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GOLF’s Zephyr Melton walks Tee to Green with Masters Champion Trevor Immelman on the Par 4 9th hole at GlenArbor Golf Club.

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The post Even in defeat, the Internationals proved they belong at the Presidents Cup appeared first on Golf.

The post Even in defeat, the Internationals proved they belong at the Presidents Cup appeared first on Golf.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — At 5:23 p.m. ET, it became official — Team USA had won the Presidents Cup.

As Xander Schauffele poured a par putt into the center of the cup, his countrymen let out a raucous cheer and those gathering around the 18th green began to chant.

USA! USA! USA!

With that par, the Yankees put a punctuation mark on a performance that further solidified their dominance in the biennial competition. Of the 14 iterations of the Presidents Cup, 12 have been won by the Americans, with another ending in a tie.

Some of the Americans streamed onto the green to congratulate Schauffele on his clinching point, while others stayed behind to get a head start on cracking their first adult beverages. Michelob Ultra tastes a little different when it signifies victory.

Back up the fairway, the International team stood and watched. Each wore an empty expression as they took in the scene in front of them. When they arrived at Quail Hollow earlier this week, they’d dreamed the roles would be reversed.

Wives hugged their husbands and patted them on the back for their efforts. Although they came up short, they had nothing to hang their heads about.

Just then, Trevor Immelman emerged from the throngs of Americans near the green. He made sure to congratulate each on a job well done. Now, the field general walked back to his disappointed soldiers. None of them knew much what to do. The Americans might’ve clinched the Cup, but there were still several matches on the course that were unsettled.

Immelman looked at his team and read their despondent faces. The golfers looked back at their captain and his steely resolve as he said one simple remark.

“Let’s keep fighting.”

The mantra had powered the Internationals through the week to this point. Even if the scoreboard reflected an insurmountable lead, the fight wasn’t over yet.

The International team wasn’t supposed to be here.

All week they heard about the big bad Americans and how this week would be a coronation rather than a competition. How, without the LIV defectors, they stood no chance. And even with them, how it wouldn’t be a fair fight. To hear some talk about it, you’d think they were breaking down a matchup between the Harlem Globetrotters and the Washington Generals.

The Presidents Cup was supposed to be over far earlier than late in the afternoon on Sunday. Hell, there were murmurs that this thing might end by Saturday night. And through the first two sessions, those scenarios seemed plausible.

The Americans came out swinging on Thursday, and led 4-1 by sundown. If not for some late heroics by Cam Davis, the Americans would’ve blanked the Internationals.

“We’ll keep going, man,” Immelman said. “We’ll keep going until they ring the bell.”

After Day 2, it looked as though the referee was ready to stop the fight. Again, the Americans came out swinging, and again, the Internationals couldn’t land a meaningful counterpunch. Ten matches into the event, it looked all but over. The Americans were ahead 8-2 and had trailed for just eight total holes. It was as if Ivan Drago wore red, white and blue.

In the press center that night, Immelman remained resolute.

“We’ve just got to keep fighting,” Immelman said. “Keep putting one foot in front of the other.”

The answer seemed like boilterplate coachspeak. The U.S. had delivered not one, but two haymakers, and the Internationals had few answers. Once the weekend hit, however, the Internationals found their identity.

Saturday morning arrived early at Quail Hollow. Players could see their breath in the crisp morning air as they warmed up under spotlights on the range, and the sun barely peaked over the horizon as the first foursomes match teed off.

Through nine holes of Day 3, it seemed as if nothing had changed. American duos held the lead in each of the four matches and the rout looked to be on. But just as the International’s obituary was set to hit newsstands, they began phase two of the rope-a-dope.

Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama flipped their match to earn a point, and K.H. Lee and Tom Kim did the same. The session ended in a 2-2 tie, but from that point forward, one thing was clear: the Internationals were beginning to believe.

The Internationals absorbed the Americans best punch, and they were still standing. Now they were ready to throw haymakers of their own.

It started with energetic and fearless Tom Kim, and soon spread to the rest of the team. Each time an opportunity for blood presented itself, the Internationals threw their best punch. By Saturday night, they had closed the gap to 11-7. The once coronation had turned into a dogfight, and the visitors had no intention of backing down.

“We’ve been fighting our guts out all week,” Immelman said. “If we’re 10 up or 10 down, we run our system, and we see what happens.”

As the final day of play commenced at Quail Hollow, a new buzz circulated the grounds. The social-hour vibe was long gone. In its place was an energized crowd ready to cheer their team to a hard-earned victory.

The calculus for an International comeback was simple: Get out to a fast start and make the Americans sweat. It was the recipe at Brookline and Medinah, and Immelman hoped it would be the recipe at Quail Hollow.

