"Passionate Jim Furyk and Team USA Aim for 10th Consecutive Victory in the Presidents Cup"

Despite some close calls in recent history, the United States has managed to win nine consecutive Presidents Cups, making the biennial competition against the International team fairly predictable.

However, U.S. captain Jim Furyk is not interested in an upset to add excitement to the event. When an American reporter suggested this to Furyk, he responded with a memorable retort: "I'm not dominating you right now, but screw you. Go to hell. You can quote me on that."

Furyk is determined to secure a 10th straight win for the Americans this week as they face off against the International team at Royal Montreal Golf Club.

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The U.S. team, which holds a 12-1-1 record in the competition, is comprised of some of the best golfers in the world. Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, and Collin Morikawa, ranked 1st, 2nd, and 4th in the world respectively, are in their prime and have previous team experience to rely on.

On the other hand, the International team draws from the pool of non-European and non-American players. Japan's Hideki Matsuyama, the team's highest-ranked player, has participated in five previous cups.

However, the main focus of the week is on Canada. As Royal Montreal hosts the Presidents Cup for the second time, Mike Weir, Canada's only male major champion, is serving as captain for the first time. Additionally, three Canadian players are on his roster.

Weir believes that Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes, and Taylor Pendrith are ready for this moment, which will hold extra significance in front of a Canadian crowd.

"I used the energy in a positive way when I played in the Presidents Cup here in 2007," Weir said. "I didn't see it as pressure, but rather an opportunity to embrace the moment. I may never have this chance again to play in front of my home country fans, so I just tried to enjoy it. That will likely be my message to the team - 'Enjoy yourselves.'"

Hughes expressed his excitement for this opportunity, which he has been looking forward to for years.

"I think having me, Corey, and Taylor on the team is a great bonus for Canadian fans," Hughes said. "I hope the atmosphere is loud and, if anything, a bit hostile towards the Americans. When we play on their soil, that's typically how it is for us, so it should be the same here."

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The format of the Presidents Cup differs slightly from the Ryder Cup, as it is played over four days instead of three and a total of 30 points are up for grabs. On Thursday, there will be five four-ball (best-ball) matches, followed by five foursomes (alternate-shot) matches on Friday. On Saturday, the morning session will consist of four-ball matches, with foursomes returning in the afternoon. Finally, on Sunday, all 12 players will compete in singles matches. The International team needs 15 1/2 points to win their first cup since 1998, and if the match ends in a 15-15 tie, the cup will be shared.

Royal Montreal is a par-70, 7,413-yard course with thick rough and challenging holes.

"There are a lot of crosswinds on these holes, and suddenly you have a dogleg left with a left-to-right wind, or vice versa," Schauffele explained. "On the par-3s, you're hitting a 4 or 5 iron. In the last two days, I found it to be quite difficult, so I'm curious to see how it plays throughout the week."

Another member of the U.S. team this week is Keegan Bradley, who will serve as their Ryder Cup captain next year at Bethpage Black. Bradley was famously devastated when he missed the 2023 Ryder Cup roster.

"There was a point in my career where I thought I would play in this event every year - Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup, Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup," Bradley said. "Then there came a point where I thought I would never play again. I was almost certain I would never play in another one. So to be back here a decade later, it's truly a special week."

The pairings for Thursday's four-ball matches are as follows:

-Xander Schauffele/Tony Finau (U.S.) vs. Jason Day/Byeong Hun An (Int.)