America and the Presidents Cup. Seems like a match made in heaven, isn’t it? Especially when you look at how many times the country has won the biennial event. But everything isn’t as green on the U.S. team’s side as it appears to be when it comes to match-play tournaments. A recent stat regarding the same has come to light. So much so that it poses a clear warning for the 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup skipper—that is if he wants to lead his team to victory next year!

The international team, on Friday, managed to utterly destroy their rivals just like the American team did earlier (P.S. the Thursday Fourballs). However, while facing the loss, the U.S. golf team proved that they have a problem with the foursome format, as per The Athletic. Do take note, Keegan Bradley!

Let us get some clarity on that. Back in the 2023 Ryder Cup, the American team only raked in a single victory in the alternate shot format (the 4&2 win by Max Homa & Brian Harman). Ring any bells? The Zach Johnson-led team could only face defeat in the rest of the eight foursomes that were played out in Rome, bringing up their stats to read a pitiful 1-7, the latter being the losses.

Come 2024, the second day of the Presidents Cup didn’t seem to be any better for them, as they lost 0-5 on the Friday Foursomes. This, as a result, brought the figure up to 1-12. A total of 12 losses in the last 13 alternate shot matches. And Friday saw the Mike Weir-led team playing to a combined score of 25-under par. Quite an impressive stat if you were to compare it with the 7-under par by the Jim Furyk-led squad, in all honesty. It seems like Keegan Bradley will have his hands full if he is to ensure Team USA’s victory at Bethpage Black.

If you think that’s all of the disappointing picture that the numbers paint, then you’re sorely wrong. The likes of Max Homa, Wyndham Clark, and Patrick Cantlay rank pretty low on the list of approach players when it comes to the Strokes Gained this season, No. 75, No. 93, and No. 97, respectively. All three of them were a part of the team that suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the International squad. They will have to pick up the momentum if the trio is to get into Keegan Bradley’s squad next year.

The Mike Weir-led International team dominates day 2 of the Presidents Cup

It all started with the Thursday round, when America won 5-0 against their rivals, courtesy of a dominant performance by the U.S. team. However, come Friday, even Scottie Scheffler couldn’t wring out a victory against his opponents as he, despite being paired up with Henley, lost to Si Woo Kim and Byeong Hun An (1 Up).

The rest? Well, they also suffered a similar defeat. Wyndham Clark & Tony Finau lost to Corey Conners and Mackenzie Hughes (6 & 5), and Homa & Harman to Christiaan Bezuidenhout & Jason Day (1 Up). Even Sahith Theegala and Collin Morikawa suffered at the hands of Adam Scott and Taylor Pendrith (5 & 4), while Cantlay and Xander Schauffele saw themselves defeated by Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im.

If the Furyk-led squad is to claim the Presidents Cup for themselves, then they will have to put up an even better performance, come Saturday and Sunday. But will they be able to do it? Or will the team succumb to the International Squad?