Table of Contents
Every other year there is some nervousness heading into the Ryder Cup, with Americans wondering if they will be able to match their European counterparts, especially if they are not playing on home soil. That hasn’t been the case with the Presidents Cup, as the United States has joined its international counterparts in capturing nine consecutive trophies at the biennial. This year’s showdown will take place in Canada at Royal Montreal, and with three Canucks on the international side there should be plenty of energy from a crowd looking to throw the US off its game.
The United States is in at -285 to win the Presidents Cup with an expected advantage of 3.5 points. The international side are notable underdogs at +270, although it is hoped that experience and familiarity will help break a trend of American victories dating back two decades. In fact, the Internationals have only won once out of the event’s thirteen matches: that happened around the world in Australia in 1998.
For the 2024 competition, the Americans will feature the two best golfers in the world, Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele, along with a handful of rookies who will try to complete a youth movement for the red, white and blue. Whether that will be enough to stop the Internationals – led by veteran Adam Scott and featuring golfers from Canada, South Korea and Australia, among others – remains to be seen.
Ultimately, the question will be whether the Americans remain dominant in this event – a level they were unable to reach at the Ryder Cup – or whether the Internationals break a long losing streak and come out on top in Montreal. .
Let’s see how our CBS Sports experts think the 2024 Presidents Cup will go this week.
Presidents Cup 2024 Predictions, Expert Picks
MVP of the United States
Xander Schauffele: It would be easy to put Scottie Scheffler in this position, but he has struggled understatedly in recent team events. After a coming-out party at Whistling Straits in 2021, Scheffler is 0-5-3 in his last eight team appearances at the President’s Cup and Ryder Cup. Schauffele, on the other hand, was almost as skilled as Scheffler this summer and was excellent in team events, including a 4-4-0 record in those same two events. I think the US will lean on him all the time, and he will often get the benefit of a better match play partner (Patrick Cantlay) than Scheffler. TopAmerican: 9/2 | Top scorer: 13/2 — Kyle Porter
Collin Morikawa: It’s hard not to look at the two best players in the world here, but Morikawa’s quality isn’t as far behind as it seems. He has been great in three team competitions and Royal Montreal seems to be right up his alley as the fairways will be top quality and quality iron play will be required. Scheffler and whoever his teammate is, and Schauffele and Cantlay make two formidable duos, while Morikawa will captain the ship in the third partnership. That is where this competition will be won and that is where Morikawa will thrive as he is a big threat in both formats and should have a great chance of picking up four points. TopAmerican: 11/2 | Top scorer: 8-1 — Patrick McDonald
International MVP
Adam Scott: Scott’s summer reemergence was one of the funniest storylines of the entire season. Scott has been driving electric since July 1 with three top five finishes in six starts. He should get plenty of starts against these Americans (he went all five in 2022), and you could argue he plays better golf than all but two of the players on the U.S. team. Top International: 15/2 | Top scorer: 20-1 — Porter
Taylor Pendrith: Quail Hollow was rough on Pendrith to say the least as he compiled an 0-4-0 record along with Corey Conners. Despite the ineffectiveness of the two Canadians, I expect Weir to trot them out again, and this time with more success. Over the past three months, Pendrith has ranked third in strokes gained and fifth in strokes gained for the international team. If the Canadian runs down the hill early, he could turn into a runaway train that the U.S. will struggle to keep up with. Top international: 12-1 | Top scorer: 40-1– McDonald
Breakthrough candidate
Sahith Theegala (United States): I’ve been sitting on this for a while, but Theegala has a chance to be the next Spieth for team USA. I’m not sure they’ll ever lean on him as much as they did with Spieth in the beginning, but he makes so many birdies (top 15 among players playing a similar schedule) and plays with a lot of emotion, which is half the battle. at these events. I think he’s going to have a great week. — Porter
Russell Henley (United States): Accurate off the tee, precise with his scoring clubs and understated with the flat stick, Henley has what it takes to become a match play expert for the American team. It’s a bit surprising that this is his first appearance in the Presidents Cup or the Ryder Cup, but expect Henley to make the most of it during the best statistical season of his career. Players will be clamoring to be paired with him in foursomes that will showcase his skills. — McDonald
Surprise prediction
American routes on Saturday evening: Yes, you can see my final pick below, but I think this US team is a bit awkward and lacks the strength that previous teams have had. This is the first time in 30 years that the team is without Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, and those guys seem to be the spiritual center. There is a possibility that the US will come out a bit flat and struggle in the team games before overwhelming the international team with talent on Sunday. — Porter
The Canadians are coming to play: I think the success of the internationals is highly dependent on the three Canadians on the team, and I expect them to hold their own. Pendrith and Conners are 0-8-0 between them as Hughes makes his debut, but there’s something about them that I can’t quite put my finger on that makes me drawn to them. As mentioned, Pendrith should be primed for a solid performance and Hughes has the goods – ranked first in strokes gained putting and strokes gained around the green among the 24 players – to cause a headache for the US. — McDonald
Winning side
Chances: United States -285, Internationals +270, Draw +1600
Disability: United States -3.5 (-120) | International +3.5 (-110)
United States (16-14): I actually want to pick the international team because I don’t love the makeup of this American team, but I think the talent of the Americans will eventually overwhelm them and the US will win its 10th consecutive Presidents Cup. — Porter
United States (16.5-13.5): The US will win the Presidents Cup for the tenth time in a row, but that will not happen without a doubt. The first three days of competition will be tight, with the Red, White and Blue taking a narrow lead in Sunday’s singles, where they ultimately pull away. From top to bottom, this American team is much stronger than the international team and that will be reflected when the players go head-to-head on the final day. — McDonald
Patrick McDonald and Greg DuCharme preview the 2024 Presidents Cup from a DFS perspective. Follow and listen to The First Cut Apple podcasts And Spotify.