Team USA produced the biggest final day comeback in Presidents Cup history to defeat the International Team 17-13 at Medinah Country Club, overturning a three point deficit with a dominant Sunday singles performance.
Brandt Snedeker’s side entered the final day trailing 10.5-7.5, leaving the Americans needing at least eight points from the 12 singles matches to avoid their first Presidents Cup defeat since 1998.
They responded emphatically.
The United States collected 9.5 points from Sunday’s 12 matches, winning nine, halving one and losing only two as they transformed what had looked like a potential shock defeat into an 11th consecutive Presidents Cup victory.
The International Team had put themselves in a commanding position during the earlier sessions.
Team USA had taken a narrow 3-2 advantage after Thursday’s opening fourballs, but the competition changed dramatically on Friday when the International Team swept the foursomes session 5-0.
The Americans reduced some of the deficit during Saturday’s fourballs before the afternoon foursomes finished level, leaving Geoff Ogilvy’s International side three points ahead heading into Sunday. It was the first time the International Team had taken a lead into the final day singles on American soil.
With everything on the line, Snedeker sent several of his strongest players out early.
Cameron Young delivered the first American point of the day after recovering from two down early against Ryo Hisatsune.
Young won three consecutive holes from the 11th through the 13th before producing a long birdie at the par three 16th to complete a 3&2 victory.
That result provided exactly the kind of fast start Team USA needed.
Justin Thomas then added another convincing American victory.
Thomas dominated his contest against Corey Conners, winning five of the opening six holes before completing a 5&3 win.
The International Team responded through Tom Kim, who defeated Wyndham Clark 3&2 after producing three birdies across a four hole stretch around the turn.
Sungjae Im also kept the International Team in control by beating Sam Burns 3&1.
At that stage, the visitors still held a 12.5-10.5 advantage.
However, the complexion of the contest was rapidly changing because the Americans were leading in several of the remaining matches.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler contributed another crucial point with a 2&1 victory over Nico Echavarria.
Scheffler never trailed during the match and built a four hole advantage before Echavarria fought back late.
The contest also produced a notable moment of sportsmanship when Scheffler confronted a spectator who shouted during Echavarria’s backswing and then conceded a lengthy putt to his opponent following the disruption.
From there, the momentum swung decisively towards the United States.
Chris Gotterup defeated Christiaan Bezuidenhout 1 up after taking their contest to the final hole.
Patrick Cantlay followed with a 2&1 victory over veteran Australian Adam Scott, highlighted by a remarkable 57 foot birdie putt on the 16th hole.
The combination of those results brought the overall contest level with five matches still on the course.
Collin Morikawa then edged Hideki Matsuyama 1 up after the Japanese star made bogey at the final hole.
That result pushed the United States ahead and increased the pressure on the remaining International players.
One of the most important performances of the afternoon came from Jackson Koivun.
The 21 year old Presidents Cup rookie had been one of the standout performers for the Americans all week and entered the closing stretch of his singles match against Si Woo Kim two holes down.
Koivun responded by winning four holes during a five-hole stretch.
He then birdied the 18th to secure a 2 up victory, moving Team USA to the brink of retaining the trophy.
Koivun finished the competition as the only undefeated American player, a remarkable achievement for a golfer only months removed from his college career.
Snedeker praised the youngster afterwards, highlighting the composure he showed under enormous pressure during the closing stages.
The decisive moment eventually belonged to another Presidents Cup rookie.
Jacob Bridgeman entered the closing stretch against Min Woo Lee one hole behind with three remaining.
Bridgeman fought back and arrived at the 18th with the match level.
He then won the final hole to claim a 1 up victory, securing the point that officially guaranteed the United States would retain the Presidents Cup.
The result sparked celebrations around Medinah as the Americans completed the largest final day comeback in the history of the competition.
Xander Schauffele later added another point by defeating Open champion Ryan Fox 2&1.
Schauffele had appeared likely to provide the winning point himself before losing consecutive holes late in his match, allowing Bridgeman to become the player who officially clinched the trophy.
The final contest ended with Russell Henley and Nick Taylor sharing their match, completing the American team’s extraordinary 9.5-2.5 victory in the Sunday singles session.
The final score of 17-13 extended the United States’ remarkable dominance of the Presidents Cup.
Team USA have now won 11 consecutive editions of the event and have not lost since the International Team’s only outright victory at Royal Melbourne in 1998.
For the International Team, the result will be particularly painful because of how close they appeared to a historic victory.
Ogilvy’s players had produced one of the strongest performances in International Team history through the opening three days and entered Sunday with their first final-round lead on American soil.
But singles has traditionally been an area of strength for Team USA, and that proved decisive once again.
Ogilvy acknowledged afterwards that the Americans had started aggressively and played at an extremely high level, while also noting how several close matches could easily have changed the momentum had a handful of holes gone differently.
For Snedeker, the comeback represented a dramatic conclusion to his first Presidents Cup as captain.
The United States had appeared to be in serious trouble after falling 7-3 behind following Friday’s play, but the captain maintained confidence that his team could recover at a venue famous for dramatic final-day comebacks.
That belief was rewarded on Sunday.
Young and Thomas provided the early momentum, Scheffler added another important victory, Cantlay and Morikawa helped turn the scoreboard, and the two rookies Koivun and Bridgeman delivered under the greatest pressure.
For Bridgeman in particular, the final hole will be remembered for years.
Facing the opportunity to secure the Presidents Cup for his country in his debut appearance, he produced the point Team USA needed.
What had begun as a possible historic International Team victory instead became another chapter in America’s remarkable Presidents Cup record.
Team USA are Presidents Cup champions once again but after entering Sunday three points behind, their 17-13 victory at Medinah will be remembered as one of the most dramatic wins in the competition’s history.
