The Presidents Cup is a good idea — in theory

Summer is officially over, but there's still time for another big golf event as the Presidents Cup tees off tomorrow at venerable Medinah Country Club in Chicago.

The Presidents Cup is, to be honest, a poor man's version of the Ryder Cup, the emotionally charged biennial match-play competition between the United States and Europe. The Presidents, which is also held every two years and follows a similar format, pits the U.S. against an International team of players from anywhere in the world except Europe. 

In theory, it's a nice idea. Golf is a global sport, international competition is compelling, and why not give everyone a chance to experience the thrills and chills of a high-pressure team match play showdown? Plus, who doesn't like taking a crack at the U.S. right now?

Problem is, it's not a fair fight. Among the top 20 players in the Data Golf world rankings, there are 12 Americans (including seven of the top 10), six Europeans and only two from the rest of the world. Those are No. 9 Si Woo Kim of South Korea, who's never cracked the top five in a major, and No. 16 Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, who won the Masters in 2021 for his lone major title.

Europe has been able to overcome its talent disadvantage in the Ryder Cup (going 13-9-1 since the event adopted its current composition in 1979) by tapping into a shared sense of continental pride and forging a far superior team spirit than the more individualistic Americans.

But the farther-flung, less-skilled International team has managed just one win and one tie in the 15 Presidents Cup to date and has now lost 10 in a row after its seven-point drubbing in 2024 in Montreal. The Internationals' lone victory came way back in 1998 in Australia, where Aussie star Greg Norman,