For his fast start, Immelman tasked Si Woo Kim with a lead-off match against Justin Thomas. The emotional leader of the Americans owned a 4-0 record coming into the match, but just like Immelman implored, Kim kept the fight. And after 18 hard-fought holes, Kim put a point on the board for the Internationals.

“It’s really special for me because I play with J.T. a match like three years ago,” Kim said. “I finish at the 13th hole, and I was a little emotional. But this time, I [got revenge].”

For a moment Sunday afternoon, a path to victory for the Internationals emerged. The margin for error was narrow (if barely possible), but still, there was hope. The scene was nearly impossible to imagine just 48 hours earlier.

It just wasn’t meant to be. Too many putts failed to fall in crucial moments. Too many matches failed to flip. And too many American flags flashed on the leaderboard. By day’s end, the Americans had clinched the Cup, sending the Internationals home empty-handed once again.

“We’re a little disappointed now. We believed in ourselves,” Immelman said. “But hat’s off to the Americans. They’re extremely strong and played some great golf.”

Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” played over the loudspeaker as the International team filed into the interview room. All 12 golfers, plus their captains, filed in and took a seat atop the platform at a long, white table.

Immelman began by praising the efforts of his team. He smiled as reporters recounted the high moments of the week. He called them warriors and said that outside of winning the trophy, they’d accomplished every goal they set out to.

Then, his tenor changed.

“This team is no joke,” he said. “And I’m sick and tired of it being spoken of as a joke.”

He seemed upset — and he had every reason to be. The International team had been a punch line for much of the week, and few in the room had given them a chance. Now, sitting in front of those same pundits, he wanted it known — they were for real.

Not that Immelman needed to say it. Everyone knew it. Every writer who had to rewrite their stories and every gambler who’d had to sweat out their bets. The Internationals never seemed like they had a chance — until they did.

This week wasn’t supposed to be so hard-fought, so closely contested. The American talent advantage was supposed to be too large to overcome, and the home-field advantage too hostile to navigate. But thanks to their fight, the Internationals proved everyone wrong.

“We’re going to win this event,” Immelman said. “We’ll keep fighting. At some point, we’re going to win.”

If they continue to bring the spunk they brought to Quail Hollow, it’s hard to doubt him.

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The post After Tom Kim’s clutch putt came a sporting gesture that most fans missed appeared first on Golf.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Tom Kim’s clutch birdie to buoy the International team on Saturday evening was unquestionably the moment of the tournament, and the visitors reacted in turn.

As the ball dropped into the side of the cup, Kim turned to his teammates, threw his hat to the ground and let out a ferocious fist pump. Despite a day full of emotional ebbs and flows, the International team’s spark plug still had plenty left in the tank.

“I was already thinking in the back of my mind, ‘If this goes in, what am I going to do?'” Kim later said. “I wanted it more than anything in the world.”

If the celebration was scripted, it didn’t look it. Kim’s joy — equal parts authentic and infectious — matched the energy he’d brought throughout the week. The endearing 20-year-old ran circles around the green as his fourball partner Si Woo Kim did the same. The Internationals were starting to believe.

Things moved fast in the aftermath of a winning putt. Kim was ferried away to fulfill television obligations as his teammates stood off to the left of the green with a newfound sense of confidence. Fans screamed for the Kim’s autograph, while his caddie, Joe Skovron, met with a couple members of the press.

Then came another significant moment. If you weren’t paying attention, though, you might’ve missed it.

As the pandemonium died down and the crowd thinned out, International captain Trevor Immelman walked back out on the green, wedge in hand. In the chaos of Kim’s celebration, the putting surface had taken some damage in the form of spike marks and foot prints, and Immelman intended to repair every spike mark and divot in his sight.

Although the blemishes easily could’ve been handled by the grounds crew on site, Immelman sportingly took it upon himself to fix the damage.

The moment revealed something about the captain, and it’s something that’s become more clear as the week has worn on: Immelman has been the right man for the job — not only for what he’s done for his team but also for how he’s represented the game.

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An old adage says that character is what you do when no one is watching. The trials of captaining a short-handed International team has shown Immelman’s character, and his care and respect for the arena in which the game is played has only furthered that reputation.

In Immelman’s position, it would be easy to bemoan the adversity that’s come his way. The LIV defections haven’t made things easy, and the poor luck in coin-flip matches this week hasn’t made the sledding any smoother. Despite it all, Immelman has stood tall, maintained his composure and preached positivity.

This week has gone from one in which the future of the Presidents Cup has been questioned, to one where a Cinderella story is still possible. The odds are long, sure, but the fact that the International team still has hope is thanks in no small part to Immelman’s ability as a motivator.

“The vibe is hopeful,” Immelman said. “We have had a lot thrown against us, and we’re here competing against the best on their home turf.”

On Saturday, Immelman recognized the importance of caring for that turf.

