A fog delay got the third day of the 2024 Presidents Cup off to a somewhat sleepy start at Royal Montreal Golf Club, but by the time all eight matches across two sessions concluded, the United States was back on top with a significant 11 to 7 edge. The golf was subpar early — putts were rarely made by any players not named Si Woo Kim or Tom Kim — but the sluggishness quickly burned off leading to plenty of fireworks down the stretch.

The U.S. takes a lead into Sunday singles, the final round of the Presidents Cup, for the 11th time in 15 playings of the event. The Americans will be seeking a 10th straight and 13th overall victory come early Sunday evening.

After claiming the morning four-ball session 3 to 1 — improving to a Presidents Cup-record 8 to 1 in the format across the first three days of play — the U.S. was met with a flurry of International flags in the initial stages of the afternoon foursomes wave. The Americans took it on the chin in Friday foursomes, getting swept 5 to 0, but they were much better equipped to handle the International onslaught Saturday. Ultimately, 

“Yesterday was yesterday,” Collin Morikawa said. “It’s not like we’ve never played bad golf, and it’s not like we’ve never lost before. Honestly, I think after we came in and got our frustrations out. We knew, once we got back home and got some rest, it was a brand-new day and we had to come out.”

Taylor Pendrith & Adam Scott improved to 2-0-0 in foursomes this week claiming a 2 UP victory over Max Homa & Brian Harman after falling down early in their match. It set a great tone for the home team, but no other points from the black and gold were added from there. Instead, the red, white and blue swept the final three matches.

Collin Morikawa & Sam Burns squeaked by the all-Canadian duo of Mackenzie Hughes & Corey Conners. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler & Russell Henley captured their match as well with Scheffler winning foursomes for the first time in his Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup career. That set the stage for the match of the week.

Jockeying back and forth all afternoon, the Kim duo battled Patrick Cantlay & Xander Schauffele down to the final hole all square following an incredible chip-in to win the 17th by Si Woo Kim. In the balance was a crucial point that that could have ballooned the Americans’ lead to four or cut the Internationals’ deficit to two. Ultimately, an American flag was flown as Cantlay summoned another gear of clutch and buried a 17-footer to conclude play.

“You’ve heard me before at individual events talking about you’ve got to have some dog in you,” Schauffele said. “When I look around my team room, I see a lot of dogs. We’ve proved that so far.”

2024 Presidents Cup standings, results

Score: United States 11 | Internationals 7

Round 3 (four-ball)

Scottie Scheffler & Collin Morikawa (United States) 2 & 1 over Adam Scott & Taylor Pendrith (International): After an exchange of birdies on Nos. 2-3, this match turned into a bit of a pillow fight. Neither team was able to get anything going, but they remained tied until Morikawa added a birdie on the par-5 12th. The U.S. had the advantage two holes later, but Scott flipped the script on the greens to even things up. After dodging a possible birdie on the next hole, Scheffler took over and added his first and second birdies of the round on Nos. 16-17 to secure a full point.

Xander Schauffele & Tony Finau (United States) 3 & 2 over Corey Conners & Mackenzie Hughes (International): Finau rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-5 6th to grab the first lead of the match; the U.S. would never relinquish it. Schauffele got in on the action with his first birdie on No. 9 to take a 2 UP lead into the back nine. The two continued to ham-and-egg it nicely with birdies on Nos. 14-15 to put the match out of reach. 

Si Woo Kim & Tom Kim (International) 4 & 3 over Keegan Bradley & Wyndham Clark (United States): Si Woo walked in a birdie on No. 1 setting the tone for this bout before Tom did the same on the following hole to grab a 2 UP lead. Despite the Americans shooting 5 under, the Kims were too much to overcome between their birdies and monstrous celebrations. The match wrapped up on the 15th green when Si Woo secured the team’s ninth birdie and only victory between the two four-ball sessions.

Patrick Cantlay & Sam Burns (United States) 2 & 1 over Hideki Matsuyama & Sungjae Im (International): Cantlay & Burns slowly got into this match and tied it up thanks to their first birdie from the blade of Burns on No. 6. That kickstarted three straight from the pair as they seized a 1 UP lead and maintained it up until the par-5 12th. That’s when Cantlay put his stamp on this Presidents Cup rattling off five straight 3s to fend off Im, who was matching him shot-for-shot up until the match’s end on No. 17.

Round 4 (foursomes)

Adam Scott & Taylor Pendrith (International) 2 UP over Max Homa & Brian Harman (United States): The Americans got off to a flying start playing their first five holes in 3 under to grab the lead. A crucial short miss on the par-5 6th switched the flow of this match as the birdies dried up for the U.S. and began to fall in bunches for the International side. Three circles across a five-hole stretch in the middle of the round saw Pendrith & Scott extend the lead to as many as two with as many to play. It got hairy late, but a par on the last was enough to secure another foursomes victory for this duo.

Collin Morikawa & Sam Burns (United States) 1 UP over Mackenzie Hughes & Corey Conners (International): The Canadians jumped out the gate making birdies on their first three holes to seize a commanding lead, but then, the Americans slowly inched back. Carding three straight of their own from Nos. 6-8, Morikawa & Burns took a 1 UP lead into the back nine. It remained that way until Hughes summoned the short game he is known for, chipping in for eagle on the par-5 12th. Birdies were exchanged late in the back nine before the Canadians flubbed their chances at points on No. 18 with their second bogey of the afternoon.

Patrick Cantlay & Xander Schauffele (United States) 1 UP over Tom Kim & Si Woo Kim (International): The match of the week featured body punches, counter punches and one potentially massive knock-out blow. Cantlay & Schauffele were tasked with slowing down the Kims, and they appeared up to the task jumping out to an early 2 UP lead. After a chippy back-and-forth on the putting surface on the par-3 7th — due to Tom not receiving a concession for his par putt just inside 3 feet — the Kims got the putters rolling in the right direction. Massive makes on Nos. 9-10 tied the match before the rollercoaster ride truly began. Four straight holes were exchanged from Nos. 13-16 and set the stage for Cantlay to come up clutch once again in the team setting with a birdie on the last to secure a full point.

Scottie Scheffler & Russell Henley (United States) 3 & 2 over Hideki Matsuyama & Sungjae Im (International): There was only so much Henley could do early as Scheffler looked nothing like his normal self. Missing back-to-back 3-foot putts to tie holes, the U.S. found themselves 3 DOWN in the first five holes. However, just as he did in the morning, the world No. 1 found his footing as Scheffler & Henley played their next 10 holes in 6 under to zoom past the powerhouse duo of Im & Matsuyama.