01역대급 초반 리드, 아쉬운 결말
인터내셔널 팀이 프레지던츠컵 대회 역사상 가장 강력한 스타트를 끊고도 최종 승리를 챙기지 못하는 아쉬움을 삼켰다. 대회 초반 세션에서 압도적인 경기력을 선보이며 역대 최대 리드 폭을 기록하는 등 우승에 한껏 다가섰으나, 후반부로 갈수록 미국의 저력을 넘지 못했다.
개최 전부터 약체로 평가받던 인터내셔널 팀은 포섬과 포볼 등 팀 매치플레이 초반 라운드에서 예상 밖의 선전을 펼치며 미국 팀을 강하게 압박했다. 이로 인해 대회 역대 최다 점수 차 리드라는 새로운 이정표를 세우며 기세를 올렸다.
그러나 대회 중반 이후 미국 팀의 베테랑들과 신예들이 맹추격에 나서면서 흐름이 급격히 기울었다. 인터내셔널 팀은 리드를 지키기 위해 고군분투했으나, 최종일 싱글 매치 플레이에서 미국 선수들의 연이은 승전보에 밀려 역전을 허용했다.
이번 대회는 인터내셔널 팀이 역대 최고 성적을 예감케 할 만큼 완벽에 가까운 출발을 보였음에도, 끝까지 집중력을 유지하는 것의 어려움을 여실히 보여준 사례로 남게 됐다.
02Original (English) — PGA TOUR
MEDINAH, Ill. – After three days, the International Team had the Presidents Cup in its sights, closer than it had ever been.
A three-point lead. Twelve Singles matches standing between it and history.
Then, in the span of a Sunday afternoon, it was gone.
The International Team entered Singles with a 10.5-7.5 advantage, its largest lead after three days in Presidents Cup history. It needed five points from the 12 matches to win the Cup.
Instead, the U.S. Team won the session 9.5-2.5, leaving the International Team to reckon with what had been its best opportunity to win the Presidents Cup on U.S. soil.
“It was just one of those days; it just felt like it was sort of right on a knife edge for a massive part of the day,” International Team Captain Geoff Ogilvy said. “If you hole a couple of putts at the right time and get a bit more yellow on the board at the right time, the momentum and the crowd sort of stays out of it a little bit. Just sort of started drifting away for us in the last few hours.”
The disappointment was obvious. So was the pride.
The International Team had fought through momentum swings throughout the week, repeatedly finding ways to build its advantage and arrive at Sunday with a chance to make history.
“Pretty disappointed, but pretty impressed with this group of guys,” Ogilvy said. “They were pretty committed to this this week. They all put in. The spirit in the room is great. The energy is amazing. They're all incredibly motivated to come back in ’28 and do it again. We gave it a good crack. We nearly got there, but pretty disappointed for sure.”
Ogilvy returned to that idea when asked what the team could take from the week.
“We’ll keep trying,” Ogilvy said. “It’s a hard thing to do to beat the U.S. Team in singles in the U.S. We gave it a pretty good crack.”
For Adam Scott, who has now played in 12 Presidents Cups without being on a winning International Team, Sunday offered another reminder of how difficult the environment is.
“The week stepped up really good, and we’ve had a tough day today,” Scott said. “From my experiences, the environment is definitely getting tougher to play, and this was a tougher environment. There are no excuses, but we’ve got to learn from that and be ready for it.”
Scott, though, sees plenty to build on.
“I think as I look at the group on the whole, all these guys are going to be much better players in two years,” Scott said. “So I like where it’s going for the International Team.”
That leaves the International Team with two years to turn Sunday’s disappointment into experience.
Ogilvy urged the players to remember what they accomplished under the pressure of the Presidents Cup rather than allowing the final result to define the week.
“To be proud of themselves,” Ogilvy said when asked what he wanted his players to take away from the week. “I saw some unbelievable golf under pressure this week. Yesterday especially was getting sort of – the momentum was all going the wrong way the front nine of the first session yesterday, and we turned it around and got something out of that session. The same thing in the afternoon; we turned it around and got something out of that session.”
He also pointed to the unusual pressure of playing in a team event, something many of the younger International Team players experienced for the first time.
“Take the positives out of all the great shots they hit and the points that they won and help you on with your career,” Ogilvy said. “Put your head down and say, ‘Look, in 2028 I want to make this International Team, and I want to win this tournament.’”
Scott, meanwhile, may have another role in that 2028 International Team. Asked whether he would like to play in Australia or potentially serve as captain, Scott paused.
“I don’t know. It’s a long way away. Sounds like a lot of work,” Scott hedged before offering a more definitive answer.
“It’s a long way away. We’ll see if I’m – if I can contribute to the team in any way, I'll do whatever for this team.”
For now, the International Team is left with the hardest part of any near miss: knowing just how close it came.
Noted Ogilvy: “We’re coming, and when we crack this thing, it’s going to get really good.”