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The post ‘The vibe is hopeful’: Trevor Immelman describes wild Presidents Cup comeback appeared first on Golf.

The post ‘The vibe is hopeful’: Trevor Immelman describes wild Presidents Cup comeback appeared first on Golf.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Trevor, what’s the vibe like in the team room this afternoon — or tonight when you left — versus the first couple days?

It was a simple enough question lobbed in the direction of International team captain Trevor Immelman — but his answer could have gone any number of ways.

He began very literally.

“Pretty hungry. It’s been a long day,” he said. That made sense. Double sessions are exhausting. So are emotional roller coasters. But Immelman had a plan for that. Whatever the results, Immelman has had a plan for just about everything. “Don’t know if you smelled the Braai — I’m going to use the South African word. It’s South African evening tonight. So we specially brought in South African grills, and we’ve got some open fires going out on the range, and the boys are hungry, ready to eat.”

He continued. “The vibe is …” and then he trailed off. Paused. For a few seconds. Then a few more. Nearly 20 seconds passed before he chose the right word. How could he?

It’s been a week for Immelman’s squad. They arrived at Quail Hollow Club with heads held high, eager for the challenge of taking on the star-studded American team. And they’d gotten off to a disastrous start. Despite several close matches, they’d lost Thursday’s session 4-1. Despite several more they’d lost Friday’s session 4-1, too. They’d begun the week as hopeful underdogs. Now they were beaten, facing an insurmountable lead.

You could imagine the images racing through Immelman’s head as he searched for that word. Of the morning session, in which veteran leaders Hideki Matsuyama and Adam Scott rallied from 2 down to 3 up by winning five consecutive holes for a much-needed point. Of emotional leaders Tom Kim and K.H. Lee, who teamed up to take down World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and worthy partner Sam Burns. Of that same Tom Kim, who went directly from the end of that match to the first group of the afternoon and somehow kept his energy cranked to 11 until the very final hole, where he made a putt he’ll remember forever. Of Scott and his younger countryman Cam Davis celebrating a clutch birdie — and a clutch point — on the 18th green, as the sun fell behind the bleachers, knowing they’d given their side a fighting chance. Of months and years of preparation and anticipation that had led to this moment, the team meet-ups and bonding sessions, the captains’ planning and strategizing, all of it disrupted by LIV defections and a fractured International player base.

At last, Immelman found his word. “The vibe is hopeful,” he said. “The vibe is hopeful. Today was a big step for a very young and inexperienced team. Eight rookies. We’ve had a lot thrown against us, and we’re here competing against the best on their home turf.”

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The Internationals aren’t delusional. They knew where they stood post-round. Their team still owns a four-point deficit, seven points to the Americans’ 11, ready to do battle in singles against 12 of the most talented golfers on the planet. But if you didn’t know the score and had merely dropped in for their celebration on the 18th green, you wouldn’t have guessed they’re still massive underdogs. If you’d seen Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim riding away from a group of brand-new mega-fans, screaming in delight at their win, you wouldn’t have guessed the score. If you had walked past their team room a few minutes later to hear music blaring as the caddies entered, you would have wanted to join them. Tom Kim called it energy. Adam Scott called it momentum. Immelman called it hope. And he spoke, thoughtfully and methodically, laying out a scene that he thought best illustrated the situation.

“When it comes to Tom Kim, you know, this young kid has burst onto the scene in the last six months, and it has been such a tremendous gift to our sport,” he said.

“He has an ability to be a global superstar, this kid. I know he has the game. We’ve seen he has the game. But what I’ve learned about personality and his heart and what he stands for this week, man, I am a huge fan.

“I thought something that was so cool on the final hole today, he’s about 240 yards out. He’s probably 60 yards behind his opponents. He’s over the ball. I look back, I see the who’s who of American golf in golf carts behind him.

“I see Thomas, I see Spieth, I see Finau, I see Homa, I see Morikawa, all of them sitting on carts 15 yards from him. And this kid pures a 2 iron to 10 feet and makes the putt. To me, that’s impressive stuff. No matter who you’re rooting for, that made my heart warm right there. So extremely proud of him today. He went out. He did his job. He earned two points. And that is fantastic.”

Time will tell whether Saturday afternoon’s rally was a sign of things to come for the International team — or as good as this week gets. But in the moment, it didn’t matter.

“Today was a good day for us,” he concluded.

Tomorrow will come when it does.

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Greg Norman took to Twitter on Thursday morning to wish Trevor Immelman and his International squad good luck in the first day of the Presidents Cup.

Immelman wasn’t having it.

“Outside of all this angst — golf is golf, competition is competition; something every golfer thrives on,” Norman wrote. “As a former player & Captain of the International Team, I wish @TrevorImmelman & his entire team the very best in repeating our only 1998 @PresidentsCup success in Melbourne.”

