US key winners Justin Thomas, left, and Jordan Spieth speak at the driving range on Monday at Quail Hollow ahead of the 14th Presidents Cup matches against the two internationals. Charlotte (AFP) – A US team of 11 of the 18 world-ranked players reached the President’s Cup on Monday as favorites for their ninth straight win over a poor international squad. Top-ranked Masters Champion Scotty Scheffler, fourth seed Patrick Cantlay, fifth Tokyo Olympic champion Xander Shaveli and several major winners Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth and Colin Morikawa lead the 12-man U.S. team to Quil Hollow. “I’m excited about the 12 games and ready to go,” said United States captain Davis Love. “It’s going to be a great show once it starts on Thursday.” They face a record-breaking international team of eight junior players, the youngest ever team averaging at 28.8 after splits at the Saudi-backed LIV Series that denied them British Open winner Cam Smith of Australia and top 25 players Joaquin Neiman of Chile and Abraham Anser. Mexico. However, a new seven-member squad tested an American team led by Tiger Woods in 2019 in Melbourne before losing 16-14. “This fun atmosphere will continue with all the new blood on the team this time around,” said Australian veteran Adam Scott. “And if we can build up the momentum, we could shock the world.” South Korea’s Kim Joo-hyung hopes to bring youthful energy to the internationals at the 14th Presidents’ Cup matches in Quill Hollow. The Love 12 squad includes the world’s top 25 even without injured eighth-placed Will Xalatores and several defectors from LIV Golf, including Dustin Johnson. The internationals are bragging about five of the top 30 players, led by 2021 champion Hideki Matsuyama of Japan in 17th place, but American talent and depth make them overwhelming favorites despite the intense fighting in their last meeting. “We came very close to winning in 2019,” Matsuyama said. “I still get frustrated when I come back to think of how close we are to getting it done. “But we have a new team and hopefully this year will be a different story.” International captain Trevor Immelman of South Africa watches his players on the leadership field at Quail Hollow ahead of the 14th Presidents’ Cup US Assistant Captain Webb Simpson sees Homma as an important member of the team.“He’s a very likable guy. It’s very easy to be around,” Simpson said. “Most, if not all, guys like to play with Max.” “Hopefully I just get the energy,” Kim said. “I am much younger than all the guys on the team, so I hope to carry that energy. “He’s got such tangible enthusiasm,” said international captain Trevor Immelman. “He’s an incredibly mature guy, well experienced for being only 20. He’s a real deal. There’s no doubt about that.”
And the Americans, with six up-and-coming players including Scheffler, have an all-time 11-1-1 in contention, taking the final eight of the world line-up. Their only loss came in Melbourne in 1998.
It would be an astounding feat of all time if the World Fatalist Team defeats one of the strongest American teams ever, a group that rivals the team that tore Europe 19-9 in the Ryder Cup last year.
– Homma, Kim bring a spark –
Max Homa, among the newcomers in the US this week, claimed his fifth PGA title on Sunday in the Fortinet, sinking a birdie into the last hole.
“It definitely happens with some confidence, so that’s nice,” said Homa.
Homma, who won his first PGA title at Quail Hollow in 2019, had something to prove after being named captain.
“A lot of people have told me that if the LIV had not left, I wouldn’t have been the Presidents Cup team,” he said. “So I had a little chip on my shoulder.”
The internationals will get a jolt from 20-year-old Kim Joo-hyung, among the four South Koreans on the list.
“We know it’s going to be tough but as long as we come together as a team, we’ll have a chance.”
World number 21 Kim will be the third youngest player in the cup’s history after Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa and Spieth.
International assistant captain K. Choi expects big things from his compatriot.
“I think he will definitely be in the top ten in the near future,” Choi said. “I hope to be number one one day.”
