CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Davis Love III remembers Jordan Spieth “bopping into the team room” at the 2013 Presidents Cup, sporting a T-shirt and shorts, and quickly turning his attention to ping pong. Love’s wife Robin was unfamiliar with the precocious Spieth, just 20 years old at the time. “Robin said, ‘Who is that kid?’” Love recalled this week. “I go, ‘That’s the future of our team right there.’” He was right. Spieth has yet to turn 30 but is the most-experienced member of this year’s U.S. Presidents Cup team and his partnership with childhood friend Justin Thomas, already successful before this year, has now become historic. Spieth and Thomas won all four of their matches this week, becoming the first American pair since Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker in 2009 to go 4-0-0 (and just the third overall). On Saturday, Spieth and Thomas beat Sungjae Im and Corey Conners in morning Foursomes, 4 and 3, before a Spieth chip-in ended their match with Hideki Matsuyama and Taylor Pendrith by the same 4-and-3 margin. “I rode my horse today for sure, and I feel like it’s just one of those things where if one’s off, the other one’s on and vice versa,” Thomas said. “Man, it’s a great quality, and I really hope we keep it up because it doesn’t get any more fun than this out here.” As the International Team rallied for victories in Saturday’s final three matches to claw within 11-7 entering Sunday Singles, it was the U.S. Team’s cornerstone duo that provided the crucial point to avoid being shut out in afternoon Four-ball and keep a significant cushion. The International Team would need its best Singles performance in this tournament’s history just to tie the Americans. No team has ever scored 8.5 points in Singles, the amount needed for the U.S. to win outright. RELATED: Saturday match recaps | Tom Kim gives International Team a spark Thomas hit it within 5 feet on the 15th hole in their afternoon match – the same hole that is used as the Wells Fargo Championship’s closing hole – before Spieth chipped in for a birdie that the International’s had an opportunity to match. Taylor Pendrith missed an 8-footer that would have extended the match, however. “I was thinking Justin’s got birdie, but I may as well try and not wait for him. It’s straight up the hill,” Spieth said. “That hole location where I was is about the easiest spot if you’re going to miss the green. I just came out right on line and went in with a little speed, but with the pin out, it went right in the middle. … I thought we were going to need a birdie just to go to the next hole.” Thomas and Spieth have been friends long enough, and so successful as a team, that no one is concerned with stealing the spotlight. After Pendrith’s putt lipped out, a beaming Thomas motioned his hands in Spieth’s direction, encouraging the crowd to shower Spieth with applause. On the youngest U.S. Team in Presidents Cup history, the 29-year-olds Spieth and Thomas are unquestioned veterans. Spieth now holds a career 12-5-1 record in Presidents Cup competition, with Thomas now 10-2-2. They carry respect, and they back it up. “I think there are certain guys on the team who have played a lot in these team events,” said world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler early in the week. “I look at Jordan and JT as those guys. They’re the longest tenured … there are certain guys where their voice holds a lot of weight.” Spieth and Thomas relish the leadership role and the pairing. Following Friday’s Four-ball victory against Adam Scott and Cam Davis, Thomas was asked how he handles Spieth’s trademark brand of scrambling golf. A troublesome spot akin to an 18-handicapper leads to recovery theatrics and a head scratch. Time and again. On Thursday, Spieth hooked a drive on 15 that landed in the creek running alongside the fairway and inexplicably bounced out; the duo won the hole with a par. The next day, Spieth’s approach on 15 bounced off rocks in the creek and caromed into light rough over the green. He saved par and tied the hole. “That was nothing,” Thomas quipped Friday evening. “It’s not even, like, remotely close to some Jordan Spieth golf I’ve seen before. Anything and everything he does on the golf course does not surprise me. I’ve seen crazier, that’s for sure.” The end of Saturday’s match is yet another example.