Immelman didn’t respond until Friday morning (he was a little busy during Day 1 of the Presidents Cup on Thursday), but he got back to Norman on Friday before the fourballs session kicked off. He used just three letters: “LOL.”

Immelman’s response received over 300 retweets and 3,000 likes in the first two hours after it was posted.

Now, this is where we define the gray area in Norman’s tweet and Immelman’s response. Those who are LIV Golf supporters might say good for Norman for wishing a team he once played on and captained good luck.

Those who aren’t in favor of LIV Golf, however, might find it off-putting that Norman inserted himself into the event — he also made sure to mention he was a part of the Internationals’ “only” victory — especially since the new rival league in which he runs has taken four of the International team’s top players after the PGA Tour ruled LIV golfers would not be allowed to compete in the Presidents Cup. LIV players Cameron Smith, Joaquin Niemann, Abraham Ancer and Louis Oosthuizen would have all made the team, and Marc Leishman, Anirban Lahiri, Branden Grace and Charl Schwartzel would have all been in the mix as potential captain’s picks. That’s a lot of players.

Instead of having an experienced roster, Immelman put together a team that consisted of a record eight rookies.

Immelman’s terse response to Norman showed what camp he’s in.

“The 12 that are here are the 12 that wanted to be here,” Immelman said on Tuesday, “and those are the 12 that I want to fight with.”

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The stage is set for for the 2022 Presidents Cup where 24 of the PGA Tour’s top golfers — 12 from the United States and 12 from around the world (except for Europe) — will meet for the biennial matches.

Due to the pandemic, this will be the first Presidents Cup since 2019, when the Tiger Woods-captained U.S. team narrowly edged the Ernie Els-led International squad with a miraculous come-from-behind win in Sunday singles.

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The U.S. team holds a dominating 10-1-1 record in the matches and most expect a similarly dominate performance with LIV Golf defectors being ineligible to play in this year’s event and taking the hardest toll on Trevor Immelman’s International team.

Without further ado, let us introduce you to the players who are playing this year.

United States Team

*denotes captain’s pick

Captain: Davis Love III

Love was a six-time member of the U.S. Presidents Cup team and compiled a 16-8-4 record in those matches. Love — who was born in Charlotte, N.C., home of this week’s host, Quail Hollow Club — won 21 times on the PGA Tour, including one major win at the 1997 PGA Championship. He also notably won the 2015 Wyndham Championship at the age of 51, becoming the third-oldest winner in PGA Tour history. Love was an assistant captain on the 2013, 2015 and 2017 Presidents Cup teams and captained the 2012 and 2016 Ryder Cup teams.

Sam Burns

Career Presidents Cup record: First appearance

Burns may have been overshadowed by close friend Scottie Scheffler in the early part of the 2021-22 season, but the Louisianan had a break out year himself, winning three times, including taking down Scheffler in a playoff at the Charles Schwab Challenge in May. This will be his first appearance at either the Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup.

Patrick Cantlay

Record: 3-2-0 in one appearance (2019)

Cantlay had another solid year in 2022, winning once while defending his crown at the BMW Championship in Wilmington and teaming up with Xander Schauffele to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. He played all of his matches in 2019 with Schauffele and figures to do so again. Cantlay was also very successful at last year’s Ryder Cup where he compiled a 3-0-1 record at Whistling Straits, the one tie coming in the only match he wasn’t paired with Schauffele.

Tony Finau

Record: 0-1-3 in one appearance (2019)

The big-hitting Finau had a slow start to the season before catching fire over the summer, notching five top-5s in a stretch of eight events, including back-to-back wins at the 3M Open and Rocket Mortgage Classic in July. He somewhat surprisingly did not notch a win in his only Presidents Cup appearance in 2019. He only had one loss in four matches, however, and he’ll be looking for a new partner as both his partners from 2019, Matt Kuchar and Bryson DeChambeau, are not playing this year. He’s picked up three wins in his two Ryder Cups in 2018 and 2021.

Max Homa*

Record: First appearance

Homa comes in as perhaps the hottest player in the matches. He won in dramatic fashion last week at the PGA Tour season opening Fortinet Championship, holing a chip shot from off the 18th green to win. He also finished a career best tied for fifth in the Tour Championship in his previous start. This will be his first team match appearance.

Billy Horschel*

Record: First appearance

If you were shocked to learn Horschel is making his first ever appearance in either the Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup this week, you’re not alone. Horschel’s career resume includes seven PGA Tour titles, including this year’s Memorial Tournament, and the 2014 FedEx Cup. He’s had a mixed bag of a season, missing four of last eight cuts on the PGA Tour, but with the win in Columbus sandwiched between two of them. He did earn a top 10 in his most recent appearance during his title defense at the DP World Tour’s BMW PGA Championship.

