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E-mail Xinhua, September 30, 2024
by Al Campbell
MONTREAL, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Team easily retained its Presidents Cup title on Sunday, collecting the 4.5 points it needed to win halfway through the final day's play on the way to an 18.5-11.5 victory over the International Team in Quebec.
On a day when Japan's Hideki Matsuyama took down world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler 1up in the marquee pairing of the 12 singles matches, it was U.S. veteran Keegan Bradley who secured the winning point in the sixth match of the day at Royal Montreal Golf Club, holding off South Korean Kim Si-woo 1up.
The U.S. Team has now won 13 of the 15 tournaments, including 10 consecutively, since the event debuted in 1994. The biennial match-play event pits 12 U.S. pros against their international counterparts from around the world, excluding Europe.
Bradley, who will captain the 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup team, was playing for his first American team since being on the losing 2014 Ryder Cup side. The 38-year-old, the 2011 PGA Championship winner, was originally set to be an assistant for the U.S. Team at the Presidents Cup until captain Jim Furyk made him one of his six-at-large picks.
"It's a fairytale. It's a movie almost. I just can't believe it. You just have to work as hard as I can, and good things happen," said Bradley who was 2-1 this week. "I have to pinch myself a lot in my life, but this is one of those moments. This is up there with as great a moment in my career as I've ever felt."
Xander Schauffele got the first point of the singles for the U.S. Team when the world No. 2 beat Australian Jason Day 4&3. South Korea's Tom Kim fought back for a half-point for the Internationals to halve with Sam Burns. Matsuyama, the world No. 8, then beat Scheffler with a birdie two on the 17th hole to win a match where neither player ever led by more than a hole.
Russell Henley picked up his third point of the tournament, beating Korean Im Sung-jae 3&2, before Patrick Cantlay beat Canadian Taylor Pendrith to set up Bradley's winning point.
Other matches saw Canada's Corey Conners thrash Tony Finau 5&3, while Australian Lee Min-woo fought back to tie Wyndham Clark on the final hole. Sahith Theegala putted lights out to halve his match with South Korean An Byeong-hun. World No. 3 Collin Morikawa got by Australian veteran Adam Scott 2&1.
South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout prevailed over 2023 British Open champion Brian Harman, while Max Homa closed out the American campaign 2&1 over Canadian Mackenzie Hughes.
The 2026 Presidents Cup will be held at the Medinah Country Club in Chicago, Illinois. Enditem
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