Click here to read the full article…

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The U.S. Team has a juggernaut in Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas that moved them closer to another victory in the Presidents Cup on Saturday. The International Team has a spark plug in 20-year-old Tom Kim, who delivered the emotion and big putts that made it clear the Americans will have to work for it. The day started with the Americans having a mathematical chance to clinch the cup. It ended with them holding an 11-7 lead, with 12 singles matches left on Sunday. Spieth and Thomas became only the second U.S. partnership to win all four team matches in the Presidents Cup, handily winning their Foursomes match in the morning and their Fourballs match in the afternoon. The International Team split the morning matches, and the way this Presidents Cup has gone for them, not losing ground felt like a win. And then it got better. They rallied over the final hour in two matches to turn deficits into 1-up wins, taking the afternoon session by winning three of the four matches. The star was Kim, the youngest player at Quail Hollow and perhaps the biggest personality. He started the comeback with a 55-foot eagle putt on the par-4 11th hole against Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele. They were all square going to the last, Si Woo Kim already out of the hole, and Tom Kim facing a 10-foot birdie putt for the win. He took a few steps back as the ball neared the hole, dropped his putter and slammed his cap to the ground in a raucous celebration. “I wanted that putt more than anything in the world,” Kim said. Moments later, Adam Scott and Cameron Davis rallied from 1 down with three holes remaining when Davis made a 12-foot eagle putt on the 16th and a 15-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole to go 1 up. On the final hole, Sam Burns hit his approach to 4 feet that gave him and Billy Horschel a chance to earn a halve. And then Davis made a 10-foot birdie for another point. The Americans are still very much in control, needing only four wins and a halve from the 12 singles matches in the final session. Spieth and Thomas have led the way. The only other U.S. tandem in a Presidents Cup to go 4-0 was Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker at Harding Park in 2009. The International Team had Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace do the same in South Korea in 2015. Thomas and Spieth have been close friends for 15 years, dating to junior golf and international outings. This is the first time in a Presidents Cup that they have been paired together, and both are on their games. It a lethal combination. Even so, the end of the matches gave Spieth pause. “We’ve got to go get the job done tomorrow and win two more points for our team,” Spieth said. “I’d love to get a singles win, and I know Justin would, too. We’re going to be close enough where our two would be obviously extremely important.” Kim won both his matches Saturday, teaming with K.H. Lee in morning foursomes to beat Burns and Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, 2 and 1. Scott is playing on his 10th team — eight losses and one tie — and was shut out until he and Hideki Matsuyama took down Collin Morikawa and Cameron Young in the morning, and Scott and Davis proved to be a great Australian duo in the afternoon. “Any victory against the U.S. Team has got to be really hard fought,” Scott said. “So this feels good.” Max Homa is still having the week of his life. After his late heroics the night before, he partnered with Tony Finau in a 4-and-3 victory over Si Woo Kim and Davis. Homa sat out the afternoon session. He is 3-0 in his debut playing in a Presidents Cup. Schauffele and Cantlay lost for the first time in three matches this week. They were 2 up after 10 holes and were 3 under the rest of the way, with Schauffele making a 40-foot birdie putt from short of the 15th green for a 1-up lead that looked like it would carry them to another point. Instead, Si Woo Kim made a 4-foot birdie putt to square the match on the 16th, and a 5-foot par putt to keep it tied on the 17th. Tom Kim was so nervous he covered his eyes and was peaking through his fingers, pumping his fist when the putt dropped. And then the 20-year-old Korean had the stage to himself at the end, and he delivered a winner. Left to be seen is what one putt — one point — can do for an International Team that still has a four-point deficit to overcome.

Click here to read the full article…

The heavily-favored U.S. Team has exerted itself at the Presidents Cup, running out to an 8-2 lead after the first two rounds. The Internationals have had their opportunities. In each of the first two days, they’ve had multiple matches that have been just 1-down or tied on the back nine but they have been unable to flip the script against the U.S. powerhouse. The four-day competition is at its halfway point, but only one-third of the matches have been completed. Saturday features two four-match sessions – with Foursomes beginning at 7:12 a.m. Saturday and Four-balls following in the afternoon – before the traditional 12-match Singles session on Sunday. We’ll have recaps for all of Saturday’s matches here as soon as they are completed. Stay here to see if the United States can extend its lead or if the Internationals can claw back into contention. PRESIDENTS CUP: Scoring | The five key clubs for the International Team at the Presidents Cup | The five key clubs for the U.S. Team at the Presidents Cup SATURDAY: MORNING FOURSOMES MATCH 11 Jordan Spieth/Justin Thomas (U.S.) def. Sungjae Im/Corey Conners (Intl.), 4 and 3 Score at match’s conclusion: U.S. Team 9, International Team 2

