Pairings, format, schedule, TV for Day 2 of Presidents Cup. Plus, a (Golden) Bear alert
After a big scoring day Thursday, the United States will trot out a slightly different lineup for the second session of the Presidents Cup on Friday as they hope to avoid the kind of collapse that doomed the International side in 2019.
A few of the “regular” U.S. pairings return, with Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas remaining together after their win on Thursday. Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns will remain together for the Americans, as will Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay.
Both players left aside Thursday will slot in Friday, with Billy Horschel replacing Tony Finau alongside Max Homa, and Kevin Kisner slotting in alongside Cameron Young in place of Collin Morikawa.
For the International side, it is a complete shuffle. None of the pairings from Thursday are repeated Friday. Both players held out Thursday — Sebastian Munoz and Christiaan Bezuidenhout — will slot in for Friday’s four-ball session, replacing Si Woo Kim, who won Thursday with Cam Davis, and K.H. Lee.
Here are the matchups for Friday’s four-ball session, with tee times:
11:35: Jordan Spieth/Justin Thomas (U.S.) vs. Adam Scott/Cam Davis (Int’l)
11:50: Scottie Scheffler/Sam Burns (U.S.) vs. Sungjae Im/Sebastian Munoz (Int’l)
12:05: Kevin Kisner/Cameron Young (U.S.) vs. Mito Pereira/Christiaan Bezuidenhout (Int’l)
12:20: Patrick Cantlay/Xander Schauffele (U.S.) vs. Hideki Matsuyama/Tom Kim (Int’l)
12:35: Billy Horschel/Max Homa (U.S.) vs. Corey Connors/Taylor Pendrith (Int’l)
Left aside: Tony Finau, Collin Morikawa (U.S.); Si Woo Kim, K.H. Lee (Int’l)
What is four-ball?
Traditional golf tournaments are an every-golfer-for-themselves proposition, and on the PGA Tour, rarely does the format differ.
In international events like the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup, to foster a team atmosphere, not only do players from opposing sides compete directly against one another individually, but there are formats in which teams of players will concurrently battle.
Such is the case on Day 2 at the Presidents Cup. In the second session, golfers from the United States will take on players from around the world — except Europe — in the “four-ball” format.
In a match play competition, a four-ball consists of two teams of two players competing directly against each other. All four golfers play their own balls throughout the round. Each hole is won by the team whose member has the lowest score. Typically this can allow for more aggressive play based on who hits first, and from which position.
This differs from “foursomes” play, which was contested on Day 1. In that format, a pair of golfers from the same team play one ball on each hole, alternating which golfer hits the shot each time. Intuitively, the format is also known as “alternate shot.”
Teammates decide which of them will tee off on the even-numbered holes and which on the odd-numbered ones. The players then play alternate shots throughout the play of that hole. Either of the players is allowed to take any action for their side, such as to mark the ball, or to lift and replace it, regardless of which partner’s turn it is to play next for the side.
Widest of margins
Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele scored a big win Thursday. The first pair to play, Cantlay and Schauffele were facing International veterans Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama.
The match was virtually over by the time they hit the turn. Wins on Holes 3, 5, 6 and 7 catapulted the U.S. side to a 4-up lead, and they capped the round on the back nine with wins on 11, 12 and 13 to close out the International side, 6-and-5.
But that win was not the most lopsided individual match in Presidents Cup history. In fact, nine times before, and American side has won a match 6-and-5 in the Presidents Cup. On six occasions, an International team or individual has done so — including Scott.
The largest margin of victory at a Presidents Cup — and it’s been done twice by the International side — was 7-and-6. Scott, again, was a part of that history, teaming up with current captain’s assistant KJ Choi in 2011 to defeat Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker in foursomes. David Frost beat Kenny Perry 7-and-6 in singles play in 1996.
Twice the U.S. has won matches 7-and-5: Current team captain Davis Love III and Jim Gallagher Jr. defeated Frank Nobilo and Robert Allenby in 1994, and David Toms defeated Allenby in singles in 2011.
In the shadow of a Bear
One of the United States’ most recognizable — and universally admired — golfers was on hand Thursday to help begin the 2022 Presidents Cup.
The gathered crowd in the stadium around the first tee at Quail Hollow erupted as 18-time major champion Jack Nicklaus helped carry the golden trophy to its podium to begin the opening ceremonies. He strode in alongside captain’s assistant and fellow golf hall-of-famer Fred Couples to thunderous applause.
Nicklaus is a four-time Presidents Cup captain, and has long been a part of the tournament’s pageantry.
Day 2 information
Site: Quail Hollow Club.
Yardage: 7,047. Par: 71.
Television: Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 7-8 a.m. (Golf Channel), 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (NBC); Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. (NBC).
Defending champion: United States.
This week’s score: U.S. 4, Int’l 1
Series: The U.S. leads International, 11-1-1.
In 2019: The U.S. rallied in Sunday singles to win at Royal Melbourne, 16-14, with Tiger Woods as a playing captain.
2022 Captains: Davis Love III (U.S.), Trevor Immelman (International).
This story was originally published September 22, 2022 at 6:53 PM with the headline "Pairings, format, schedule, TV for Day 2 of Presidents Cup. Plus, a (Golden) Bear alert."
