At Medinah, a team long accustomed to falling short stands on the edge of something rare — a first Presidents Cup victory in 28 years, and the first ever claimed on American soil. The International side carried a three-point lead into Sunday's twelve singles matches, having spent Saturday repeatedly behind in matches only to find ways back. What unfolds now is less a golf competition than a test of whether belief, once kindled, can survive the final hours.
Internationals edge closer to historic Presidents Cup victory
We were down everywhere, and somehow we came back
Mark
So they're genuinely close to winning this thing? Five points out of twelve matches?
Mimi
Yes. They lead by three going in, which means they can lose the singles and still win overall. That's a real advantage.
Luke
But how reliable is that math? Are we sure about the 10-5-7.5 score, or is that the official count?
Mimi
That's the official tally after day three. It's how the Presidents Cup scoring works—wins, losses, and halves.
Mark
And this would be their first win in how long?
Mimi
Twenty-eight years. Since 1994, when the event started. They've only won once ever.
Luke
Has the International team ever won on American soil before?
Mimi
Never. This would be historic for them.
Mark
What does Ogilvy think their chances are?
Mimi
He's not saying it directly, but he's clearly impressed by how they fought back when they were down. He called it "amazing" that they split the afternoon session after being behind.
Luke
But the US played well too, right? Ogilvy said they played "really high-level" foursomes.
Mimi
Exactly. This isn't a story about the Internationals dominating. It's about them surviving when they could have folded.
The Pulse
- The Internationals enter Sunday needing just five points from twelve singles matches — a cushion that feels generous but can dissolve quickly in match play.
- Saturday was a day of constant peril: the team trailed in every match at some point, yet refused to let the session slip away entirely.
- Corey Conners of Canada embodied the team's spirit, saving par on the eighteenth hole to secure a crucial point and keep the lead intact.
- Captain Geoff Ogilvy called splitting the afternoon session 'amazing' given how well the Americans played, signaling how fine the margins truly are.
- The United States, dominant in this competition for three decades, must now win the singles session outright just to lift the trophy.
At Medinah, a team long accustomed to falling short stands on the edge of something rare — a first Presidents Cup victory in 28 years, and the first ever claimed on American soil. The International side carried a three-point lead into Sunday's twelve singles matches, having spent Saturday repeatedly behind in matches only to find ways back. What unfolds now is less a golf competition than a test of whether belief, once kindled, can survive the final hours.
The International golf team arrived at Medinah's final day carrying both a three-point lead and the weight of 28 years without a Presidents Cup title. Victory on Sunday would not only end that drought — it would mark the first time the Internationals had ever won the competition on American soil.
Saturday tested them at every turn. In the morning four-ball session, they found themselves trailing in all four matches, yet managed to win two and halve one — a result captain Geoff Ogilvy called a small but meaningful victory. The afternoon foursomes brought more of the same, with the Americans playing at a high level and pushing the Internationals to their limits. Still, the team held. Canada's Corey Conners saved par on the final hole of the day's last match to secure the split and preserve the cushion.
The Presidents Cup has been an American story almost from the start. Since the competition's founding in 1994, the Internationals have won only once. That history gave Saturday's resilience a significance beyond the scoreboard — this was a team that understood what was at stake and refused to fold.
Sunday's twelve singles matches will settle everything. Each side needs 15.5 points to win, and the Internationals' lead means they can absorb some losses and still claim the trophy. But match play is unforgiving, and the Americans have shown they are capable of elite golf. The question now is whether the Internationals can hold their nerve when history is finally, genuinely within reach.
The International golf team arrived at Sunday's final session of the Presidents Cup in Medinah with history within reach. A victory on the closing day would deliver their first Presidents Cup title in 28 years—and more remarkably, their first ever on American soil. They held a lead of 10-5-7.5 points heading into the singles matches, meaning they needed just five points from the twelve games scheduled for Sunday to claim the trophy.
Saturday had been a day of relentless pressure and unexpected resilience. The Internationals found themselves trailing in every match at some point during the morning four-ball session, yet they clawed back to win two matches and tie one of the four contests. It was the kind of performance that could have gone either way—a narrow escape dressed up as a small victory. Team captain Geoff Ogilvy acknowledged the fragility of their position even as he praised his players' response. "We were down in every match, and to come back and get one and a half points out of this morning, we felt that was a little victory because we were down everywhere," he said.
The afternoon brought a similar script. The United States came out swinging in the foursomes, playing what Ogilvy described as "really high-level" golf, particularly in the later matches. The Internationals were again forced to dig deep, and again they found a way to avoid collapse. They split the afternoon session, preserving their three-point cushion. The final match of the day became emblematic of their day: Canada's Corey Conners, facing elimination on the eighteenth hole, saved par to secure the win and keep the Internationals' lead intact. "For the boys to somehow come back and pinch two points out of that and split the session was amazing," Ogilvy reflected.
The Presidents Cup, which began in 1994, has been dominated by the United States. The International team had won only once in the competition's 32-year history, and never at a venue on American soil. That context made Saturday's performance—staying afloat despite being outplayed in stretches—feel like more than just a day's work. It was a team refusing to break under pressure, a group that understood what was at stake.
Sunday's twelve singles matches would determine everything. Each team needed 15.5 points to secure victory. The Internationals' three-point lead meant they could afford to lose the singles session and still win the cup—a luxury the United States did not have. But in match play, leads can evaporate quickly. The Americans had shown they could play at an elite level. The question was whether the Internationals could hold their nerve when it mattered most.
Notable Quotes
We were down in every match, and to come back and get one and a half points out of this morning, we felt that was a little victory because we were down everywhere.— Geoff Ogilvy, International team captain
For the boys to somehow come back and pinch two points out of that and split the session was amazing.— Geoff Ogilvy, on the afternoon foursomes
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