Click here to read the full article…

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The International Team may be the visitors at this week’s Presidents Cup, but the Charlotte community has made Trevor Immelman’s team feel at home. As a show of appreciation for that hospitality, the International Team has made a special donation to two Charlotte-area organizations. Immelman, his 12 players and four captain’s assistants are donating to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s K9 unit and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Dream Center, a Christ-centered non-profit that meets the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of those affected by poverty, addiction and homelessness. “Our team has had such an amazing experience, not just this week but when we came here for our team trip a few weeks ago,” Immelman said. “We’ve met so many great people who have shown us amazing hospitality, so as a team we just wanted to find a way to give back and support the community that has taken us in and treated us so well over the last month or so.” The Charlotte Mecklenburg Dream Center was established in 2014 by Jim Noble, founder of the Noble Food and Pursuits Company. Immelman said he has been impressed with the tales of transformation at the Dream Center. “Jim Noble has told me some incredible stories, some touching stories about how they have impacted people in this community, supported them through times of struggle, whether mentally, emotionally, physically or spiritually,” Immelman said. “They do some amazing work. This is just a small way to say thanks to the people of the Charlotte area.” The International Team’s donation to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department will be used to purchase safety equipment and training for the K9 unit’s human and canine officers. “They’ve done an incredible job not only for our team, but for all the fans who have been visiting, keeping us safe and making sure everything runs smoothly,” Immelman said about the CMPD. “Something our team has thoroughly enjoyed is the K9 unit and so we want to donate to them. I have two dogs at home. Many of our players have dogs, and it’s something that we were really excited about when we found out that this was a way we could help support them after all they’ve done for us.” Said Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department Chief Johnny Jennings, “This donation will keep our four-legged officers equipped with the best technology and equipment as they work side-by-side with their human partners to serve this great community. I want to thank the International Team for its generous donation. The City of Charlotte and the CMPD have been blessed by the long-standing partnership with the PGA TOUR.” Noble also expressed his gratitude for the International Team’s donation. “Words cannot explain the gratitude we have for Trevor and the International Team for your heart for those in need in our community and greater Charlotte whose lives will be impacted with the love of God you are sharing through your generosity,” he said. Even after the International Team leaves Charlotte on Sunday, its impact will be felt for years to come.

Click here to read the full article…

The 14th edition of the Presidents Cup continues Saturday at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. The U.S. Team and International Team will battle it out in different formats before the winning group hoists the trophy. The U.S. Team leads 8-2 over the Internationals with two sessions to be played today before Sunday singles. Saturday afternoon’s Four-ball matches will be announced following the conclusion for the morning Foursomes session. Here’s everything you need to know to follow the action. Scoring Tee times MATCH 11 Jordan Spieth/Justin Thomas (U.S.) vs. Sungjae Im/Corey Conners (Intl.), 7:12 a.m. Eastern MATCH 12 Cameron Young/Collin Morikawa (U.S.) vs. Adam Scott/Hideki Matsuyama (Intl.), 7:24 a.m. Eastern MATCH 13 Scottie Scheffler/Sam Burns (U.S.) vs. K.H. Lee/Tom Kim (Intl.), 7:36 a.m. Eastern MATCH 14 Tony Finau/Max Homa (U.S.) vs. Si Woo Kim/Cam Davis (Intl.), 7:48 a.m. Eastern HOW TO FOLLOW Television: Saturday, 7 a.m.-8 a.m. (Golf Channel/Peacock), 8 a.m.-6 p.m. (NBC/Peacock). Sunday, 12 p.m.-6 p.m. (NBC/Peacock) Radio: Saturday: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday: 12 p.m.-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com/liveaudio) For outside of the U.S., click here for GOLFTV powered by the PGA TOUR MUST READS Presidents Cup match previews: Saturday morning Foursomes Presidents Cup: Friday Four-ball match recaps Homa a hero in Presidents Cup debut Plenty of Presidents Cup betting action remains despite heavy U.S. lead U.S. Team survives close matches to double lead How the format, scoring works Nine Things to Know: Quail Hollow Club COMMUNITY Text +1 (704) 237-6877 or click here to get behind-the-scenes content from the Presidents Cup and stay up to date with all of the action from Quail Hollow.

