US guarding against overconfidence in Presidents Cup

CHARLOTTE, N.C.: The American team room at Quail Hollow has photos of winning teams from the Presidents Cup over the years, and it’s a wonder there’s room for all of them.

The matches began in 1994. The Americans have lost just once.

Captain Davis Love III would be quick to point out one detail from the most recent picture at Royal Melbourne three years ago: Only four players from that team are at Quail Hollow this week — Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas and Tony Finau.

Go back to the last US victory on home soil, at Liberty National, such a romp it almost ended before Sunday singles. The only players still around from that 2017 team are Thomas and Jordan Spieth.

“We come into these things wanting to win every time,” Love said Tuesday. “I tell them, ‘You don’t have a record.’ This 12 has never competed as a team before. This team understands. They want that picture next time.”

Odds are heavily stacked in their favor they will pose with gold trophy again on Sunday. It’s one thing to have captured the Presidents Cup the last eight meetings against the International team, and 10 out of 12 times (one ended in a tie).

Throw in the LIV Golf factor and this has all the markings of another runaway.

Love has heard this story, too.

“We’re used to being called the favorite, even when we lose three Ryder Cups in a row,” said Love, who was on six “favored” teams that didn’t win a Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup. “Statistically, yes, we have a higher ranked team. But I know a bunch of those young guys on their team, and they’re going to come in with a chip on their shoulder.”

Tuesday was the first full day of practice for the 12-man teams on a Quail Hollow Club course that is familiar to most from hosting the