Presidents Cup: An early look at Team International, 1 epic hot take
The Presidents Cup is later this year in Canada. Let’s examine Team International as they try to upset Team USA.
Welcome to Playing Through’s morning ritual: Golf Talk Today.
Each morning will feature a Golf Talk Today, in which the crew will discuss various elements of the PGA Tour, LIV Golf and other professional golf tournaments.
Today, the crew continues the way too early discussion about the 2024 Presidents Cup. Team International will host Team USA at the Royal Montreal Golf Club from Sept. 24 to 29.
Professional golf will get another trip to Canada in 2024 after a widely successful RBC Canadian Open. The golf fans in the Great White North do not disappoint, but will the International team be able to get the crowds it needs to challenge the Americans?
Team International’s lone victory in the Presidents Cup came in 1998 under captain Peter Thomson. They won 20.5 to 11.5 at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia.
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Six International PGA Tour players qualify through points, per the Presidents Cup website. They also have six captain’s picks.
Earlier this year, Team International captain Mike Weir revealed no LIV Golf players could be on Team International. This means guys like Joaquin Niemann, Cam Smith, or Louis Oosthuizen will not be part of this squad.
The six qualifiers will be announced at the end of the BMW Championship. Then, Weir will make his selections during the Tour Championship week in Atlanta.
To be eligible for a qualifying spot, a golfer must play in 15 or more OWGR-rated events from Sept. 15, 2022, to Aug. 26. Captain’s picks do not have a minimum, but all players must be eligible to compete in PGA Tour events.
Current Team International Presidents Cup standings
*as of June 26, 2024, (points)
1: Hideki Matsuyama: 3.9934
2: Tom Kim: 3.5815
3: Jason Day: 2.9434
4: Sungjae Im: 2.9293
5: Byeong Hun An: 2.8187
6: Nick Taylor: 2.5441
*On the outside looking in:
7: Min Woo Lee: 2.5149
8: Corey Conners: 2.4920
9: Adam Hadwin: 2.4558
10: Christiaan Bezuidenhout: 2.4170
11: Si Woo Kim: 2.2724
12: Taylor Pendrith: 2.0408
13: Emiliano Grillo: 1.9940
14: Adam Scott: 1.9435
What strategy will Weir use to complete his team?
A later Golf Talk Today will feature a more detailed discussion about who the International captain should have on his team.
Team International Presidents Cup hot take
Another short and sweet hot take for the Presidents Cup.
Team International has enough scrappy players that if they can come together, they could upset Team USA in dramatic fashion. It will be close, but the American streak could end in Montreal, Canada.
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Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.