The International Team is going back to the drawing board for Day 2 at the Presidents Cup after an opening-day drubbing where it lost all five matches.
Foursomes (alternate shot) is the format for Friday at Royal Montreal and captain Mike Weir is rolling out five entirely new pairings, leading off with Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im against a familiar American duo in Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele.
Here is the complete lineup with starting times (all ET):
Patrick Cantlay/Xander Schauffele (USA) vs. Hideki Matsuyama/Sungjae Im (Int’l), 1:05 p.m.
Sahith Theegala/Collin Morikawa (USA) vs. Adam Scott/Taylor Pendrith (Int’l), 1:19 p.m.
Max Homa/Brian Harman (USA) vs. Christiaan Bezuidenhout/Jason Day (Int’l) 1:33 p.m.
Wyndham Clark/Tony Finau (USA) vs. Corey Conners/Mackenzie Hughes (Int’l) 1:47 p.m.
Scottie Scheffler/Russell Henley (USA) vs. Si Woo Kim/Byeong Hun An (Int’l) 2:01 p.m.
The U.S. is returning two victorious teams from Thursday: Sahith Theegala and Collin Morikawa, and Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley.
U.S. captain Jim Furyk said the Scheffler/Henley pairing had been percolating since the Tour Championship, when he talked to both and found them open to the partnership.
“We started our practice rounds on Sunday. Those guys played together every day and really hit it off,” Furyk said. “It just seems like a good pair as far as the personalities go. They had a great time out there (Thursday) together.”
Keegan Bradley and Sam Burns will sit out the session for the U.S., while on the International side, Min Woo Lee and Tom Kim are not playing.
Kim’s benching could be viewed as a surprise as the young South Korean is one of the team’s more energetic players, but Weir said it was predetermined.
“That was part of the plan. It was not a change after (Day 1) or anything. We have a plan for four-ball, and we have a plan for foursomes,” Weir said. “Tom wasn't in the plans for (Friday) but doesn't mean he might not be down the road.
“We're sticking with the plan.”
The International plan now is to dig out of a massive hole.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Presidents Cup Day 2 Pairings: International Team, Down 5-0, Rolls Out All-New Lineup .
