MONTREAL — The matches are getting smaller at the Presidents Cup, which only means one thing: the stakes are getting larger.
After a tense Saturday showdown at Royal Montreal, we’ve officially made it to the highest-stakes moment of the week: the Sunday Singles matches.
Twelve golfers will go off in one-on-one matches on Sunday with a whopping 12 points on the line — nearly half the point total for the entire Presidents Cup. The rules are simple: each match is worth a point, and the first team to 15.5 wins the Cup. (The current score is Americans 11, Internationals 7.)
After a noticeably chippy (and, at times, chilly) Saturday in Montreal, we turn our attention to Sunday with bated breath. Singles matches are traditionally the time in the schedule most apt to deliver high-octane entertainment, and with tensions already simmering, that entertainment might be even spicier than usual.
Below, we rank all 12 singles matches on Sunday by our own (highly subjective) measure of must-watchability. You can tune into the action from noon-6 p.m. ET on NBC.
Ranking all 12 Presidents Cup singles matches by must-watchability
12. Brian Harman vs. Christiaan Bezuidenhout (2:07 p.m.)
The penultimate match of this Presidents Cup features two of the least-seen members of each team: Brian Harman for the Americans (0-2-0 thus far), and Christiaan Bezuidenhout for the Internationals (1-1-0). Harman has a legendary track record as a U.S. Walker Cupper, and he’ll be looking to recover from two mostly dreadful alternate shot performances; while Bezuidenhout was part of the big International alternate shot wave on Friday but sat out the entirety of Saturday’s marathon session.
11. Sahith Theegala vs. Byeong Hun An (1:43 p.m.)
Sahith Theegala has been one of the Americans’ most excitable rookies this week (Freudian … or should we say Mongolian slips aside), while Ben An has quietly been a strong force on the International side. We didn’t hear from either player on Saturday, but on Sunday, this match is in prime position to decide the tournament.
10. Tony Finau vs. Corey Conners (1:19 p.m.)
Conners is sure to have the Canadian faithful in full force, while Finau has proven almost impervious to trash talkers. The energy will be high here, though the putting might not be pretty.
9. Wyndham Clark vs. Min Woo Lee (1:31 p.m.)
Lee has been one of the surprise ghosts of this year’s Presidents Cup, not playing in a single match since an opening four-ball loss alongside countryman Adam Scott. Mike Weir admitted Saturday that he’d hoped to get the young Australian more involved, but the cards didn’t fall Lee’s way after starting the week with arguably the event’s best haircut. He’ll look to get the crowd electrified — and maybe prove Weir wrong — with his performance on Sunday.
On the other side, Wyndham Clark has been the picture of average in his Team USA career, following up a 1-1-1 performance at the ’23 Ryder Cup with a 1-2-0 performance in Montreal. Another victory would bring him back to an even .500 for his Team USA career, which somehow feels perfectly reasonable.
8. Max Homa vs. Mackenzie Hughes (2:19 p.m.)
This ranking is more about schedule slot than quality of opponent. The final match of the 2024 Presidents Cup pits a guy who’s played way better than his 0-2-0 record suggests (Max Homa) against a guy who’s played way better than his 1-2-0 record suggests (Mackenzie Hughes). The two golfers have brought lots of energy this week, and, if the Cup comes down to them, could leave me looking quite foolish for ranking them this low.
7. Patrick Cantlay vs. Taylor Pendrith (12:50 p.m.)
The guy who couldn’t buy a putt on Saturday (Pendrith) against the guy who couldn’t miss (Cantlay). What could possibly go wrong? In all seriousness, though, with Cantlay morphing into a full-blown apex predator in the biggest moments under the U.S. flag, this one could mark the emergence of a new Captain America. That’s worth the price of admission alone.
6. Xander Schauffele vs. Jason Day (12:02 p.m.)
The first match of Sunday pits arguably the Americans’ best player at this Cup (Xander Schauffele) against arguably the Internationals’ most surprising leader (Jason Day). Both golfers have played inspired golf all week, and this one sets up to be a flusher’s paradise. In every sense of the word, it’s a tone-setter for what’s to come.
5. Russell Henley vs. Sungjae Im (12:38 p.m.)
Most of the finishers on this list fall into the what could be category; this one falls squarely in the what has already been. Henley and Im were part of a chilly handshake at the end of a slugfest in Saturday alternate shot. With Im arriving as a certified flusher and Henley playing the best golf of his life, the fireworks feel almost guaranteed.
4. Keegan Bradley vs. Si Woo Kim (1:02 p.m.)
The future lifeblood of the Americans against the present lifeblood of the Internationals. It’s a match that needs no introduction, though I do fear how Keegan’s New England roots will respond to a yuppie celebration like Si Woo’s “night-night.” Prepare your popcorn.
3. Collin Morikawa vs. Adam Scott (1:55 p.m.)
Collin Morikawa has quietly had a pretty dominant week in Montreal (he’s 3-1-1), which caps off a season in which he was quietly one of the most dominant players in the world. On Sunday, he can get the exclamation point his PGA Tour regular season was missing against Adam Scott, the leader of this International side.
Morikawa should be careful though, Scott has been playing brilliant golf, and he’ll be a tough out with the Cup on the line.
2. Sam Burns vs. Tom Kim (12:14 p.m.)
Burns, the guy who said he doesn’t mind yelling back at the haters, and Tom Kim, the guy who has never once minded stirring up the haters in Montreal. After Kim’s sportsmanship comments toward the Americans on Saturday evening, this one will have lots of extra attention, and Kim’s admission that he’s “so motivated” to grab a win on Sunday means the fireworks are coming.
1. Scottie Scheffler vs. Hideki Matsuyama (12:26 p.m.)
Considering both of these golfers are the best players on their respective teams, this match is a true heavyweight bout. Considering the way their match ended on Saturday — with Scheffler, the World No. 1, hanging on the rim after a proverbial Tomahawk dunk — the rematch on Sunday is sure to be extra spicey. And considering the way the 30 minutes before that match ended went, you can bet Scottie is showing up with a bee in his bonnet.
In other words: Hold onto your butts, folks, this one is gonna be a doozy.
