Jim Furyk has clear message in response to rival team’s wild celebrations at Presidents Cup

Jim Furyk Responds to Rivals’ Celebrations After International Team’s Stunning Comeback at Presidents Cup

The Presidents Cup remains finely balanced after a dramatic reversal of fortunes on Friday. The United States, who had surged to an emphatic 5-0 lead after Thursday’s fourball matches, saw their advantage evaporate as the International team staged a remarkable comeback on day two, winning all five of the day’s foursome matches. With the competition tied at 5-5, both teams head into Saturday’s play with everything to play for.

Team USA captain Jim Furyk has urged his players to channel the International team’s exuberant celebrations into renewed motivation. The Americans dominated the opening day at Royal Montreal Golf Club, but were stunned by Mike Weir’s rejuvenated squad on Friday, as the Internationals swept all five matches to level the score.

The magnitude of the International team’s response was underscored by their performance in the top match, where Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, one of the most formidable pairings in the American team, suffered a crushing 7&6 defeat to Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im. The rout continued with Sahith Theegala and Collin Morikawa losing 5&4 to Adam Scott and Taylor Pendrith, while Wyndham Clark and Tony Finau were soundly beaten 6&5 by Canadian duo Corey Conners and Mackenzie Hughes.

Even world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler could not turn the tide for the Americans, as he and partner Russell Henley lost 1 up to Si Woo Kim and Ben An. The day concluded in dramatic fashion with Max Homa and Bryan Harman falling by the same margin to Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Jason Day. The final match was decided when Kim sank a long putt on the 18th green, sparking wild celebrations in front of an electrified crowd.

Furyk, addressing his team and the media afterward, expressed his hope that the International team’s jubilant celebrations would serve as a catalyst for his players as they prepare for Saturday’s matches. “We’re going to have to get ready for tomorrow; we’ve got a tough match on our hands,” Furyk told Golf Channel. “I think they’re well aware of the challenge. We got to watch them jump about on the green and celebrate. I hope that sticks with everyone. I hope it’s a pit in their stomach tonight. We’ll regroup and get some good pairings out there in the morning, and it’s our turn to come out firing.”

The International team’s stunning turnaround left many experts reevaluating their predictions. Following the American team’s domination on Thursday, several commentators had written off Mike Weir’s squad, citing the absence of key players like Cameron Smith and Joaquin Niemann, who were ineligible due to their involvement with LIV Golf. However, the Internationals defied expectations with a stellar performance that silenced their critics and put them back in contention.

Reflecting on the day’s events, Furyk acknowledged that his team struggled to keep up with the level of play exhibited by their opponents. “I said it last night, their backs were against the wall; they had to come out firing,” he remarked. “They weren’t happy about what happened yesterday, and I knew we’d get a big push early.”

Furyk continued, “Usually, you see some momentum swings in this, and we weren’t able to turn the momentum today. When I look at the scores, it might not necessarily be about us not playing as well as we liked—they played a lot of great golf. My hat is off to them.”

With the competition now delicately poised, both teams will enter Saturday’s play with renewed determination. The Americans, stung by Friday’s results, will be eager to regain control, while the International team will look to build on their newfound momentum. As the Presidents Cup heads into the weekend, the stage is set for an intense battle, with neither team willing to give an inch.