Friday at the Presidents Cup Was Nothing Short of an Ass-Kicking

Ass-kicking. I don't think you could call what we saw at Medinah on Friday anything else. The International Team swept the foursomes session to take a commanding 7-3 lead going into the weekend outside of Chicago.

On Saturday, unlike the first few days, there will be two sessions: one four-ball, one foursomes. So, there's plenty of golf left for Team USA to get back into the ballgame, but it's not looking great early.

Here are some notes from Friday at the Presidents Cup.

RELATED: How to Watch the Presidents Cup

Match 1: Corey Connors and Nick Taylor defeat Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns, 1 up.

Match 2: Sungjae Im and Hideki Matsuyama defeat Russell Henley and Jacob Bridgeman, 3 and 2.

Match 3: Ryan Fox and Sungjae Im defeat Collin Morikawa and Wyndham Clark, 1 up.

Match 4: Adam Scott and Christiaan Bezuidenhout defeat Justin Thomas and Cameron Young, 3 and 2

Match 5: Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim defeat Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay, 4 and 3

For years, Team USA has had a set-it-and-forget-it duo for foursomes in Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay. They’re buddies, their games complement each other well, and both have a knack for making big putts in big moments. Well, on Friday, the Internationals took down that tandem with what’s become their set-it-and-forget-it duo in Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim.

The Kims continue to show they’re a problem on this stage. They took down Cantlay and Chris Gotterup, 3 and 2, in four-ball on Thursday, and followed it up with a 4-and-3 win over the American stalwarts in foursomes on Friday.

For captains, finding a dominant pair in team events isn’t easy. Don’t be surprised if the Kims play together in both sessions on Saturday.

Nick Taylor and Corey Conners led Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns when the foursome got to the 18th tee. Taylor had the honor, and with the pressure on his shoulders, he lost his tee shot way left. All Connors could do was punch it back into the fairway, and when it came to rest, it was still their turn.

With Scheffler waiting to hit the Americans’ second shot, Taylor stepped up and hit one of the biggest iron shots of his life—and it nearly went in for an all-world birdie.

The World No. 1 responded nicely, but Burns lipped out the mid-range putt, giving the Internationals a 1-up win. An incredible response from Taylor.

This is the 16th edition of the Presidents Cup. The International Team hasn’t won since 1998 at Royal Melbourne—and that’s the only win it has in this event.

There’s a lot of golf left, but with the score sitting at 7-3, Geoff Ogilvy and the Internationals have a serious chance of winning a second Cup. What an upset that would be.

In 2024, the International Team swept Friday Foursomes, 5-0. At the Ryder Cup a year ago, the Europeans won Friday Foursomes, 3-1, and Saturday Foursomes, 3-1.

Team USA just can’t figure out this format.