For the most part, Presidents Cup captains keep their plans close to the vest, and so far this week at Royal Montreal, it’s been no different. It’s impossible to gauge which players will play more sessions than others, and which players will pair with whom.
However, when you consider past history and current form, it’s possible to get a decent idea of who could potentially star for their respective sides.
Here is a ranking of all 24 Presidents Cup competitors this week, from most likely to lead the event in points to least likely:
1. Xander Schauffele: The emotional and arguably physical leader of this team – even more so now that Schauffele has two major titles under his belt. Schauffele’s 6-3 record in two Presidents Cups is matched only by teammate Patrick Cantlay, whom Schauffele will likely pair twice with in foursomes. A 5-0 week for Schauffele is a decent bet.
2. Collin Morikawa: He didn’t play a four-ball match in his Presidents Cup debut two years ago, but after the year he’s had – he has seven top-10s since the Masters – it’ll be hard to leave Morikawa on the bench at all, let alone more than once.
3. Scottie Scheffler: Eventually Scheffler’s struggles in team events, which include a 0-3-1 performance two years ago at Quail Hollow, must end. He’s just too good. That said, it’d be surprising to see Scheffler play all five sessions considering he’s 0-4 in foursomes between Presidents and Ryder cups. It’s also likely that Scheffler, who is 0-3-1 alongside Sam Burns in cup play, gets a new partner.
4. Hideki Matsuyama: Shown by his 7-10-5 record in five previous appearances, he’s the Internationals’ horse. He enters this week playing some of his best golf in recent years, too. His elite ball-striking and short game should get him a few points, regardless of who he faces.
5. Patrick Cantlay: He turned around a season that started abysmally, by his standards, and enters this week having notched six consecutive top-25s to close. He’s a natural partner for Schauffele and should be freed up now that there’s no hat controversy to deal with.
6. Sungjae Im: One of the few Internationals with a winning record (5-3-2), Im has the full confidence of his team that he can handle a third straight cup of playing every session. Like Cantlay, he rallied to salvage a good season. He’s also another great scrambler, which always adds value in these team events.
7. Tony Finau: He enters the week with nine top-25s in his last 10 starts. He also boasts a 3-2-3 mark at the Presidents Cup. The putter is never going to win him points, regardless of the format, but he’s got some good experience and has been nails with his approach play this year.
8. Russell Henley: History tells us that at least one rookie will have a breakout week. Why not Henley? He didn’t miss a cut in a major while posting two top-10s in the biggest championships this year, and he’s one of the Americans’ best putters.
9. Adam Scott: The steely veteran is 18-25-6 in his Presidents Cup career, and with three more match wins needed to set the all-time International record, the volume will be there for Scott to get some points. Four top-10s in his last six starts is nice, too.
10. Corey Conners: A good chance for a turnaround after an 0-4 showing in his debut two years ago. He’ll be inspired playing at home, and the putter has actually been positive in recent starts. He’s another potential five-session guy.
11. Sahith Theegala: He’s found something since East Lake, where he placed third and then followed with a T-7 in Napa. He could make a case as the Americans’ best putter right now. It just boils down to how much the rookie will be played.
12. Sam Burns: How much of Burns’ 0-3-2 week at Quail Hollow was because of Scheffler? Another elite putter, Burns should at least get the call for both four-ball sessions, though his foursomes participation will hinge on how well he drives it.
13. Taylor Pendrith: Throw out the 0-4 showing two years ago. Pendrith has been playing some great golf this summer, highlighted by making it to East Lake and back-to-back top-5s, at the Barracuda and 3M Open. He’s got length for this ballpark, the putter can get hot; if he keeps it in the fairway, which has been a struggle at times, he will get the call early and often from his captain.
14. Jason Day: He’s compiled a 5-11-4 career record while admittedly mailing it in his past cups. This is his chance for redemption after missing the last two editions, though he probably doesn’t play foursomes, a format in which he’s winless.
15. Si Woo Kim: Credit to Kim for playing the BMW PGA, where he tied for 18th to get back some confidence that was probably lost this summer prior to a T-5 at the BMW Championship. He is 4-3 for his cup career, so he clearly steps up in these moments. The putter can be a liability, though.
16. Tom Kim: He was the star for the Internationals two years ago as a rookie, going 2-3. He’s not played since Memphis, though, and his putter was not good that week.
17. Keegan Bradley: His win at BMW was kind of an anomaly when you see that he doesn’t have a single additional top-30 (aside from East Lake) since he was T-2 at Colonial. That said, he’s proven to be better when called up to the team events, and his steadiness will give him ample opportunity like his only other Presidents Cup start, in 2013, when he went 2-2-1.
18. Brian Harman: After The Players this year, he posted just one top-10. He’s accurate off the tee, but it’s difficult to see him outperform his 2-2 Ryder Cup debut as I think he’ll probably sit both four-balls. He’s a fighter in this kind of thing, though, and that offers some hope.
19. Ben An: He played all five sessions in 2019, going 1-2-2, though his driving-accuracy issues probably limit him to just a couple sessions this week.
20. Max Homa: He was 4-0 at Quail Hollow and 3-1-1 last year in Rome, so that all counts for something. Unfortunately, he probably had the worst second half of the season of any Presidents Cupper, on either side. The iron play has especially dogged him as he posted no top-20s after Wells Fargo in May.
21. Wyndham Clark: He showed some signs in the playoffs before missing the cut in Napa, mainly thanks to some poor iron play. Not an accurate driver. He went 1-1-1 in Rome last year. It’s difficult to see him playing more than three matches because of the driver.
22. Min Woo Lee: He had a hot run from the Masters through the Rocket Mortgage Classic, but he has no top-20s since. The ball-striking has been a little wild and he looked just slightly above average in Napa. I doubt he plays more than three sessions.
23. Christiaan Bezuidenhout: He won his singles match at Quail Hollow, but otherwise he went 0-1 in four-balls. It’s likely this short-game specialist gets similar run considering the talent on this International team.
24. Mac Hughes: The rookie is coming off a T-4 in Napa, but like Bezuidenhout, he’s really only bringing putting and short game to the table. It’s likely he gets similar treatment to a rookie Bez two years ago.
