Golf
What Is The Presidents Cup And How Does It Differ From The Ryder Cup?
Ben Horlock is a sports news and features writer who holds a degree in sports journalism (BA Hons) from Southampton Solent University. Ben has been published across a wide variety of news outlets and websites including HITC, 90min, GiveMeSport, Betfair and Zoo Magazine. As well, Ben has worked in social media for four years in the sports gambling industry. For his sins, Ben is a QPR fan and is a keen follower of all the major European football leagues.
Get to know Ben Horlock betterPublished21 hours ago on September 24, 2024
The 2024 Presidents Cup gets underway from the Royal Montreal Golf Club this week but how does it differ from the Ryder Cup?
Sports fans from all over the world will be more than acquainted with the legendary competition. However, anyone who doesn’t follow golf in too much detail can be forgiven for not knowing exactly what the Presidents Cup is.
This year, the United States will lock horns with the International Team once again. If the US wins, it’ll be their tenth consecutive victory. The International Team only has one win to their name.
In 2003, the only tie occurred when the sides ended up with 17 points each. On that occasion, Jack Nicklaus captained the United States with Gary Player leading the International Team.
The 2024 Presidents Cup Boasts A Strong United States Team
The 2024 Presidents Cup will see the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and Colin Morikawa represent the United States. Jim Furyk has been named captain.
Scheffler – the current World No 1 – is the star name featuring for the US. So far in 2024, he has eight victories to his name which include The Masters and The Players.
Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay, Sahith Theegala, Keegan Bradley, Sam Burns, Tony Finau, Brian Harman, Russell Henley and Max Homa will also be present.
Who’ll Be Representing The International Team At The 2024 Presidents Cup?
Once again, the International Team go into the 2024 Presidents Cup as underdogs. They will need to be at their very best to stand a chance of winning against their rivals.
This is reflected in the latest odds from the best betting sites in the UK. At the time of publication, the International Team are priced at 11/4. The US are 4/9 to win.
Canadian Mike Weir will captain the International Team on home soil. Hideki Matsuyama is his highest-ranked player and will play alongside Korean trio Sungjae Im, Tom Kim and Byeong Hun An.
Adam Scott and Jason Day have also been included by Weir. The Canadian trio of Corey Conners, Taylor Pendrith and Mackenzie Hughes will also represent the International Team at the 2024 Presidents Cup. Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Si Woo Kim and Min Woo Lee complete the lineup.
RELATED: Presidents Cup Teams 2024: Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele Amongst Players Heading To Canada
It's @PresidentsCup week ⛳️ pic.twitter.com/eYl3XuNiJp
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) September 23, 2024
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How Does The Presidents Cup Differ From The Ryder Cup?
Naturally, the first glaring difference is that no European players feature in the Presidents Cup. That is strictly the Ryder Cup. Therefore, the International Team can include players from anywhere else in the world.
In terms of the actual format, there are a few noticeable differences. Players will compete in sessions of fourballs, foursomes and singles – just like the Ryder Cup.
However, the Presidents Cup has more matches in the opening two sessions. The Ryder Cup spreads them over three days whereas its four in the Presidents Cup.
Two players from the United States and two from the International Team will compete in pairs for the foursomes. One ball is used and players alternate between shots.
The lowest score from each pair counts for the score of that side. On the Thursday, five matches of one format will take place with the other format being played out across five matches on the Friday.
On the Saturday, there are two sessions of both fourballs and foursomes determined over four matches. Sunday is where the magic really happens. All 24 players compete in singles matches in a head-to-head format which typically confirms the overall winning side.