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Another Presidents Cup has come and gone and for the tenth time in succession it was the American Team that was left standing victorious. Winners 18.5 - 11.5, this year’s American team was simply too strong and contained way too much depth for a plucky International side to handle.
There was optimism after the second day when only for the second time in Presidents Cup history the Internationals were able to sweep a session and tie the match at 5-5, but their joy was short lived as the Americans came roaring back to dominate the final two days of play.
As is always the way with events like the Presidents Cup, the aftermath is often awash with numerous talking points, but with the American’s looking so strong and with the Internationals missing so many of their best players due to their affiliation to the LIV Tour, the future of the Presidents Cup remains in jeopardy.
With the next event between the two teams not due to take place for another two years, here are some of the key points that will need to be addressed to ensure that the Presidents Cup remains one of golf’s premier events.
Can an olive branch be extended to those on the LIV Tour?
One of the primary challenges that those who support the Presidents Cup currently face is that several players that would be huge players in either team aren’t eligible due to the fact that they play on the LIV Tour.
For the Americans Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka would have likely made an appearance but it is the Internationals who have largely suffered from the ban on LIV players. Joaquinn Niemann, Cam Smith, Lucas Herbert, Louis Oosthuizen, Marc Leishman and Abraham Ancer would all be locks for the team and it's highly likely that Anirban Lahiri, Sebastien Munoz and Dean Burmester would also be in the conversation.
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In team events like this, the public don’t care about the great divide that is currently dividing the game - all people want to see is the best take on the best and for the last two Ryder Cups the International side have had to fill out their twelve man roster with players who wouldn’t normally compete at this level.
The one team event that rules all in golf is the Ryder Cup. Containing a rich history and rivalry, both the American and European teams have made concessions to ensure that their best players are eligible and dispute the likes of Jon Rahm and Tyrell Hatton playing for the breakaway league, a pathway has been provided for those players to feature in the 2025 event at Bethpage Black.
All being well, next year’s Ryder Cup will be a massive battle and the very best players from either side should be teeing it up.
The Presidents Cup has taken inspiration from the blueprint that has helped elevate the Ryder Cup to its current level. The infrastructure of the courses and the vast swathes of fans that hit Royal Montreal this week shows that more than ever the Presidents Cup is alive and kicking, however if the best players can’t play - the current wave of popularity that the Presidents Cup is enjoying may end up being short lived.
The call to make the Presidents Cup a mixed event increases
With the Ryder Cup managing to be exceptionally competitive between the two teams and the Solheim Cup between the best American and European women often proving to be captivating, both the Ryder and Solheim Cups look likely to remain in their existing formats. However, for years there have been calls to make the Presidents Cup a mixed event and many believe that the inclusion of women would take the event to an entirely different level.
For years the women’s game has been dominated by top international talent and there are a host of stars hailing from South Korea, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand who would immdiately bolster the chances of the International Team.
If this year’s Presidents Cup featured a squad of six men and six women, the women playing for the International side would feature the world numbers 3,4,5,6,7 and 8 whilst the American side would be able to call upon the talents of the top two players in the world, Nelly Korda and Lilia Vu.
Those calling for the introduction of some of the best female players in the world believe that the gap between the two men’s teams would be instantly reduced and a much better and competitive event would take place and it's hard to think of an effective counter argument.
Across both the PGA and European Tours change is happening. Golf is one of the only few sports in the world that can see women and men play alongside one another and the successes of the Scandinavian Mixed and the Grant Thornton Invitational have proved popular and there is a clamour for more of the game’s best female and male players to play together more.
Whilst the exclusion of LIV players continues, the current format of the Presidents Cup will always remain behind the Ryder Cup. If the Presidents Cup wants to grow in stature and carve out its own niche, changing the format to a mixed event could help take the competition to a completely different level.
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Changing the format could be beneficial
Unlike the Ryder Cup which is played over three days and contains two rounds of matches on the Friday and Saturday before the Sunday singles, the Presidents Cup takes place over four days and has one round of matches on the Thursday and Friday, a double header on Saturday and the twelve singles on Sunday.
With five matches taking up the first couple of days, it allows each team to manage their players easily as the threat of fatigue is highly unlikely. Whereas the fast and furious nature of the Ryder Cup can often be a leveller due to the short turnaround time between rounds, the slow, meandering pace of the Presidents Cup can often mean the best players can play all five matches easily.
Whilst seeing the best players hit the course every day is great for the watching crowds, it isn’t great for the competition as it often means that the best American players can play regularly and with the Internationals weakened by the absence of their LIV stars, it is highly unlikely that the Internationals will be able to compete with the awesome strength and depth of the American team.
A faster pace would benefit the competition and it will be interesting to see if any changes to the tournament’s existing format are made.
Jack Hartman
A keen golfer and huge fan of the game, Jack has been covering golf for the last five years. Bringing you all the latest coverage and news from the PGA, LIV, LPGA and DP World Tours, never before has golf been so popular and Jack can’t wait to bring all the excitement to his readers.
