The Presidents Cup begins on Thursday and the first five points of the 30 will be decided in one session of foursomes around Liberty National in New Jersey. I get the feeling that this is going to be the highest profile competition since it was invented so I’m expecting a hugely competitive session.
Justin Thomas & Rickie Fowler vs Hideki Matsuyama & Charl Schwartzel
Match tees off at 18.05 BST
The opening match on the course sees two experienced pairings competing against each other. Thomas and Fowler should blend well as good friends while Matsuyama and Schwartzel have played enough golf to bounce off each other.
I always think in these team competitions that the opening match of each session should be the best of the day with sides putting out their best option first and I fancy that could well ring true here. I would not be surprised if these four high class ball strikers are not separated come the end of the 18 holes.
Prediction: Match halved
Matt Kuchar & Dustin Johnson vs Adam Scott and Jhonattan Vegas
Match tees off at 18.17 BST
In my eyes the best of the American foursome pairings goes out in their second match when Matt Kuchar and Dustin Johnson are put together to take on the interesting pairing of Adam Scott and Jhonattan Vegas.
I would have thought that Vegas would have been better suited to fourballs where he could go on the attack so it will be intriguing to see how he plays in this match. I would imagine that with the consummate ball striking and putting that Kuchar provides, if Johnson drives the ball well this team are going to be hard to beat albeit at a pretty short price.
Prediction: USA win
Jordan Spieth & Patrick Reed vs Si-Woo Kim & Emiliano Grillo
Match tees off at 18.29 BST
All eyes will be on the third match of the afternoon as the combination of Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed, which has excelled as a pairing in the past, go back out onto the golf course when they face the rookie pairing of Si-Woo Kim and Emiliano Grillo.
I’ll be interested to see how the International duo blend in this match because on the face of it they have perfect games for this format. You wouldn’t think they will miss too many fairways and greens so there will be pressure on Spieth to drive the ball much better than he did in Atlanta last week.
This is the marquee USA pairing and if they keep the ball in play you would think they would win relatively comfortably but I can’t resist paying to find out if the straight hitting internationals can get the job done.
Prediction: USA win
Brooks Koepka & Daniel Berger vs Louis Oosthuizen & Branden Grace
Match tees off at 18.41 BST
The US Open champion Brooks Koepka is given the luxury of partnering the man he played plenty of college golf with in Daniel Berger in what should be an underrated pairing but they go up against the heavyweight International duo of Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace.
This should be a great match to watch off the tee boxes with all four men wonderful drivers of the golf ball. If there is a weakness in either pairing it could come in the form of the short game of the Americans and that is where I see the South Africans having the edge in this one. Koepka and Berger will be familiar with each other but this South African duo have stood the test of time and can win this.
Prediction: International win
Kevin Kisner & Phil Mickelson vs Jason Day & Marc Leishman
Match tees off at 18.53 BST
The Internationals have saved one of their best pairings for last as the Australian pair of Jason Day and Marc Leishman go out against a patched up American duo of Kevin Kisner and Phil Mickelson.
Whenever Mickelson plays foursomes the immediate thought is how will he drive the ball. Nicky Price has been clever in that he has put two very good drivers up against him so Mickelson will need one of his better days off the tee boxes especially as he is partnering a rookie who often feels the nerves on the golf course.
I like Kisner a lot but he may be playing from out of position a lot which is not his forte. The form of Leishman makes this a strong Internationals pairing and they win the point for me.
Prediction: International win
Tips
Back M.Kuchar & D.Johnson to beat A.Scott & J.Vegas for a 4/10 stake at 1.73 with LeoVegas
Back them here:
Back S-W.Kim & E.Grillo to beat J.Spieth & P.Reed for a 2/10 stake at 4.00 with Bet365
Back them here:
Back J.Day & M.Leishman to beat K.Kisner & P.Mickelson for a 4/10 stake at 2.00 with BetVictor
Back them here:
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