The 2019 Royal Melbourne comeback and the changing Presidents Cup

The 2019 Royal Melbourne Comeback

The 2019 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne clearly demonstrated the competitive depth of the U.S. roster with a 16-14 victory. Tiger Woods captained the American side to this win after the International Team held a lead entering the final day. The International Team, led by Ernie Els, held a 2-point advantage after three sessions, which forced the United States to execute a significant Sunday singles rally to overcome the deficit and secure their thirteenth victory in the tournament’s history. This Sunday singles comeback by the Americans at Royal Melbourne negated the lead the International Team held going into singles in 16 years. Tiger Woods defeated Abraham Ancer 3-and-2 to earn a point during his 3-0-0 tournament run. Xander Schauffele won his singles match 4-and-3 over Jason Day, while Sungjae Im defeated Gary Woodland 4-and-3. Keegan Bradley clinched the winning point for the U.S. with a 1-up victory over Si Woo Kim. The International Team secured a 5-0 sweep in Friday’s foursomes, including matches where Ancer and Marc Leishman tied and Joaquin Niemann and An Byeong-hun tied. The U.S. team now holds 14 wins in 16 competitions. The International Team’s lone victory in 1998 at Royal Melbourne came with a 20.5-11.5 score.

Ernie Els and the International Rebuild

Ernie Els clearly built a cohesive International squad during the 2019 tournament despite the loss. He told PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan that he wanted to move the system forward rather than hold onto power. Els noted that his squad functioned as a cohesive unit, with the exception of Haotong Li, who ignored Els’ instructions and looked at his phone during the post-match speech. The International roster included 21-year-old Sungjae Im, 21-year-old Joaquin Niemann, and Adam Hadwin. While Els built a foundation with these young players, the loss forced a period of reflection for the International side. The team faced issues when Haotong Li was not ready to compete, forcing Els to play with only 11 players. The roster relied on veterans like Adam Scott, Hideki Matsuyama, Louis Oosthuizen, and Cheng-tsung Pan to support the younger talent. Assistant captains K.J. Choi, Geoff Ogilvy, Trevor Immelman, and Mike Weir supported Els during the tournament. You probably know that the International team roster includes players from seven different countries. Does the International Team lack the same depth as the American roster? The 2019 comeback remains the most significant demonstration of American resilience in the competition’s history.

The 2026 Medinah Context

The 2026 Medinah event clearly illustrates how LIV Golf impacts tournament composition. The current 30-point format remains a point of contention for those who prefer the 28-point Ryder Cup structure. Nick Price and Brendon de Jonge suggest that reducing the points to 28 would improve the International Team’s chances because the U.S. roster holds more depth. The PGA Tour ownership of the event prevents LIV Golf players from participating. This rule removed players like Joaquin Niemann and Cameron Smith from the field, which weakened the International Team’s ability to compete. The International Team’s strength declined because six players from the 2019 roster moved to LIV Golf. This exclusion affected players like Louis Oosthuizen and Lucas Herbert. The U.S. team won the 2026 event 17-13, with Brandt Snedeker defeating Geoff Ogilvy. The 2024 event at Royal Montreal saw an 18.5-11.5 victory for the U.S. team under Jim Furyk. Paul McGinley suggested that a partnership with the LPGA Tour could create more balanced teams.