Despite the Internationals threatening to produce an incredible comeback after losing the first session 5-0, USA’s quality shone through at the Presidents Cup, with Jim Furyk’s men sealing a relatively comfortable victory at Royal Montreal.
USA continued their dominance at the event, running out 18.5-11.5 winners to clinch their 13th Presidents Cup title. In truth, it was another fairly sobering experience for the Internationals, who collected just 6.5 points after Friday.
Brian Harman was the only player to not pick up any points in Canada. Sam Burns, on the other hand, was the only player to go unbeaten throughout the week. But there were three Americans who ended up winning four points for their side.
Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay were able to bounce back from their emphatic defeat on Friday afternoon to win every other game. And Collin Morikawa joined them on four points, with the two-time major champion beating Adam Scott in the Sunday singles.
US star tipped to win another major very soon after his Presidents Cup display
Morikawa has been picked out as the star of the American show already. It has been a turbulent time for the 27-year-old, who required a captain’s pick for the 2022 Presidents Cup, as well as the Ryder Cup one year later. But he appears to be getting back to his best.
In fact, speaking on The Smylie Show, Smylie Kaufman claimed that he believes that major number three is really not too far away now.
“I could not have been more impressed with Collin Morikawa this week. He blew me away, he is 1000 percent all the way back,” he said.
“There was no doubt in my mind this guy’s going to win a major very soon, his control with his irons is unlike anything you’ll ever see. Every shot that he hits is just pin high, pin high, pin high. And then his drives off the tee, you know when a guy’s driving it really well is when they get to their finish and the shaft of the club hits the back of their spine and the back of their neck and bounces off. Every single time, it’s just so much freedom in his golf swing, and just hit it so well this week.”
Why Collin Morikawa is one to watch at The Masters
It is the first time in Morikawa’s professional career that he has managed to win four points in one of these events, so it could prove to be an important week as part of his comeback towards the top.
Beating Scott was particularly impressive as the Australian had arguably been the Internationals’ most impressive player across the five sessions. And had Min Woo Lee’s putter been hot on day one, or Mike Weir not sent the 2013 Masters champion out with Taylor Pendrith on three occasions, perhaps he would have got more than two points.
But of course, performing well in these competitions will count for little on its own by the time The Masters rolls around next year. What does count for a lot is the fact that Morikawa has finished in the top 10 in his last three visits to Augusta National.
So if his form continues to trend in the right direction, he may indeed be one name to look out for next April.
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