Alternate shot excellence has the U.S. in control of another Presidents Cup
The domination of the U.S. in foursomes (alternate shot) is likely to lead to another Presidents Cup victory. At Royal Melbourne in the third round, the U.S. rolled to a 4-1 victory in foursomes to take an 11-6 lead overall.
WIth two rounds left, it will require a Brooklyne-like charge for the International team to capture its second Presidents Cup in nine tries.
America now has a 58 ½ to 36 ½ lead in foursomes in Presidents Cup history. The only time the International team captured more than one point than the U.S. in foursomes (winning the format 8-2 in 1998), it paved the way for their lone Presidents Cup victory, 20 ½ – 11 ½.
Why is America so good in foursomes? It has much to do with its superior depth. In past Presidents Cups, the International team has had weaker players filling the bottom of its roster. The lack of depth is exposed in alternate shot, where all strokes count.
Depth is certainly a strength for the U.S. as this year’s team includes 10 of the world’s top 22 players. The International team has only three of the world’s top 22. Keegan Bradley, ranked No. 26, didn’t even make the U.S. team. He would be the fifth-ranked player on the International squad.
On Saturday (Friday in the U.S.), the winning alternate shot teams were Webb Simpson/Bubba Watson, David Toms/Hunter Mahan, Phil Mickelson/Jim Furyk, and Tiger Woods/Dustin Johnson.
Both Simpson/Watson and Mickelson/Furyk improved to 3-0 overall in this Presidents Cup. Toms/Mahan won their second foursomes match by a decisive margin. The foursomes momentum even flowed to the Woods who won for the first time in the 2011 Presidents Cup.
