Sept 26 (Reuters) – The International Team kept its hopes of a huge Presidents Cup upset alive on Saturday, taking a three point lead over the United States into Sunday’s singles as they seek their first outright victory at the biennial event since 1998.
The Internationals, comprised of players from outside the US and Europe, saw their 7-3 lead cut into in the morning as Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns won each of the final three holes to defeat Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Hisatsune 2 and 1 in the last fourball match.
That trimmed the US deficit to three points ahead of four afternoon foursomes matches, where the Internationals would battle to a 2-2 split powered by a comeback by the Canadian duo of Nick Taylor and Corey Conners, who were three down through 10 but came back to beat Russell Henley and Jacob Bridgeman 1-up.
“There was no giving up,” Conners said.
“We knew it was going to be a battle. We gave them a few holes early on and I think we were both motivated to try to get back on the right side of things.”
The Internationals have a 10-1/2 to 7-1/2 advantage and need five of the 12 available points to end their title drought against the US, who have won the past 10 Presidents Cups.
The 2026 edition marks the first time the Internationals have led on foreign soil heading into Sunday in the event’s history
US Captain Brandt Snedeker, who made the surprising decision to sit world number one Scheffler for the afternoon session, said he was proud of his squad’s effort at the difficult Medinah Country Club’s No. 3 Course near Chicago.
Scheffler has struggled in team golf competitions in the past, and Snedeker appeared to want to take some of the pressure off of the four-time major champion’s shoulders.
“I challenged the guys this afternoon to go out there and be that team that we needed to be,” he said.
“We got Scottie some much needed rest so he can go out there tomorrow and be the Scottie Scheffler we know that he is.”
(Reporting by Rory Carroll; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
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