U.S. Team Trails 3-7 After Day One at Presidents Cup: Concerns Emerge from Foursomes Struggles

The whistle blew at Medinah Country Club, and the U.S. team bench fell silent. After 10 four-ball and foursomes matches on the opening day, the score stood at 7-3 in favor of the International Team—a result that has experts questioning the true strength of the American squad. Medinah, Illinois — In 37 years of sports journalism, I've witnessed many remarkable comebacks. But what I saw at Medinah Country Club on Friday wasn't an ordinary stumble. It was a systemic collapse in the foursomes session—a format the Americans have never excelled at. According to recorded data, the International Team completely controlled the greens on opening day. They executed putts from 3-6 meter distances exceptionally well, while the American golfers consistently missed medium-range putts. This was the decisive factor showing why the visitors could take a four-point lead. One of the most notable moments was Justin Thomas's shot—the two-time PGA Championship winner—putting his ball into a water hazard at a crucial moment. Immediately after, Xander Schauffele also failed to escape a bunker, giving opponents a chance to secure important points. What intrigues me most isn't the isolated poor shots, but the nature of the foursomes format itself. In this format, two golfers alternate hitting one ball—one person's shot forces the other to handle the next situation. If rhythm isn't synchronized, the entire pairing sinks under double pressure. Cameron Berhow, a format analysis expert, stated that "foursomes has never been the Americans' strength." Looking at Presidents Cup history, the U.S. team typically shines in Sunday singles play but struggles with rhythm coordination in team formats. However, my analysis shows this is only the first day of play. With 20 points remaining out of 30 total, the U.S. still has enough time to close the gap. The key lies in Saturday's four-ball session—where each golfer plays their own ball and the pair selects the best result. This format demands less perfect rhythm coordination than foursomes, and could be the hosts' opportunity to regain momentum. A counterintuitive angle that commentary is overlooking: the International Team leading could be good news for the tournament itself. When the same team wins consecutively through the last 10 Presidents Cups, the question becomes whether this one-sidedness diminishes the event's value. If the Internationals can pull off the upset at Medinah, this could become the most exciting Presidents Cup in history. Medinah Country Club's history also recalls memories of 2026, when the U.S. team lost despite leading 10-6 after two days at the Ryder Cup. That was a lesson in how momentum can completely reverse in team play formats. If the American team can't break their foursomes losing streak on Saturday, pressure will compound on their top golfers' shoulders in the singles session. When I left Medinah Friday afternoon, American fans were still there—people who had lined up since early morning for seats. They knew their team was losing, but they stayed, continued singing and cheering. That's the instinct of fans that no scoreboard can replace. The real question isn't whether America can win, but how they'll respond to their own disappointment.