With less than three weeks until the opening day of the Presidents Cup, Mike Weir and Jim Furyk will be looking to nail down the potential pairings in their side as they both look to leave Royal Montreal Golf Club with the trophy.
Of course, the Internationals are looking for only their second ever win in the Presidents Cup, and they will be major underdogs in the eyes of many in Canada – particularly with four of the top six players in the world rankings in the American side.
Weir will know the importance of his side not repeating their nightmare start two years ago, when the Internationals found themselves 4-1 down after the opening session at Quail Hollow.
Weir has recently confirmed that fourballs will be played on Thursday, noting that he believed that that format plays to his team’s strengths.
But what pairings and matchups can fans perhaps expect on the opening day in Montreal? Here, The Golfing Gazette has had a go at predicting how the two teams will look on Thursday…
Adam Scott/Min Woo Lee vs Xander Schauffele/Patrick Cantlay
It would certainly be no surprise at all to see Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay paired together on Thursday, with the duo paired together three times two years ago. With Scottie Scheffler‘s current record in the Presidents Cup not actually that impressive, it may fall to Schauffele to lead the American side out.
Adam Scott played both fourball matches alongside Cam Davis two years ago, so Scott’s countryman Min Woo Lee may be an obvious candidate to replace Davis. Given Lee’s distance off the tee, it would be no surprise to see him involved in both fourball sessions. Lee has already said that it would be amazing to play alongside Scott or Jason Day.
Corey Conners/Taylor Pendrith vs Collin Morikawa/Wyndham Clark
The Canadian pair of Corey Conners and Taylor Pendrith both lost all four of the matches they were involved in in 2022, so they will feel that they have a real point to prove this time around, particularly in front of their home fans. It would be no surprise to see Weir send them out early in an attempt to not let the pressure ramp up while they wait to get going.
Collin Morikawa has shown that he can be paired with almost anyone, so putting him with fellow Olympian Wyndham Clark could go under the radar as an incredibly strong pairing in a star-studded American side.
Byeong-hun An/Tom Kim vs Max Homa/Brian Harman
If Max Homa and Brian Harman are going to play over the first two days, it is surely going to be on Thursday, with neither in the best form right now. Certainly, Homa’s struggles off the tee surely makes an appearance in the foursomes highly unlikely. It should also be noted that the pair won both of their matches together on Saturday at the last Ryder Cup.
Byeong-hun An has a big role to play for the Internationals on Thursday, with only two players averaging more distance off the tee across the entire PGA Tour this season. Tom Kim‘s performance in 2022 showed that he is a potential superstar, so he will be desperate to get off to a flyer. He is surely a contender to play all five matches.
Sungjae Im/Christiaan Bezuidenhout vs Sahith Theegala/Tony Finau
Like Max Homa in the previous game, Christiaan Bezuidenhout is surely unlikely to be involved in the foursomes throughout the week, with the South African struggling off the tee this season. But he only featured in two games two years ago – actually going unbeaten – so Weir may want to give him an early chance to get a point on the board. Sungjae Im meanwhile, is another candidate to play all five matches having finished seventh in the FedEx Cup. He is much more reliable off the tee, but perhaps his approach game could be an issue.
Tony Finau is someone who has played with a raft of different names over the years, so he may be the ideal candidate to play alongside Sahith Theegala on his Presidents Cup debut. Theegala could be one to really watch in this event after a superb week at The Tour Championship.
Jason Day/Hideki Matsuyama vs Scottie Scheffler/Sam Burns
Perhaps the most star-power will come in the bottom game, with Jason Day and Hideki Matsuyama taking on the world number one Scottie Scheffler and the in-form Sam Burns.
Much may depend on Matsuyama’s fitness after he withdrew from the BMW Championship with a back injury, but there is plenty of time between the play-offs and the Presidents Cup. Day meanwhile, is going to have to have a phenomenal week if the Internationals are going to threaten an upset.
Scheffler and Burns did not win any of their three matches together in 2022, so it may not be a big surprise if they were split up this time around. But there is surely no chance of either player sitting out the opening session in Montreal.
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