16th hole against Adam Scott. As the matches progressed, the Americans maintained their lead, with Koivun flipping his match against Si Woo Kim, ultimately winning 2-up.
The clinching point was secured by Jacob Bridgeman, who won his match against Min Woo Lee, ensuring the Americans reached the necessary 15 1/2 points for victory. Internationals captain Geoff Ogilvy acknowledged the difficulty of competing against the U.S. team on their home turf, emphasizing the impact of crowd support.
The Internationals will regroup for the next Presidents Cup at Kingston Heath in Australia in two years, where they will aim to improve upon their previous record, which includes a lone victory in 1998 and a tie in 2003.