Kevin Kisner*

Record: 2-0-2 in one appearance (2017)

Kisner is the oldest player on Team USA’s roster and has become known as somewhat of a match play savant, including a win at the 2019 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play and owning an undefeated record at the 2017 Presidents Cup. His best finish this past season was a second at — you guessed it — the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, but he did rack up five other top 10s. Kisner will also be looking for a new partner as he played with Phil Mickelson in all three team matches in 2017.

Collin Morikawa*

Record: First appearance

Morikawa came out just as hot as his first three years on Tour to begin this season with five straight finishes of T7 or better, but he fell back to earth a little toward the end of the year, his first on Tour without a win. Although he did lead the U.S. Open through 36 holes, he struggled Saturday and was out of contention by Sunday. The two-time major winner, who is still just 25 years old, showed better form at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in August with a T5 finish, but needed to be one of Love’s six captain’s selections to make it to Quail Hollow. He led the U.S. team in qualifying for the Ryder Cup last year and went 3-0-1 at Whistling Straits, his lone tie coming in singles.

Xander Schauffele

Record: 3-2-0 in one appearance (2019)

Like Finau, Schauffele also had a strong end to the season, finishing in the top 20 in all but one of his last 11 events. Again, like Finau, he notched back-to-back wins at the Travelers Championship and Genesis Scottish Open. He also teamed with Cantlay for a team win at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and figures to see a lot of his close friend whom he has a 4-2-0 record with in Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup matches.

Scottie Scheffler

Record: First appearance

Scheffler has come a long way from being a captain’s selection at last year’s Ryder Cup. The Texan notched his first four PGA Tour wins last season, including a major victory at the Masters, and earned the World No. 1 ranking. While he didn’t come away with the FedEx Cup title, PGA Tour Player of The Year honors are a decent consolation — as well as the $5.75 million he got for finishing T2 at East Lake. He went undefeated, going 2-0-1 at Whistling Straits, teaming with Bryson DeChambeau in two four-ball matches. He also beat Kisner at this year’s WGC-Match Play.

Jordan Spieth*

Record: 8-5-1 in three appearances (2013, 2015, 2017)

After missing the 2019 matches, Spieth is back on the U.S. team at just the right time. With stalwarts like Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and Patrick Reed absent this year, Spieth and Justin Thomas are the only players with multiple Presidents Cup matches under their belt coming into the week. The 29-year-old notched a win at the RBC Heritage this season and finished a respectable tied for 13th in the FedEx Cup. He carries a career 16-12-4 record in U.S. team cup matches and played with Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed in all of his partner matches in 2015 and 2017. At last year’s Ryder Cup, he paired most often with good buddy Justin Thomas.

Justin Thomas

Record: 6-2-2 in two appearances (2017, 2019)

Thomas may not have met all of his preseason goals, but he notched 11 top 10s last season and his second major title at the PGA Championship. He brings with him the most impressive U.S. team match record, going 12-4-3 across two Presidents Cups and two Ryder Cups. In his two previous Presidents Cups, he paired with Tiger Woods, Rickie Fowler and Daniel Berger, all of whom are not playing this week. He figures to play more with Spieth as he did twice at Whistling Straits.

Cameron Young*

Record: First appearance

Young had a debut season to remember, notching six top-three finishes and was one of two rookies to qualify for the season-ending Tour Championship. Those top finishes also include just missing out on the playoff at the PGA Championship by one stroke, and the memorable eagle finish at the Open Championship at St. Andrews to earn the runner-up spot.

International Team

*denotes captain’s pick

Captain: Trevor Immelman (South Africa)

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Immelman is the youngest captain in International team history at just 42 years old. The South African is a two-time winner on the PGA Tour, including one major, holding off Tiger Woods to win the 2008 Masters. He’s also picked up six victories around the world on the DP World Tour and Sunshine Tour. He’s a two-time veteran of the Presidents Cup and served as assistant captain under Ernie Els in 2019. Many fans will know him now for his broadcasting as he is expected to take over as the lead analyst for CBS’s golf coverage, following Nick Faldo.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout* (South Africa)

Record: First appearance

Bezuidenhout had a solid rookie year, making 20 cuts in 24 starts on the PGA Tour with 10 top-25 finishes. He’s perhaps better known in Europe, having a breakout year in 2020 while notching three victories including the Alfred Dunhill Championship. His best finish on the PGA Tour in 2022 was a T2 showing at the John Deere Classic and he advanced to the second FedEx Cup Playoff event at the BMW Championship. He’s one of five Presidents Cup first-timers selected by Immelman.

Corey Conners (Canada)

Record: First appearance

Conners played his way to the Tour Championship for the third time of his career thanks to 20 made cuts in 25 starts and four top-10 finishes. One of those top 10s came last month at the BMW Championship where he finished in T5, but he missed the cut last week in the PGA Tour’s season-opening Fortinet Championship. The Canadian has one win under his belt on the PGA Tour, coming at the 2019 Valero Texas Open.

