MONTREAL: With 2025 US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley delivering the deciding point, the United States won a 10th consecutive Presidents Cup on Sunday, defeating the Internationals 18.5-11.5 at Royal Montreal. Bradley defeated South Korea’s Kim Si-woo 1-up to clinch the trophy, which gave the Americans a 13-1-1 lead in the series against the non-European side whose only win came in 1998. “Wow, that was incredible,” Bradley said. “Just to play in this tournament and then to win the point, my goodness.”

The US team featured 12 of the world’s 25 top-ranked players and won fights late in matches to continue their rivalry domination. “These players were amazing,” US captain Jim Furyk said. “These guys played their hearts out this week and they played really well on the back nine. We owned the back nine this week. That was the difference.” The Internationals took seven lost or tied matches to the 18th hole this week before the Cup was decided. “When you don’t get a win it’s disappointing but a lot of great things to take away,” Internationals captain Mike Weir of Canada said. “We’re close. A lot of these matches were so close.”

After winning Saturday’s foursomes and four-ball sessions each by 3-1, the Americans needed only 4.5 points in 12 singles matches for the trophy. Wins by second-ranked Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley and Patrick Cantlay and a half-point tie from Sam Burns set the stage for Bradley, who last played on a US team at the 2014 Ryder Cup. “Last time I played (in 2014), I was the point to lose the Ryder Cup,” Bradley said. “So if this is my last round as a player, I’m happy with that.” Bradley, 38, birdied the 14th hole from just inside 12 feet for a 3-up lead over Kim.

But Bradley missed a four-foot par putt to lose 16 and an eight-foot birdie putt to clinch the match and Cup at the par-3 17th, then watched Kim sink a five-footer for birdie to push the match to the 18th hole. Kim dropped his approach to just outside eight feet while Bradley landed 26 feet away. Bradley rolled his putt to the edge of the hole for a concession par, but when Kim missed his birdie putt, the Cup was sealed for the USA. “I learned I can still do this,” said Bradley. “It’s always hard. That was really uncomfortable there at the end but I’m really proud of how everyone played.”

Schauffele sets tone

Schauffele, this year’s British Open and PGA Championship winner, made seven birdies and took the last five front-nine holes in winning 4&3 to finish 4-1 this week. “My goal was just to set the tone, get red up on that board as early as possible, and I was able to do that,” Schauffele said. Burns and Tom Kim tied in a match the American never trailed. Kim tied Burns with a 15-foot birdie putt to win 15 but missed another 15-footer to win 18, settling for a half-point.

“I struggled with my irons. Didn’t hit it great,” said Burns, the week’s only unbeaten player with three wins and a draw. Henley’s four-foot par putt at 16 brought a 3&2 win over South Korean Im Sung-jae, who won only one hole and never led. Japan’s seventh-ranked Hideki Matsuyama took an emotional 1-up victory over top-ranked Scottie Scheffler in a match that was never more than 1-up either way. Matsuyama birdied three of the last five holes for the triumph. “Really happy with how I played,” Matsuyama said.

Canada’s Corey Conners beat Tony Finau 5&3 as the tension built. Patrick Cantlay never trailed in putting the Americans on the brink with a 3&1 win over Canada’s Taylor Pendrith. Cantlay sank a five-foot birdie putt to win 14 for a 1-up lead, dropped his approach inches from the cup to win 15 and closed out victory with a nine-foot birdie putt to win 17. “It’s great to have the best players in the world on my team,” Cantlay said. “Everybody fought hard this week.” — AFP