2022 Presidents Cup capsules: Meet the United States team

September 16, 2022

1 Views 0

The United States Presidents Cup team features some of the top players in the world as it looks to continue its dominance in the biennial competition.

The U.S. is 11-1-1 in cup history, with its lone defeat coming in Australia in 1998. It won the most recent edition, 16-14, in South Korea in 2019. The 14th edition will be contested Sept. 22-25 at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Here is a closer look at the home team with videos detailing each player’s pertinent information and Presidents Cup credentials (click here for the International team capsules):

Presidents Cup player spotlight: Scottie Scheffler (USA)

Scottie Scheffler

The lowdown: Scheffler was winless on Tour before prevailing in the WM Phoenix Open. He then notched another three wins (Arnold Palmer Invitational, WGC-Match Play, Masters) in 56 days to become world No. 1. Despite not having since claiming the top spot, he has played well and recorded four top-3s. The PGA Tour Player of the Year was top 5 on Tour in strokes gained: approach the green, tee to green and total.

Patrick Cantlay

The lowdown: He was a top amateur in the sport, but injuries plagued Cantlay’s career early. In the past few years, however, he’s has become one of the game’s dominant players. He won the FedExCup in 2021 and followed that up with two wins and 12 top-10 finishes in 2022.

Xander Schauffele

The lowdown: Schauffele has been a household name in the golf world since joining the PGA Tour in 2017. Arguably his biggest win prior to this year was at the 2020 Olympics, where he claimed gold. In 2022, Schauffele recorded three wins, including two in consecutive starts at the Travelers Championship and Scottish Genesis Open.

Sam Burns

The lowdown: The former LSU Tiger notched his first Tour win at the 2021 Valspar Championship and was controversially left off the 2021 Ryder Cup team. Since watching Team USA trounce Europe at Whistling Straits, he’s won three more times on Tour and become one of the sport’s most promising young players, automatically qualifying for the Presidents Cup squad. Burns and his best friend Scheffler could make for an interesting fourball and/or foursomes pairing.

Justin Thomas

The lowdown: The former world No. 1 hired a new caddie, Jim “Bones” Mackay, to start the 2021-22 Tour season and went on to notch 10 top-10s, highlighted by his seven-shot comeback at Southern Hills to win the second PGA Championship of his career. Thomas is one of the most well-rounded, consistent players on the U.S. squad, ranking in the top 20 on Tour in all strokes-gained stats, except for putting.

Tony Finau

The lowdown: Finau has two Ryder Cups and a Presidents Cup under his belt, despite having only won twice entering 2022. In August 2021, at Liberty National, he ended a five-year winless drought. This year, he won back-to-back events at the 3M Open and Rocket Mortgage Classic.

Jordan Spieth

The lowdown: At just 29, Spieth is the most experienced Presidents Cup player on the U.S. squad, making his fourth appearance since turning pro in 2012. Spieth endured a dry spell as he went winless on Tour for nearly four years after claiming the claret jug in 2017. But he has slowly returned to winning form, earning titles in each of the last two seasons. This past season, he was in the top 40 on Tour in several strokes-gained categories, except putting, where he was 155th.

Collin Morikawa

The lowdown: After a hot start to his professional career saw him win two majors, Morikawa went winless on Tour during the 2021-22 season. Morikawa has acknowledged he’s been in a bit of a slump this year, unable to ascend to the top of the leaderboard despite eight top-10 finishes. Part of that winless streak can be attributed to prolonged swing issues that Morikawa seemed to have solved by the BMW Championship last month; he’s known for his strong iron play and is third on Tour in strokes gained: approaching the green.

Max Homa

The lowdown: A fan-favorite with his humorous Twitter presence, Homa is coming off his best season on Tour since turning pro nearly a decade ago, winning twice. Most recently, the soon-to-be new dad prevailed in stormy conditions at the Wells Fargo Championship for the second time in four seasons. Homa also had a strong showing at the Tour Championship in August, where he finished T-5 in his debut at the Tour season finale.

Billy Horschel

The lowdown: Horschel is making his first U.S. team for either cup. The outspoken Florida alum had five top-10 finishes last season, highlighted by a victory at the Memorial Tournament. U.S. captain Davis Love III specifically chose Horschel for his fiery personality and enthusiasm.

Cameron Young

The lowdown: Young did everything but win last season with five second-place finishes and two third-place finishes. He came close at multiple high-profile events, including finishing T-3 at the PGA Championship and solo second at The Open. In August, Young was candid about his interest in joining LIV Golf, but he opted against it – in part because of opportunities he wouldn’t have at LIV, like making a Presidents Cup team. Young will be an asset for the U.S. with his driver as he ranked second in strokes gained: off the tee on Tour.

Kevin Kisner

The lowdown: Kisner makes his return to the Presidents Cup as the eldest member of the U.S. squad. It was a winless, mostly quiet season for Kisner on Tour, earning five top-10 finishes. Most notably, he finished second at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play (which he won in 2019). The South Carolina native is a match-play specialist of sorts – confident, assured and fond of the style of golf that allows him to “eat people’s souls,” as he described recently on a podcast.

Source link