Americans hold narrow 3-2 lead at Presidents Cup

A late afternoon charge by the U.S. Team ensured that the Americans would lead after the opening day for the ninth time in the last 10 President Cups.

Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns flipped the momentum of Thursday's first match over the final five holes to give the Americans a 3-2 advantage following the four-ball session. It was an important point for the star-studded U.S. duo after it had previously held an 0-2-1 record together in the Presidents Cup.

Justin Thomas was the other standout performer from the first session, carrying rookie Jackson Koivun to victory over Corey Conners and Nico Echavarria. The win improved Thomas' four-ball record at the Presidents Cup to a perfect 7-0-0 - the best in the history of the event.

While the lead is slim, it's an important advantage given the history of the event.

Match 1: Scheffler/Burns win 1-up vs. Im/Lee

Once again, the U.S. opted for the best-friend approach by sending Scheffler and Burns out together in the Presidents Cup. That strategy had failed in the two previous Presidents Cups, but it finally paid off Thursday with a victory for the Americans. However, it certainly wasn't easy, and the Americans will largely feel lucky to walk away with a full point.

Min Woo Lee and Sungjae Im were up to the task - until the back nine when both of their putters went cold. The International Team missed four putts under 11 feet on holes 10-12, which would have given them the lead in the match. Instead, Scheffler and Burns avoided dropping back and took a 1-up lead after Burns nearly holed his approach from 173 yards on 14. They would hold that through 18 to secure the narrow victory.

While Scheffler will be thrilled with the point, his Presidents Cup form continues to be puzzling, as he simply cannot translate his World No. 1 status to the team environment. He failed to make a birdie after the third hole and is now just 4-5-1 overall despite the win.

Match 2: Matsuyama/Hisatsune win 3&1 over Schauffele/Young

Hideki Matsuyama has long been a stalwart of the International Team but has never partnered with a fellow Japanese player at the event. That changed Thursday as Ryo Hisatsune competed alongside him, and the duo put forth an inspired effort to take down the blockbuster duo of Cameron Young and Xander Schauffele 3&1.

The Japanese tandem combined for seven birdies over 17 holes and only lost one hole the entire day. Young and Schauffele's performance was certainly surprising given where they stand in the world rankings and their past success in team events. Schauffele, in particular, struggled at Medinah Country Club, ranking second-last among the players in action in strokes gained: approach on the day. One has to expect the American duo to be broken up for the rest of the event.

Match 3: Thomas/Koivun win 4&3 over Conners/Echavarria

Death, taxes, and Justin Thomas winning matches in the Presidents Cup. Thomas is now a perfect 7-0-0 all-time in four-ball sessions after guiding rookie Koivun around Medinah on Thursday. Thomas handled the load early to allow Koivun to ease into the pressure cooker, as the Americans used his score on four of the first five holes.

That was more than enough to see them past the overmatched International duo of Conners and Echavarria. The International Team combined for only three birdies through 15 holes and never looked to threaten after a rocky start. Conners is now a dismal 2-8-0 in Presidents Cup action, a record that makes the decision to partner with Echavarria a puzzling one. Neither player ranks inside the top 100 on the PGA TOUR in birdie average - a crucial stat to excel in four-ball action.

While Thomas carried the team, Koivun put his name in the history books with the victory. The former Auburn star is now the second-youngest American to win a point at the Presidents Cup, trailing only Jordan Spieth, according to golf data analyst Rick Gehman.

Match 4: Morikawa/Clark win 3&2 over Fox/Scott

Nobody told Wyndham Clark that Adam Scott and Ryan Fox were arguably the International Team's most formidable pair. The U.S. Open champion blitzed the opening nine at Medinah, making four birdies in the first eight holes. That effort, combined with another birdie by Collin Morikawa, left their International counterparts unable to keep up.

The back nine was largely a pillow fight due to Scott and Fox's startling inability to give themselves birdie looks. The American duo carried its 3-up lead throughout and finished things off with Morikawa's birdie on the 16th hole. Scott is now 20-29-6 in his extensive Presidents Cup career following the loss.

Match 5: Kim/Kim win 4&2 over Cantlay/Gotterup

Almost every positive highlight involving the International Team over the past two events has involved Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim. The South Korean pair once again brought the heat Thursday, throttling Patrick Cantlay and Christ Gotterup in dazzling fashion. The duo never trailed in the match, winning the opening hole and shooting 7-under for its round.

Tom Kim supplied an emphatic finish to the day by nearly acing the par-3 16th to secure the win. Expect the South Koreans to be together again in Friday's foursomes session with an overall record of 3-1-0 in the event.