Why There Is Nothing Wrong With The Presidents Cup

Team USA won its 10th consecutive Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal, but the wide 18.5-11.5 margin of victory doesn't tell the full story.

The fact that the Americans kept their 19-year winning streak alive certainly raises questions over the match's legitimacy, which I understand, and there are ways to make the Presidents Cup more competitive like turning it into a mixed event.

However, I'm here to defend the current guise of the USA vs Internationals match.

Sure, there are things that I'd change. I'd like to see it follow a Ryder/Solheim Cup style three-day format to avoid players sitting out entire days like what happens on Thursday and Friday. 

I'd also like to see LIV golfers compete, but fully understand why that hasn't been able to happen over the past two iterations. The match is organized by the PGA Tour, so inviting players from its rival circuit just isn't realistic in this current landscape. 

That will surely change in two years' time once a deal between the PGA Tour and Saudi PIF is complete - which is what all the signs are saying when you hear from players and even commissioner Jay Monahan.

It means that the Internationals will get much stronger. Cameron Smith and Joaquin Niemann will return to the side and others like Dean Burmester, Louis Oosthuizen, Abraham Ancer, Carlos Ortiz, Mito Pereira and Sebastian Munoz will be eligible again.

Whether all or just some of these players are in form in 2026 when the match heads to Medinah is yet to be seen, but a larger and stronger pool of players to pick from will strengthen the Internationals.

Yet, even with a few extra additions, the Internationals will still be underdogs - and that's fine. We knew that they were underdogs this year and it might well be even tougher in 2026 against an away crowd in Chicago.

But that's what the Presidents Cup is about. We know the Americans are strong and the underdog story is an entertaining one to follow.

The match returns to Royal Melbourne in 2028, where the Internationals so nearly beat Tiger Woods' USA in 2019 but for a stunning final day comeback. Mark that date in your calendars for what is set to be another epic week of golf.

This year's event was, on the face of it, not very competitive - but that's just not true. The US were swept 5-0 in the Friday foursomes, and an incredible stat from Golf Digest's Shane Ryan shows that the US won just one more hole than the Internationals all week. The US won 117 vs the Internationals' 116.

So how can it really be argued that the match isn't competitive?

As I wrote on Sunday morning, Mike Weir's odd decision to rest four players ALL day on Saturday had a big impact on the final result.

His team had just got back into the match after a stunning 5-0 sweep on Friday - at which point we were all loving the Presidents Cup, don't forget - and he then sat out three players all day on Saturday who won their matches the day before. Bizarrely, he sat Min Woo Lee on both Friday and Saturday, with the Australian playing on Thursday and Sunday only.

In my opinion, that shows a lack of belief in some of his players - a mistake that future captains won't replicate.

This year's Presidents Cup made for captivating viewing for three-and-a-half days. The Internationals let it slip on Saturday afternoon and ultimately had too much of a mountain to climb.

They were up against an inspired US side where three players won four points - World No.2 Xander Schauffele, No.4 Collin Morikawa and No.9 Patrick Cantlay.

A lot can change in two years in golf. Tom Kim could well be a top-10 player next time around. Hideki Matsuyama could be a multiple Major winner, Min Woo Lee could be a top-10 player too and the Internationals could well be a much stronger force, especially with LIV golfers back in the team.

The Internationals have now lost 10 consecutive Presidents Cups. They're fed up of losing, and eventually they're going to win the cup back - let's just keep faith in what is an entertaining spectacle that has a place in the golf world.

Match play is the best format of the sport to watch and the players aren't playing for millions upon millions. They're playing for pride and their teams, and that's exactly why it needs to stay in this world where players are competing in $20m events every month.

Sure, it's not quite the Ryder Cup or the Solheim Cup, but this year's Presidents Cup produced thrilling moments and was a great watch on the whole. It will continue to deliver as the years go on.