0-for-Canada: International Team’s two-man Canadian contingent shut out at Quail Hollow
This week has been as much a celebration of diversity for the International team as it has been a celebration of golf. Players from six different countries plied their trade for Trevor Immelman’s squad, and each contributed in his own way.
Unfortunately for the Canadian contingent of Corey Conners and Taylor Pendrith, their contributions cannot be measured in points.
Conners paired with Sungjae Im in Thursday’s foursomes, while Pendrith matched up with Mito Pereira. Neither managed a win in that format. On Friday in four-ball play, the Canadians were paired against Billy Horschel and Max Homa and fell in heartbreaking fashion, 1-up.
Pendrith got a break in Saturday morning foursomes, but Conners was again on the losing end of a match, again paired with Im. In the afternoon, Pendrith paired with Hideki Matsuyama in a four-ball match, and was run over by the Jordan Spieth/Justin Thomas buzz saw.
Sunday, both Pendrith and Conners were in their respective matches for most of the day. But ironically, their losses came back-to-back, and Conners’ loss to Xander Schauffele was the clincher for the United States.
The two Canadian golfers played together on Golf Canada’s amateur teams before becoming teammates at Kent State University, and were even the best man at each other’s weddings, all of which will likely be better memories than those made on the course this week in Charlotte.
At least they presumably felt at home in the hockey-style handshake line afterward. The upside as they leave Quail Hollow? The next Presidents Cup will be played in Canada, at Royal Montreal in 2024.
“As pro-American as these fans were, I feel like the fans in Montreal will be really behind the international players,” Conners said. “(It’s) definitely the goal to get back and hopefully improve my record there.”
Emotional week at home for Webb
Webb Simpson would rather have been playing on his home course this week than assisting American captain Davis Love III, but he found himself surprisingly invested in the proceedings, more than he ever could have imagined.
“It was beyond my expectations,” Simpson said. “I didn’t hit a shot or a chip or a putt but it was so much more. I was so much more emotionally invested than I thought I’d be, pulling so hard for them. Every putt getting up near the hole, I’m feeling it.
“I didn’t know what to expect, really, because I’ve never been on this side, but I was emotional after. I don’t get emotional that often. But I was emotional.”
One if by land
After missing the 13th green to the left and watching his ball trundle down to the very edge of the water hazard, Cam Davis removed his right shoe, rolled up his pant leg and played the ball with one leg on land and one in the lake. His attempt failed to clear the slope and stopped short of the green. Davis was able to avoid tumbling into the water.
Kind words for the roars
At the closing ceremonies, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan had kind words for not only Johnny Harris and the Quail Hollow leadership but the crowds that came out for four days to see the eventual 17.5-12.5 win by the United States.
“To you, the fans of Charlotte, the atmosphere you created here this week was electric,” Monahan said. “Your roars, they could be felt.”
International captain Trevor Immelman also complimented the fans on the support they showed his underdog visitors.
Up in the air
Jordan Speith’s 10-month old son Sammy, a Presidents Cup rookie, got a wild ride on the 1st tee. Wearing a pair of earmuff headphones and a U.S.-themed outfit, Sammy was in the arms of Speith’s wife Annie when Speith grabbed him, turned to the boisterous crowd and held Sammy aloft, Lion King style. The crowd approved.
“He loves the earmuffs, luckily, because it’s pretty loud out here,” Speith said.
Sammy was unavailable for comment.
Somebody’s closer
Patrick Cantlay thought his approach on the 10th hole was pretty good, dropping it in a mere 14 inches short of the hole. Then he watched Adam Scott’s shot go past his ball ... but to the right of the cup. You could throw a bucket over both but officially, Scott was away by 10 inches. The hole, not surprisingly, was halved.
This story was originally published September 25, 2022 at 5:47 PM.
