Five Players To Watch In The 2024 Presidents Cup

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With the 2024 Presidents Cup now upon us, the next four days are guaranteed to produce plenty of emotion and drama. With Team USA expected to lift a tenth consecutive title, the bookmakers have positioned them as the overwhelming favourites for victory but with the Internationals playing in front of a passionate home crowd and desperate to pull off the upset, the Americans certainly won’t have things all their way. 

Ahead of what is bound to be an exciting few days, here are five players to keep an eye on as the action and drama unfolds.

Scottie Scheffler

Having won the Masters and his first FedEx title, despite the current fractured nature of the men’s professional game, Scottie Scheffler is the undisputed best player in the game. Having won seven times on the PGA Tour this season, as well as capturing the Olympic Gold medal at the 2024 Paris Games, Scheffler will start the week as America’s talisman and the Texan will want to be at his very best in order to guide his team to yet another success.

Having burst to prominence at the 2020 Ryder Cup, Scheffler has subsequently enjoyed a mixed record at team events. Yet to win a match at the Presidents Cup, the world number one boasts a record of 0-3-1 in this event and was unable to record a full point at last year’s Ryder Cup defeat.

Wanting to show that he can translate his brilliant individual form into a team environment, this is a big week for Scheffler who will hope to play a starring role in helping America defend their Presidents Cup crown.

Xander Schauffele

A permanent fixture in these team events, Xander Schauffele has enjoyed a brilliant 2024 which has seen him end his long wait for a first major title. Not content with winning just the PGA Championship, Schauffele was simply magnificent as he battled the elements at Royal Troon to capture the Open Championship.

Now a force whenever he tees it up to play, Schauffele will want to cement his class on the Internationals this week. Formidable when it comes to this event, over the years the Californian has been able to compile a hugely impressive record and heads into this week carrying a 6-3-0 record.

Usually partnered with his great friend Patrick Cantlay, American Captain, Jim Furyk has decided to break with tradition and has paired the two time major champion with fellow Californian, Collin Morikawa.

No stranger to helping lead his country to team glory, Schauffele will hope to lead from the front once again in this year’s event.

Xander


Max Homa

One man who would have breathed a huge sigh of relief that he was able to play this week was Max Homa. Normally a consistent force on the PGA Tour, Homa has had a bumpy year. In contention at the Masters he fell away on the back nine and has seemingly never been able to recover. With his season coming to a premature end at the BMW Championship, Homa didn’t have anywhere near enough points to qualify for the team outright but he would have been ecstatic to have got the call from Captain Furyk confirming that he would be one of his Captain’s picks.

Having made his Presidents Cup debut back in 2020, Homa showed that team golf was clearly to his liking as he compiled an impressive 4-0-0 record. 

Showing that representing his country can get his blood pumping, the Californian was one of only just a few bright spots in America’s 2022 Ryder Cup drubbing at the hands of Europe. Winning three of his four matches, Homa’s excellent team form has ensured that he deserves his place in this stacked American side. However, he may have to settle for a bit-part role in the team this year. One of the players who will be rested during the first day of play, Homa will need to make the most of the opportunities that are thrown his way this year.

Adam Scott

No player in the history of the Presidents Cup has made as many appearances as Adam Scott. Now firmly heading towards the twilight of his career, Scott has been able to rewind the clock over the last few months and has put in some eye-catching performances at both the Scottish Open and BMW Championship.

Having qualified for the season ending Tour Championship, the Australian’s smooth swing can still see him compete against some of the very best players in the world and he should be heading into this week full of confidence that he can help his team finally end America’s vice-like grip on the Presidents Cup trophy.

Needing to lead from the front, Scott will head out for the first day of play alongside his compatriot, Min-Woo Lee and the two could prove to be a dynamic duo. Having first played in the event in 2003, the veteran Aussie boasts a record of 23-23-1 and will be determined to stop his losing streak at 21 years.

Adam


Hideki Matsuyama

Hideki Matsuyama has long had to deal with the pressure. Japan’s greatest ever player, Matsuyama is a superstar back at home and he heads into this week as the country’s sole representative. 

The highest ranked player on the International team, like Scott, Matsuyama has never been able to taste success in this event but will hope to end that losing sequence this year. 

Set to be one of the International Team’s key men, the Japanese often looks awkward in team events. Humble and modest, at times the occasion can appear to be too much for the former Masters Champion who holds a 7-10-1 record in Presidents Cup.
If the Internationals are going to pull off the huge upset in this year’s event then Matsuyama simply has to star. One of the form men in the game following his victory at the St Jude Championship, he then played well at the Tour Championship and looks to have the confidence and fire to produce some special golf this week.

Partnered with hometown hero Corey Connors, Matsuyama and his International teammates will hope that they can get off to a hot start.