Pairings, format, schedule, TV for Day 1 of Presidents Cup competition at Quail Hollow

The United States and all of its firepower went through its pairing process strategically this week, with captain Davis Love III reuniting previous teammates in some cases, while mixing things up in others. With 12 players on the team roster and only 10 required to play the first day of competition, it’s a bit like figuring out who starts the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, only without the mandate from the fans.

“It’s a hard thing to try put two guys out who may be playing great golf, but it’s part of the process,” U.S. captain’s assistant Webb Simpson said.

The heavily favored U.S. side placed Patrick Cantlay with Xander Schauffele; Jordan Speith with Justin Thomas; Cameron Young and Colin Morikawa; Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns; and Tony Finau and Max Homa.

Billy Horschel and Kevin Kisner were the two golfers who will wait and watch Thursday.

The International team, meanwhile, was all but assured of having multiple different pairings, with eight of the 12 players on the team participating in this event for the first time. One thing remained constant on the team, though: Adam Scott. A veteran of 10 Presidents Cups, Scott has become a de facto playing coach on this team.

“He’s kind of the fifth assistant captain,” captain’s assistant Geoff Ogilvy said Wednesday. “He’s the captain of the players, if you like. He’s been here the longest. They’re all leaning on him.”

Scott will pair with Hideki Matsuyama in Thursday’s first session of foursomes, and will face Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele.

Other International pairings include Sungjae Im and Corey Connors; Tom Kim and K.H. Lee; Si Woo Kim and Cam Davis; and Taylor Pendrith and Mito Pereira.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Sebastian Munoz will await their turn later in the competition.

So, on Thursday, the five matches, which tee off beginning at 1:05 p.m. will be as follows:

▪ 1:05 p.m. — Cantlay/Schauffele (US) vs. Scott/Matsuyama (Int’l)

▪ 1:17 p.m. — Spieth/Thomas (US) vs. Im/Connors (Int’l)

▪ 1:29 p.m. — Young/Morikawa (US) vs. T. Kim/Lee (Int’l)

▪ 1:41 p.m. — Scheffler/Burns (US) vs. S. Kim/Davis (Int’l)

▪ 1:53 p.m. — Finau/Homa (US) vs. Pendrith/Pereira (Int’l)

Foursomes

Traditional golf tournaments are an every-golfer-for-themselves proposition, and on the PGA Tour, rarely does the format differ.

In international events like the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup, to foster a team atmosphere, not only do players from opposing sides compete directly against one another individually, but there are formats in which teams of players will concurrently battle.

Such is the case on Day 1 at the Presidents Cup. In the first session, golfers from the United States will take on players from around the world — except Europe — in the “foursomes” format.

In foursomes, a pair of golfers from the same team play one ball on each hole, alternating which golfer hits the shot each time. Intuitively, the format is also known as “alternate shot.”

Teammates decide which of them will tee off on the even-numbered holes and which on the odd-numbered ones. The players then play alternate shots throughout the play of that hole. Either of the players is allowed to take any action for their side, such as to mark the ball, or to lift and replace it, regardless of which partner’s turn it is to play next for the side.

A player and the player’s caddie may also help the partner in the same way that the partner’s own caddie would be allowed to do.

While this format can be used in both stroke play and match play, the Presidents Cup (and Ryder Cup) are match play events, meaning the raw score only matters to determine who wins each hole, and not for an overall total.

Event information

Site: Quail Hollow Club.

Yardage: 7,047. Par: 71.

Television: Thursday, 1-6 p.m. (Golf Channel); Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 7-8 a.m. (Golf Channel), 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (NBC); Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. (NBC).

Defending champion: United States.

Series: The U.S. leads International, 11-1-1.

Last time: The U.S. rallied in Sunday singles to win at Royal Melbourne, 16-14, with Tiger Woods as a playing captain.

2022 Captains: Davis Love III (U.S.), Trevor Immelman (International).