Scottie Scheffler-Tom Kim spat spices up 5-0 United States rout to open Presidents Cup

MONTREAL – Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler and South Korea’s Tom Kim got involved in a spat that rankled feelings on Sept 26 as the United States swept to a 5-0 lead at the Presidents Cup.

The friends were at the heart of a dispute that sparked complaints of gamesmanship at Royal Montreal, where the Americans swept the four-balls to seize command in quest of a 10th consecutive triumph.

Scheffler and Russell Henley beat Kim and Im Sung-jae 3&2 in the most lopsided Day 1 result.

Kim delivered a fist pump and some trash talk to Scheffler after sinking a 27-foot birdie putt at the par-three No. 7, only for the American star to sink his own 27-foot birdie putt to tie the hole and respond.

“Looked like he poked the bear, from my perspective,” Scheffler said.

For Kim, it was good-natured jabbing, as they would do in rounds together.

“That’s how we play back at home,” Kim said. “It’s all fun. I made it on top of him and he gave it to me, and I gave it back. I don’t shy away from him.

“He’s a good friend. But at the same time, this week I don’t like him. I want to beat him so bad, and I’m sure he feels the same way.”

Kim won the par-four eighth hole with a 24-foot birdie putt and was hustled to the ninth tee by his assistant captain Camilo Villegas to avoid more escalated exchanges with Scheffler.

“There was no reason to stay there and look at him putt. It doesn’t help us at all,” Kim said.

“It wasn’t trying to be cheap or do anything like that. We were focused on our own game.”

That, however, irked US assistant captain Kevin Kisner, who thought it lacked respect for them to depart before Scheffler’s putt.

“They took gamesmanship too far and over the line on sportsmanship and lost some integrity,” Kisner told Golf Channel, calling it a “bush league” move.

Adam Scott clung to slim hopes for an International Team rally to end a win drought dating to 1998 but the Americans own a 12-1-1 edge in the all-time rivalry.

The 5-0 count marked the first sweep of a four-ball session for the US since the 1994 Presidents Cup.

Scott, the 2013 US Masters champion, has never won in 10 previous starts for the non-European squad of global stars and the 44-year-old Australian admitted it would take a stunning fightback to finally break through at Royal Montreal.

“I’m disappointed,” Scott said. “We’re going to have to find another gear to beat a tough American team. It’s not over. We’re going to have to fight really hard, find that gear, win a session and get going in the right direction.”

The Americans have never lost after winning the first session.

“It wasn’t a great day,” International Team captain Mike Weir said. “You’re down but there’s a lot of way to go.”

The Americans expect a fightback in the five foursomes matches on Sept 27.

“Those guys are going to come out firing. They are down. They have to come strong,” US captain Jim Furyk said.

“We’ll be ready. I don’t see complacency. I really don’t.”

Tony Finau and Xander Schauffele gave the US their first point with a 1-up victory over South Korea’s An Byeong-hun and Australia’s Jason Day.

Collin Morikawa and Sahith Theegala, who is in his first international team competition representing the US, then topped Australians Scott and Min Woo Lee 1-up.

Keegan Bradley and Wyndham Clark never trailed and took the lead for good on the 13th hole to edge South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Canada’s Taylor Pendrith 1-up. Bradley’s winding putt on the last hole assured the point for the US pair.

Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns completed the sweep by winning 2&1 against Canada’s Corey Conners and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama. A birdie from Burns at the par-three No. 13 gave the US a 2-up lead, and that was the final shift.

The four-day competition concludes on Sept 29. The first team to 15½ points win the Cup.
REUTERS, AFP