Golf

‘It got a little feisty’ – US lead Presidents Cup

Meritking News29/09/2024

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Tom Kim Accuses American Opponents of Poor Sportsmanship at Presidents Cup

Tensions flared once again at the Presidents Cup in Montreal, as South Korea’s Tom Kim accused his American opponents of unsportsmanlike behavior during their match in the alternate shot foursomes. The U.S. team won both Saturday’s fourballs and foursomes sessions 3-1, taking an 11-7 lead over the International team heading into Sunday’s 12 singles matches.

Tom Kim and Kim Si-woo faced off against Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, after already securing a victory earlier in the day against Keegan Bradley and Wyndham Clark in the fourballs. However, the heated moment arose when the Americans did not concede a three-foot par putt, angering Tom Kim. After holing the putt, Kim laid his putter next to the pin to demonstrate how close he was.

The Koreans leveled the match on the 10th hole after a remarkable 37-foot putt by Kim. Despite a late surge from the Americans, Kim Si-woo’s brilliant chip on the 16th hole brought the match all square. Yet, Cantlay sealed the victory with a birdie on the 18th hole.

After the match, Tom Kim accused his opponents of swearing at him, though no specific players were named. Kim’s comments sparked controversy, as Schauffele denied the claims, stating that he and Cantlay treated the Korean duo with the “utmost respect.”

Key Moments in Saturday’s Matches

In the fourballs, Tom Kim and Kim Si-woo secured the only victory for the International team, defeating Bradley and Clark 4&3. The U.S. team saw victories from Tony Finau and Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler and Collin Morikawa, and Patrick Cantlay with Sam Burns.

The afternoon foursomes continued the U.S. dominance, with three matches decided on the final hole. Scheffler and Russell Henley extended the U.S. lead, and Cantlay’s final birdie stretched the U.S. advantage to 11-7.

Sunday Singles Showdown

The U.S., needing just four points to retain the Presidents Cup, will face off against the International team in Sunday’s singles matches, starting at 17:00 BST. The International team, aiming for a comeback, needs to reach 15½ points to reclaim the trophy, which they last won in 1998.

Presidents Cup Standings:

• Thursday Fourballs (US lead 5-0):

• Schauffele/Finau beat Day/An 1UP

• Morikawa/Theegala beat Scott/Lee 1UP

• Scheffler/Henley beat Im/Kim 3&2

• Clark/Bradley beat Pendrith/Bezuidenhout 1UP

• Cantlay/Burns beat Matsuyama/Conners 2&1

• Friday Foursomes (US 5-5 International):

• Matsuyama/Im beat Cantlay/Schauffele 7&6

• Scott/Pendrith beat Theegala/Morikawa 5&4

• Bezuidenhout/Day beat Homa/Harman 1UP

• Conners/Hughes beat Clark/Finau 6&5