Cam Davis* (Australia)

Record: First appearance

Davis notched five top-10s in 25 starts last season on the PGA Tour. His best golf came toward the end of the season when he made his last 10 cuts in a row. His best year on Tour came a season ago when he made 21 of 26 cuts and notched his debut win at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. His cuts-made streak broke last week at the Fortinet Championship where rounds of 74 and 70 sent him to Charlotte early.

Sungjae Im (South Korea)

Record: 3-1-1 in one appearance (2019)

The iron man of the PGA Tour, nobody plays more golf than Sungjae Im. Im had another strong season on Tour in 2021-22, winning for the second time at the Shriners Children’s Open and finishing strong with three T2 finishes in his last five events, including at the Tour Championship. The World No. 19 will be heavily relied upon as one of just four veterans on the International team with Presidents Cup experience. All three of his partners from Royal Melbourne — Adam Hadwin, Abraham Ancer and Cameron Smith — are not on the team this year.

Tom Kim (South Korea)

Record: First appearance

Kim burst onto the scene in 2022, finishing third at the Genesis Scottish Open, seventh at the Rocket Mortgage, and then capturing his first win at the Wyndham Championship in August to secure his PGA Tour membership and even qualify for the FedEx Cup Playoffs. He was only a special temporary member when he won, but had earned enough points to get his full status for 2023. He’s now exempt through 2024 and he auto-qualified for the International team.

K. H. Lee* (South Korea)

Record: First appearance

Lee has two PGA Tour titles and both have come at the AT&T Byron Nelson. At this year’s tournament, Lee outdueled Jordan Spieth down the stretch to defend his title. The rest of his season wasn’t much to write home about, with almost as many missed cuts (7) as top-25s (8), until he used T20 and T5 finishes in the first two Playoff events to catapult his way into his first Tour Championship appearance.

Hideki Matsuyama (Japan)

Record: 6-7-4 in four appearances (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019)

Hard to believe the 30-year-old Matuyama is about to start his fifth Presidents Cup, but the Japanese star heads to Quail Hollow as the alpha of the International squad. It was another good year for the World No. 17 on the PGA Tour, finishing 11th in the FedEx Cup after winning twice, with one of those victories coming last fall in his home country at the Zozo Championship. Only one of his previous partners, Adam Scott, is on the roster this week and they haven’t played together since Matsuyama’s Presidents Cup debut in 2013.

Sebastián Muñoz* (Colombia)

Record: First appearance

Munoz hasn’t quite played up to the same level as he did in his breakout season in 2019-20 when he got his first win at the Sanderson Farms Championship and then went on to finish 8th in the final FedEx Cup standings thanks to a solid performance at East Lake, but his 2021-22 campaign was enough to earn a captain’s pick. He had two runner-up finishes on the season.

Si Woo Kim* (South Korea)

Record: 1-2-0 in one appearance (2017)

Kim was the only one of Immelman’s captain’s selections with previous Presidents Cup experience, winning a four-ball match and losing in foursomes and singles matches in New Jersey in 2017. That season was also the year of his signature win, The Players Championship. He won in early 2021 at The American Express, but has not played well as of late, only recording one top 10s in 21-22, last fall at the Sanderson Farms Championship. Both of his partners from 2017 are not on this year’s team.

Taylor Pendrith* (Canada)

Record: First appearance

Normally for a rookie, an injury can be devastating. Taylor Pendrith missed time between The Players in March and the Barbasol Championship in July because of a rip injury, but it didn’t stop him from earning nine top 25s in 16 starts. Since coming back from the injury, Pendrith finished worse than T13th once in six starts, including a tie for second at the Rocket Mortgage Classic and a tie for eighth at the BMW Championship.

Mito Pereira (Chile)

Record: First appearance

Heartbreak at the PGA Championship overshadowed what was otherwise a very respectable debut season on the PGA Tour for Pereira. He opened the year with a solo third at the Fortinet Championship and had two other top 10s, including at Southern Hills. Of course his season will be remembered for the leading the PGA through 71 holes, only to hit his tee shot in the water on 18, leading to a double bogey and missing the playoff. Pereira was rumored to be joining LIV Golf, but reportedly is waiting to jump so he could play in the Presidents Cup.

Adam Scott (Australia)

Record: 16-22-6 in nine appearances

The 42-year old hasn’t missed a Presidents Cup since 2001 and is by far the most experienced player on either team, having more appearances than the entire International team combined and as many as the entire American team combined. His 10th appearance will break his own record for the Internationals. He also has a chance to tie or pass Ernie Els’ International record of 21 points this week. Aging like fine wine, the 42-year-old didn’t win on the PGA Tour this year, but only missed two cuts all year and had five top 10s. His back-to-back T5s to start the FedEx Cup Playoffs helped him play his way into the Tour Championship from outside the top 70 at the end of the regular season. Matsuyama is the only teammate his paired with before on the International roster.

