Americans take 5-0 lead over International team at Presidents Cup in Montreal

If Canadian fans have trouble getting loud at the Presidents Cup, South Korea’s Tom Kim is going to help pump them up.

Kim got into some gamesmanship with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler during the first round of the elite international men’s golf tournament on Thursday at Royal Montreal Golf Club. Despite Kim and fellow South Korean Sungjae Im working hard to get under the skin of Scheffler and partner Russell Henley, the Americans earned a 3-and-2 victory as the United States took a sizeable 5-0 lead over the International team.

“When the crowds are with us, it definitely helps when you can get loud,” said Kim after the round. “I think it was a little too quiet today being on home soil.

“I wish the fans would have helped us out a bit more, especially being in Canada. I know how much they love golf.”

The Presidents Cup is a biennial best-on-best tournament that sees 12 American golfers face 12 players from around the world, excluding Europe. Three Canadians are playing in it for the first time as the event came north of the border for the first time since 2007 when Royal Montreal also hosted.

The banter between Kim and Scheffler began on the seventh green.

Kim pumped his fist and shouted after he sank a birdie putt, firing up the crowd. When Scheffler made a 27-foot putt for birdie on the par-3 hole he turned to Kim and shouted “What’s up?!” before giving Henley a low five.

On the next hole, the South Koreans both earned birdies and Kim shouted and flexed behind Scheffler’s back. Kim and Im then walked off the green and went to the ninth tee before the Americans had finished their putts.

“I don’t shy away from him,” said Kim on Scheffler. “He’s a good friend but at the same time, this week I don’t like him.

“I want to beat him so bad, and I’m sure he feels the same way.”

Although Kim insisted it was all in good fun, Scheffler said he was focused more on winning than showmanship.

“It was important for me to make sure that we kept the momentum in the match,” said Scheffler. “I guess he made a big putt on No. 8 and they walked off the green to the tee or something like that.

“Then I saw a video of him yelling at me, but I actually didn’t notice any of that. I just kind of played.”

There were five four-ball matches in the first round. Each match is worth one point and the International team is already in a significant hole as the first team to total 15 1/2 points wins the tournament.

World No. 2 Xander Schauffele and Tony Finau gave the U.S. an early lead with a 1-up victory over Australia’s Jason Day and Byeong Hun An in the opening match. Collin Morikawa and Sahith Theegala then added to the American lead with a 1-up win over the all-Australian pairing of Adam Scott and Min-Woo Lee.

Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., and South African partner Christiaan Bezuidenhout were the closest International team to earning a tie but ultimately lost to Americans Wyndham Clark and Keegan Bradley 3-and-2.

“I looked at the leaderboard on No. 16 and was asking the captains how we were doing all day,” said Pendrith, who had four birdies on the back nine. “Me and Bez fought really hard, and we had a lot of chances coming down the stretch.

“He hit an unreal shot into No. 17 and thought we were going to flip them and have a chance on No. 18. Just the way it goes.”

Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns finished off Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama in 17 holes for a 2-and-1 win before Pendrith and Beuidenhout’s match was over.

“I have a feeling the matches were closer than what the scores indicate,” said Scott. “Our guys are just going to have to lift a little bit. We’re going to have to find another gear to beat a tough American team.”

Hughes tries to pump up crowd with beer chug

Like Kim, Pendrith was disappointed in how quiet the Canadian fans were for the International team. It wasn’t for lack of trying, however.

Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., — who didn’t play on Thursday — tried to amp up the crowd at the first tee before the round began, including dropping to one knee to chug a beer.

Each successive International team player waved to the crowd and tried to pump up the crowd. Former prime minister Jean Chretien, mixed martial arts great Georges St-Pierre, and hockey legend Wayne Gretzky were all introduced to the crowd during the opening ceremonies.

One of the biggest reactions was for Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki who accompanied Conners to the first tee.

“To feel the love of the home crowd being in Canada was really neat,” said Pendrith. “We need to get louder, I think, the next few days here we really need the home support.

“But it was really cool to shake Wayne Gretzky’s hand on the first tee and then hit my tee shot on home soil in front of the home crowd.”