Team USA secured a commanding 18.5-11.5 victory over the International team at the 2024 Presidents Cup, marking their 10th consecutive triumph in the biennial event. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley delivered the winning point for the United States in Canada, solidifying their dominance. However, the road to this victory was not without challenges, and it left the International team with plenty to reflect on.
Former major champion Rich Beem weighed in on Team USA’s latest win, acknowledging that the Presidents Cup is becoming more competitive. “The Internationals are certainly starting to build their own identity,” Beem said, adding, “They certainly provided plenty of excitement this week!”
The contest started with a bang as the Americans took an early 5-0 lead on Thursday, leaving many wondering if the match could be over before it even began. “All of a sudden, we were all thinking ‘oh my gosh, this could be over already,'” Beem reflected. But the International team shocked everyone by sweeping the USA in one session, a comeback no one saw coming.
Still, Saturday proved to be a pivotal moment in the contest. According to Beem, International team captain Mike Weir made critical mistakes with his pairings during the afternoon foursomes. “I think Mike Weir lost it on Saturday by not mixing up some of his pairings… I think that was a mistake,” Beem remarked, suggesting that Weir might reflect on his strategy.
One key decision was putting veteran Adam Scott in his fourth consecutive match on Saturday afternoon. At 44, Scott admitted he was feeling fatigued, and Beem agreed it was a misstep to push him too hard. “Putting Adam Scott out there for the fourth straight match… was the wrong decision. I mean, he had to have been drained.”
Beem also questioned Weir’s choice to place Scott in the lower groups for Sunday’s singles matches. “I would have thought that a fresh Scott might have been in the top three matches,” he noted, believing that a well-rested Scott could have made a bigger impact.
Ultimately, while the International team has undeniable talent, the depth of the United States roster proved too overwhelming. “Anybody can beat anybody on one given day, but if you stretch it out to four different days, that’s a different thing,” Beem pointed out. The U.S. depth and consistency across four days of competition once again proved too much for the International side to overcome.