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The post ‘We’re underdogs, there’s no doubt about that’: Int’l team captain Trevor Immelman on LIV frustration and Presidents Cup passion appeared first on Golf.

Trevor Immelman leads his Presidents Cup International Team this week against a stacked U.S. roster. Despite the odds, he explains why his guys have a shot to win, and how he’s overcome challenges caused by LIV defections on this week’s episode of The Drop Zone.

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The post ‘It’s pinch-me stuff’: How CBS’s Trevor Immelman is creating a Presidents Cup ‘Franchise’ … and becoming one appeared first on Golf.

The post ‘It’s pinch-me stuff’: How CBS’s Trevor Immelman is creating a Presidents Cup ‘Franchise’ … and becoming one appeared first on Golf.

These days, Trevor Immelman’s cup doesn’t just runneth over, it floods. The 2008 Masters champion is one of golf’s busiest guys, the rare player whose frequent-flier miles have grown in retirement.

But all that hustle is about to pay off. In the next six months, the 42-year-old South African’s life will be upended twice. First, he’ll captain the International squad at the 2022 Presidents Cup, a responsibility that has spanned three years and many thousands of hours of focus and hard work. Then, in early 2023, he’ll debut as CBS Sports’ newest lead golf analyst, succeeding Nick Faldo after 16 years as Jim Nantz’s chatty sidekick.

Before the chaos ensues, Immelman found some time to share some thoughts on the rocket ship that is his post-playing career and the goosebumps that, recently, have become just about unshakable.

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GOLF: You’ve been gearing up for the Presidents Cup for what feels like an eternity. Now that it’s finally here, can you say that you’ve enjoyed the process and preparation?

Trevor Immelman: It’s been a lot of fun. You know, we had an extra year because things were pushed back due to Covid. My wife [Carminita] and I decided that we would use that extra year for the team. We wanted to build out the franchise—to find a way to push our new [International team] logo out there in as many ways as we could. It’s been fun with the players too— spending a lot of time with them and their families, having get-togethers when we can. Now it’s just exciting. After the long wait, we’re finally down to crunch time.

G: How would you describe “the franchise”? What is the identity of the International squad?

TI: I have to take my hat off to Ernie Els. That’s one of the things that he decided he wanted to change leading up to the 2019 Presidents Cup. He went out and designed a logo—the team shield—and when he did that, finally, for the first time, we had a flag. Our players come from all over the world, but when we play for this team we play for the shield. It may sound silly to Americans, because you guys have always been an amazingly patriotic country, but for us to come together under one logo and play for the same thing, it means a lot. To see people pitch up with an International team logo at a regular Tour stop, that’s cool. That was my vision right from the start.

G: I’m glad you brought up Ernie Els, who you helped carry the International side to its best performance in years, back in 2019. What’s one big lesson you learned from serving as his assistant at Royal Melbourne?

TI: His calmness. The players absolutely responded to that. We had the youngest team in the history of the Presidents Cup—seven rookies—and those youngsters were like sponges around him. The fact that there was no panic—I think the rookies really responded to that.

G: Obviously, these are interesting times in golf. As a captain, how have you navigated the landscape over the last several months?

TI: LIV has been challenging, there’s no doubt about it, but there’s not too much I can do about it. At the end of the day, these players need to make their minds up and decide what’sbest for them and their future. You have players who left, and I absolutely respect that. But on the other side, you also have players who decided to stay. From my side, as captain of the Internationals, the 12 that pitch up in Charlotte, those are the 12 that wanted to be there, and those are the 12 that I want to be there with.

G: What do you hope your legacy is on this team?

TI: Our plan is, Let’s see if we can build something—not just with this Presidents Cup but future ones down the line. Let’s actually win this damn thing. That’s the goal.

G: Off the course, things have been pretty busy for you too. In January, you’ll be succeeding Nick Faldo as CBS’ new lead golf analyst. Did you ever see yourself landing such a prominent role in golf television?

TI: I did—and I hope that doesn’t come across in an arrogant way. When I started doing TV in 2017 and I realized how much I enjoyed it, I knew it was absolutely going to be my next career. I realized I was all-in from that moment on. To be following in the footsteps of my hero, Sir Nick, and people like Ken Venturi and Lanny Wadkins, it’s “pinch me” stuff.

G: CBS chairman Sean McManus is a big fan of yours. What was the interview process like for the most coveted job in golf TV?

TI: [Laughs] I didn’t even know I was interviewing, which is probably a good thing. I guess I’ve been interviewing since I started doing TV. I don’t for one second profess that I know what works and what doesn’t work. I feel like I’m still so early in the process and learning as I go, but I work very hard at it. For some reason, Sean and his team decided that I was ready for this huge job, and I’m very grateful for that.