Click here to read the full article…

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The matches felt a little closer Friday in the Presidents Cup. And then Max Homa made two big putts that gave the U.S. Team the same outcome. In the third straight Fourballs match that went the distance, Homa poured in a 12-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole for a 1-up lead. After Taylor Pendrith gave the International Team hope with a birdie on the 18th hole, Homa matched him with another 12-foot birdie putt for the win. That gave the Americans another session by a 4-1 margin, stretching their lead to 8-2 going into the weekend at Quail Hollow and making another U.S. victory start to look inevitable. For the second straight time on home soil, the powerful U.S. Team goes into a double session on Saturday with a mathematical chance to win the cup. “This is insane,” Homa said after he and Billy Horschel outlasted the Canadian duo of Pendrith and Corey Conners. “To come down to the 18th two days in a row, man, what a day. Billy made some amazing putts. I just wanted to help him.” Former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush were on hand at Quail Hollow Club, and while it looked for a moment as though the International Team might make a game of it, the deficit at the end of the day was as daunting as ever. The lone point for the International Team came from two ties. Scottie Scheffler had a 10-foot birdie putt for the win on the 18th, and only a few blades of grass kept it from dropping as he and Sam Burns halved the match with Sungjae Im and Sebastian Munoz. Cameron Young had a 25-foot putt for the win that missed. He and Kevin Kisner settled for a half-point against Mito Pereira and Christiaan Bezuidenhout in the only match where the International Team ever led. The strength of the U.S. Team came from a pair of dynamic partnerships. Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele were 5-up at the turn and easily held on for a 3-and-2 win over Hideki Matsuyama and Tom Kim. Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas improved to 6-2 as a team in Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup matches, leading from the fourth hole in a 2-and-1 victory over the Australian pair of Adam Scott and Cameron Davis. As usual, Spieth and Thomas were far from dull. They were 2 up with five holes to play when Thomas hit 6-iron to 2 feet on the par-3 14th over water to a back pin for birdie. And right when it looked as though the International side might get closer, Spieth was up to his tricks. His approach on the 15th — the 18th hole when Quail Hollow hosts the Wells Fargo Championship — was headed for the stream when it hit the rocks and caromed over the green into the rough. He chipped 15 feet by, and then holed that par to halve the hole. The Spieth-Thomas and Cantlay-Schauffele teams, formed as much by friendship as their games, are 2-0 this week and are tough to beat no matter whom the International Team sends out against them. The passion came from the Presidents Cup rookies. Homa’s goal all year was to make the team and he was among six captain’s picks by Davis Love III. Homa won twice last season, and started the new season with an unlikely title defense at Silverado in the Fortinet Championship when he chipped in for birdie on the final hole and Danny Willett three-putted from 4 feet. He flew across the country from California and looked energized, particularly at the end of the day with another point on the board for the Americans. It was the second straight day Homa was in the final match, meaning the entire U.S. Team was there to see it. “It’s surreal to have 10 of the best golfers I’ve ever seen in my life watching you and you’ve got to help them,” Homa said. “It’s a heavy weight. But it’s also really fun.” Saturday is pivotal at every Presidents Cup, and it could be the last chance for the International Team to get back into the game with four matches of Foursomes in the morning and four matches of Fourballs in the afternoon. The U.S. Team would have to win seven of them and halve the other to clinch the cup, which sounds unlikely except for who they have and how they’re playing. They came within one match of doing that at Liberty National in 2017.

Click here to read the full article…