MEDINAH, Ill. — Something strange happened with the final seven Presidents Cup singles matches on Sunday: They all made it to at least the 17th hole. Heck, five of those made it all the way to 18.
But even though the matches were close, the outcomes weren’t: The United States team won those matches 6.5 to 0.5. And so they won the Presidents Cup.
“It was sort of on a knife’s edge for a long time there in the middle of the day,” said International captain Geoff Ogilvy just after the Cup was clinched. “You have a couple putts go in at the right time and the momentum goes our way, and it just didn’t do that today.”
That’s the sort of thing that sounds, out of context, like an excuse. But I was there, bouncing around the final few holes as the final few groups came through, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. Everything was coming up red.
A little quick math: The final score was 17-13 in favor of the United States, which means the Internationals would have needed two more points from the below matches to earn a tie. So just how close were they to getting them? Let’s dive back in.
Match 6: Chris Gotterup (USA) vs. Christiaan Bezuidenhout (INT)
Internationals’ best chance was:
To steal a half-point had Bezuidenhout won the 18th hole. Unlike those that followed, this match looked red all day, with Gotterup getting as far as three ahead. But Bezuidenhout clawed back to 1 down with one to play.
What happened instead was:
Gotterup found the green in two at No. 18; a two-putt par ensured he’d pick up a full point.
Match 7: Collin Morikawa (USA) vs. Hideki Matsuyama (INT)
Internationals’ best chance was:
At No. 15, with Matsuyama already 1 up, Morikawa hit his approach 30 feet long of the hole — and then Matsuyama hit his to 3 feet, 10 inches. In that moment, Matsuyama’s chances of a full point spiked to 84 percent, while Morikawa’s dipped below 4. (Chances of a tie were 12 percent.)
What happened instead was:
With nothing to lose, Morikawa made an aggressive stroke and sent his birdie putt bouncing off the back of the cup and in.
Then Matsuyama missed his not-quite-4-footer. The crowd couldn’t believe it and Hideki couldn’t either; he raked the putt back to his feet, missed it again, then tried a third time (successfully) with Morikawa already on the next tee box.
A tie still seemed quite likely until Matsuyama drove it into trouble at No. 18, hit a mediocre pitch shot and settled for bogey, sealing his fate. Full point to Morikawa.
Match 8: Patrick Cantlay (USA) vs. Adam Scott (INT)
Internationals’ best chance was:
When Cantlay — fresh off a three-putt bogey, and suddenly just 1 up — blocked his approach shot at the par-3 16th, leaving himself nearly 60 feet on an ice-rink green. Scott had 15 feet for birdie, and suddenly a tie felt quite likely.
What happened instead was:
Cantlay hit an absolutely perfect 57-foot putt that drifted its way toward the cup and dripped into the side, dead weight, for an improbable birdie 2.
Scott missed his ensuing birdie try and suddenly was 2 down with two to play. When the two matched pars at No. 17, that was that.
Match 9: Jackson Koivun (USA) vs. Si Woo Kim (INT)
Internationals’ best chance was:
Through 10 holes, Si Woo Kim — to this point the best player on the International side — was 2 up and very much in control of his match against Koivun. (The PGA Tour had Kim at 79.2 percent chance of winning, with just 9.7 percent chance for Koivun.)
What happened instead was:
Kim bogeyed 11, Koivun birdied 12, Kim bogeyed 13 and then, as I stood behind the 15th green, watching it all slip away, Koivun hit his approach to 7 feet, Kim hit his approach to 6 feet, Koivun made his, Kim missed his and that was that. (Kim still had a 20-footer to tie the match on 17; he ended up losing 2 down in front of a Koivun-crazy crowd at 18.)
Match 10: Jacob Bridgeman (USA) vs. Min Woo Lee (INT)
Internationals’ best chance was:
When Bridgeman three-putted the 15th, giving Lee a 1-up lead with just three holes to play. Things looked even better on the 16th, where both players hit tee shots into the back bunker. Lee hit his shot to 4 feet and Bridgeman left himself with a 9-foot par try.
What happened instead was:
At this point Bridgeman had just a 6.2% chance of winning the match. But that quickly changed when — this is starting start to sound familiar — he made his putt and then watched as Lee missed his shorter putt. Suddenly the match was tied again.
There was another opening: Lee stuffed his approach shot at No. 17 to 7 feet. He had that putt to go 1 up again — but missed it.
Both players missed left off the 18th tee. Bridgeman found a way to make par; Lee skittered his third-shot chip some 20 feet past the pin, turning a tied match into a 1-down loss and the official Cup-clinching moment.
Match 11: Russell Henley (USA) vs. Nick Taylor (INT)
Internationals’ best chance was:
When Taylor poured in a 30-footer for birdie at No. 16; if he could just dodge a 10-footer from Henley, he’d have the lead.
What happened instead was:
Henley made that 10-footer, they matched with pars on 17 and 18 and Taylor settled for a half-point — but it was the only half-point for the Internationals in the final seven matches.
Match 12: Xander Schauffele (USA) vs. Ryan Fox (INT)
Internationals’ best chance was:
Of the final seven matches, this was the most lopsided; Fox never really stood a chance of actually winning this match. Schauffele built a lead all the way to 4 up before Fox chipped away. His best hope at a half point came while 2 down at No. 17, where he hit his approach closer than Schauffele.
What happened instead was:
Schauffele made his 15-footer for birdie, the pair shook hands and the celebration was on.
What would have flipped the match? If you could wave a wand that makes Matsuyama and Lee win their matches, suddenly you’re left with a tied Cup, 15-15. (There are obviously other iterations, too.)
“Sometimes you’ve got to hit the shots and make the putts,” Ogilvy said. “The U.S. just did that a little bit better today.”
Particularly when it mattered most.
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