G: As you look ahead, is there an event you have circled on your calendar that you can’t wait to broadcast?

TI: I just got goosebumps hearing you ask that. The Masters is going to be incredible because of my history at that tournament. And I’ll also throw in the Genesis. I’ve always loved Riviera. This stuff is so damn cool, at times I can’t believe it’s happening.

G: Fortunately, the Presidents Cup is on NBC, so you’ll at least be able to focus on one job that week. Before I let you go, finish this sentence for me: The International squad wins at Quail Hollow if ____.

TI: We putt well. [Laughs] Seriously. That’s really it.

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The post Trevor Immelman names 5 rookies to finalize International Presidents Cup team appeared first on Golf.

The post Trevor Immelman names 5 rookies to finalize International Presidents Cup team appeared first on Golf.

Captain Trevor Immelman didn’t have near the pool of candidates for the International Presidents Cup team as he probably envisioned when he get the job more than two years ago.

After being decimated by LIV defections, especially after last week’s departures, Immelman selected Si Woo Kim, K.H. Lee, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Sebastián Muñoz, Taylor Pendrith and Cam Davis as his six captain’s picks for the Presidents Cup, which begins in two weeks at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, N.C.

Only Kim has previous experience at the Presidents Cup, making the team in 2017 after his win at that year’s Players Championship.

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They join auto-qualifiers Hideki Matsuyama, Corey Connors, Sungjae Im, Joohyung Kim, Mito Pereira and Adam Scott on the international squad. That list is of course missing Open Championship winner Cameron Smith and Joaquin Neimann, who were removed from the team last week following their decision to join LIV Golf. (The PGA Tour has suspended players who have left for LIV, and the Tour runs the Presidents Cup.) This gave Immelmann two extra captain’s picks.

Also absent from the list are previous International team members Anirban Lahiri and Marc Leishman, who were also announced as new signees of LIV Golf after the conclusion of the Tour Championship. Both would have been potential captain’s picks. Other previous International team members who were ineligible due commitments to LIV Golf were Abraham Ancer, Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel and Branden Grace.

Pereira is rumored to be mulling a move to LIV Golf, but is reportedly holding out making a start in the Saudi-backed, upstart league in order to maintain his eligibility for the Presidents Cup team.

With the captain’s selections, the International team now represents seven different countries: Australia, South Africa, South Korea, Canada, Chile, Colombia and Japan.

The U.S. team has six captain’s selections remaining for Davis Love III. The American auto-qualifiers were Patrick Cantlay, Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Tony Finau, Justin Thomas and Sam Burns. Love will make his picks on Wednesday.

The U.S. team will also miss some stalwarts due to LIV Golf defections, players like Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau will be unable to participate. Will Zalatoris, who is 7th on the points list for the American team, also previously withdrew from the biannual matches due to a back injury that forced him out of the FedEx Cup Playoffs last month.

The Presidents Cup is Sept. 23-25 at the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, N.C. The U.S. has an 11-1-1 record over the Internationals in the matches.

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The post Trevor Immelman shares how he found out he was replacing Nick Faldo on CBS appeared first on Golf.

The post Trevor Immelman shares how he found out he was replacing Nick Faldo on CBS appeared first on Golf.

Back in June, CBS announced long-time analyst Nick Faldo would be retiring from the network after 16 years with the company. Simultaneously, they announced 2008 Masters champ Trevor Immelman as his successor.

“I’m excited about Trevor,” CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus said at the time. “He’s a great team player, [and] he has a definite perspective on the game of golf.”

The announcement of the changing of the guard was neat and tidy. And with a replacement already lined up, there was no time for the public to speculate on who might step into Faldo’s role.

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But however simple the process looked from the outside, that was hardly the case for those in the know. According to McManus, the network “thought of everybody” when looking for the next lead analyst. But each time a new name popped up, they kept returning to Immelman as their top choice.

By mid-June, CBS had zeroed in on their man, and McManus gave Immelman a call to offer him the job.

“He said to me, ‘Well, Nick is retiring and we’ve decided that we want you to be the lead analyst,'” Immelman said on this week’s episode of GOLF’s Subpar. “I actually said to him, ‘You’re kidding, right?'”

Immelman said he knew the opening might be popping up, but the job was “not really on [his] radar.” Nevertheless, the former Masters champ was the man CBS wanted, and ultimately, the one they secured for the job.

“Incredibly humbled by that,” Immelman said. “It’s a spot that has only been held by four people before me — and you’re talking about absolute legends of the game when you’re talking about Sir Nick and Ken Venturi and Lanny Wadkins. Man, maybe it hasn’t even sunk in, to be honest … But it feels good when I think about it, I will say that.”

Check out the entire episode below.

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