October 11, 2015: A spirited final day challenge by the internationals pushed the Presidents Cup to the wire. In the end though, Team USA showcased their strength and determination to earn a narrow one point victory over the hosts. Amidst frayed nerves, the contest boiled down to the final singles match, before the U.S. team came out victorious in The Presidents Cup 2015.
Bill Haas, whose father Jay made him a captain’s pick for this week’s event, clinched the winning point by defeating Korea’s lone participant Sangmoon Bae 2-up. That point locked up a 15.5-14.5 triumph for the United States.
“That was the hardest position I’ve (been in) on the golf course in my career,” Haas acknowledged. This is the ninth victory in 11 competitions for the Americans and the second time they’ve won by a single point.
The U.S led by a one-point margin following the final four sessions of the five-session competition. On Sunday, they earned points from Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Chris Kirk, Zach Johnson and Bill Haas. Bubba Watson halved his match with Thongchai Jaidee and Patrick Reed split the point with Louis Oosthuizen.
“I’m so happy for the team,” Jay Haas said. “When we put (Bill) out 12th, we had no idea that was going to happen … I’m just proud of all of them. Couldn’t even have dreamt this. I just feel happy for the guys.”
The International side got singles victories from Adam Scott, Hideki Matsuyama, Steven Bowditch, Marc Leishman and Branden Grace.
Grace joins Shigeki Maruyama (1998) as the only two International team players to earn five points in a single Presidents Cup. That 1998 competition remains the International team’s lone victory in the 21-year-old competition.
“I just had a feeling it was going to come down to one of the last two games,” International Captain Nick Price said. “I’m just so proud of my team … They bonded and I’m so proud, irrelevant of the outcome. We put on a show this week. Golf was the victor this week, that’s for sure.”
The Presidents Cup returns to U.S. soil in 2017. The event will be played out at Liberty National two years from now.
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