What You Need to Know About the 2017 Presidents Cup

The 2017 Presidents Cup is a lesser known PGA Tour competition that’s set to take place September 28 to October 1, 2017. The competition consists of five matches of fourball and five matches of foursomes. The third day consists of four matches of fourball and four matches of foursomes. Two teams of 10 participate: an American Team and an International Team.

Does the International Team Have a Chance in the 2017 Presidents Cup?

In the past, the Presidents Cup has been called ‘lob-sided’ in favor of the American team, and golf blogs are quick to make the same assumption this year.

2017 Presidents Cup is even in terms of exceptional players. The American Team has Jordan Spieth, Duston Johnson and Justin Thomas. The International Team boasts Jason Day, Louis Oosthuizen and Adam Scott.

That’s not the problem. Many golf commentators and golf bloggers know that it’s the lower half of the team that is the problem. The American Team is solid through and through and the lower half of the team which consists of Jason Dufner, Phil Michelson, and Brian Harman, far out rank and out play the International Team’s mid-level players which are Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace and Kim Si-Woo.

The Strength of the entire American Team usually makes the difference. Interest in the Presidents Cup is waning and the problem is rivalry.

The Rivalry

Golf blogger and analyst Josh Sens (a contributor to GOLF Magazine) said it best:

“You can’t have an intense rivalry if one side never gets its butt kicked… The Prez Cup needs things to work both ways if it’s ever going to feel heated on these shores”

2017 Presidents Cup Predictions

The last time the American team won the Presidents Cup was in 1998. A gambler would suggest that a hot streak like that can’t last forever and the 2017 Presidents Cup might be the first lose for the American Team this century.

But it just doesn’t seem likely. Everything points to another win for the American Team:

  • The competition is on American soil at the Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey.
  • The American team has never lost on U.S. soil.
  • The American team has not lost this century.
  • The weakest American golfer is stronger than most of the International Team golfers.

For the sake of the tournament, let’s hope a real rivalry develops this year.