Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay made unwanted history in the Presidents Cup (Image: Getty Images)
Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele found themselves on the wrong side of history during the second day of the Presidents Cup, facing off against Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im.
The American duo had started Friday’s Foursome session with high hopes, having won all five matches the previous day.
However, Matsuyama and Im had a different script in mind. Matsuyama and Im dominated the game through 12 holes, winning seven while Cantlay and Schauffele failed to secure even one.
The International team was in top form throughout the day, with Matsuyama sinking a 16-foot putt on the eighth hole and Im following suit on the next from 11 feet.
In the end, Matsuyama and Im trounced the Americans 7 and 6, equalling the largest margin of victory in Presidents Cup history.
Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im had a masterful showing against Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele (Image: Getty Images)
It’s been over 10 years since such a lopsided score was recorded, largely due to the International Team’s impressive streak of seven consecutive birdies.
In the 2011 Presidents Cup, Adam Scott and K.J. Choi defeated Tiger Woods and Steve Strickler by the same margin in a Foursomes match.
Interestingly, this marked the first time Matsuyama and Im had ever partnered in an international team competition. And they opened up about the strategy that led to their historic win, which caught everyone’s eye.
Matsuyama admitted to the challenges they faced, saying through his translator: “Yeah, you know obviously, it was a tough challenge for us losing five matches yesterday.
“But Sungjae had a perfect tee shot on the first hole, so you that brought us the momentum. So really happy with that.
“Yesterday, the beginning was not really the nice beginning but today from the beginning, our vibe was vibing and we were trying to win the match.
“With Hideki, our teamwork is amazing. When I put the shot, he would finish with the perfect putt so the teamwork is well done.”
Meanwhile, fans expressed their disappointment with Cantlay and Schauffele’s performance, taking to social media to air their grievances.