Presidents Cup: Dan Hicks says don’t overlook underdog Internationals

Dan Hicks has had a front-row seat to the largest moments in golf since ascending to NBC Sports activities’ lead announcer function in 2000.

His “Count on something totally different!?” name of Tiger Woods’ birdie putt on the 2008 U.S. Open ranks up there. As does this previous 12 months’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2, the place Bryson DeChambeau fended off Rory McIlroy to win his second main title.

He has additionally referred to as each Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup since 2000, witnessing firsthand how the Europeans have dominated the Individuals in a single competitors whereas the Individuals have overwhelmed the Internationals within the different.

“I believe it’s the story of two cups, proper? I believe you see the Individuals carry out quite a bit in another way within the Ryder Cup than they do within the President’s Cup,” Hicks stated to Taking part in By way of.

“Perhaps it’s as a result of the Ryder Cup has had extra historical past to it. So the Individuals really feel that [pressure], after which they get to the Presidents Cup, and so they simply wish to have enjoyable, get collectively, and play golf. And if you calm down, typically you play your greatest. So, I believe there’s one thing to that idea. I believe it’s been confirmed. We’ve bought 9 straight Presidents Cup wins for the Individuals.”

This week’s Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal marks the fifteenth version of this competitors, which started in 1994. The Worldwide Staff, which consists of gamers from non-European nations, has triumphed solely as soon as, with that victory coming in 1998 on the Royal Melbourne Golf Membership in Australia. The 2 groups then tied 5 years later in South Africa, however the Individuals retained the Presidents Cup on account of their win in 2000.

It has been all purple, white, and blue since.

As soon as once more, the Individuals arrive in Canada with a greater workforce on paper. Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele, who’ve had ridiculous 2024 campaigns, will lead the American workforce. However Collin Morikawa and Wyndham Clark have had strong seasons, too. As did Patrick Cantlay and Sahith Theegala, the opposite two computerized qualifiers for the Individuals. In truth, all 12 gamers on the U.S. facet rank among the many high 25 gamers on this planet. However the Worldwide Staff boasts solely 4, highlighted by Hideki Matsuyama, who’s seventh. Matsuyama has had an unbelievable season, profitable the Genesis Invitational and the FedEx St. Jude Championship, however accidents have plagued the 2021 Masters Champion at some factors this 12 months.

Adam Scott, Tom Kim, and Sungjae Im are the opposite Internationals among the many high 25.

But, regardless of that disparity and the truth that Hicks has by no means referred to as an Worldwide win on the Presidents Cup, the long-time broadcaster says that no one ought to rule out the house facet.

“I’ve been round sports activities lengthy sufficient to know that typically if you’re offered this sort of state of affairs, you get the shocker, you get the completely surprising,” Hicks stated.

Picture by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photos

“There are 4 rookies on the U.S. workforce, and also you by no means understand how these guys will play of their first big-time style of worldwide competitors. It’s completely totally different. They’ll all inform you that, however for Sahith Theegala and the Russell Henley and these guys competing for the primary time, you’ve bought to have good manufacturing out of everyone. You may’t actually matter on profitable the Presidents Cup except everyone’s hitting on all cylinders.

“I do know they’ve had some lopsided wins, however the final one at Quail Hole bought somewhat shut. The Internationals had an opportunity there. They received a session late on Saturday and had somewhat momentum. So, I suppose the underside line is that everyone on this planet expects the Individuals to win once more and win handily. However golf is the craziest sport that I’ve ever seen. And simply if you suppose you’ve seen all of it, you see one thing else. You by no means know.”

Maybe nothing embodies that mantra greater than what occurred on the 2007 Presidents Cup, the final time Royal Montreal hosted this competitors.

By Sunday morning, the Individuals had already received 14.5 factors and wanted to win just one Singles Match to retain the Presidents Cup. It was over. The Individuals would win once more.

However Canadian Mike Weir, the Forty sixth-ranked participant on this planet on the time and one of many shortest hitters on the PGA Tour, squared off in opposition to the almighty Tiger Woods within the fourth match on Sunday. Hundreds of Canadian followers swarmed the match, cheering on their fellow countryman to drag off the last word upset. Weir did simply that, profitable 1-up, evoking the Little Engine That May, taking part in the function of David taking down Goliath. It is among the defining scenes of this competitors’s historical past.

“You’ll have thought that match was going to resolve the President’s Cup,” Hicks reminisced.

Picture by Chris Condon/PGA Tour

“That’s how vital it was for the Canadians to cheer on their man Mike Weir. I’ve by no means seen a Cup competitors, so to talk, develop into one match like that one, and it lifted the entire occasion up regardless that the U.S. received. And so I believe there’s that feeling 17 years later, now that Mike Weir is the captain again at Royal Montreal. So, if anyone can get one thing particular completed and pull off the inconceivable, I’d not look previous Mike Weir and do it in his house nation of Canada.”

Weir chosen three of his fellow countrymen to affix him at Royal Montreal this week. Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes, and Taylor Pendrith will play for the Internationals on their house soil, hoping the group can be as passionate as they had been in 2007.

But when the RBC Canadian Open is any inclination, they’ll.

However, to embrace the why-not-us mentality, Weir can be clever to lean on his victory from that 12 months, so says Hicks.

“If I’m Mike Weir, I’m mentioning what occurred and saying to the workforce, ‘ what? Nobody thought I may take down Tiger Woods, and I did, and nobody thinks you guys are going to win this Presidents Cup. However I’m telling you it could occur, and I noticed it occur, and I bought it completed,’” Hicks defined.

“I’d actually lean on that victory from all these years in the past.”

In fact, everybody on the Worldwide Staff should play effectively to drag off the upset. That features Adam Scott, the one participant on this 12 months’s Presidents Cup who additionally teed it up in 2007. The Aussie went 1-3-1 that week, defeating Zach Johnson in Singles after the consequence had lengthy been determined. No participant has misplaced extra Presidents Cup matches than Scott, who will make his eleventh look this week. That stated, solely Ernie Els has received extra matches than him. Scott boasts an total file of 18-25-6, profitable 21 factors for the Internationals throughout 10 Presidents Cups. He has performed in each version since 2003, which means Hicks has seen loads of him through the years.

“I believe it is going to be vital for Adam Scott to play effectively,” Hicks defined.

“He’s the patriarch of the workforce, so to talk. I believe he can be regarded as much as as virtually an assistant captain, considerably of a taking part in captain for Mike Weir. However I believe he can be anyone that each one the youthful guys lean on. I believe they’re lucky that Adam Scott is in actually good type now, however can he maintain the shape that he has had? Generally, you see guys have an excellent 12 months, after which they get in these Cups, and typically, they run out of fuel.”

For Scott’s sake, hopefully, that doesn’t occur this 12 months. However he’s 44 years previous and has performed in 21 occasions this season. He most lately performed on the BMW PGA Championship this previous week, tying for 57th at Wentworth. But, Scott has two runner-ups and three different top-10 finishes in 2024, proof that he’s nonetheless top-of-the-line gamers on this planet.

However, Hicks has his eye on one other Australian in Montreal this week.

“Min Woo Lee is as charismatic and as enjoyable to look at as anyone,” Hicks stated.

“I believe he’s the sort of man that thrives on this atmosphere. I believe he’s trying ahead to it. I additionally suppose he’s a man who loves the limelight each time he’s in rivalry. He’s been a type of guys who doesn’t appear afraid of the second. And so I believe he can be extraordinarily enjoyable to look at due to his demeanor and the way he performs, which fits this atmosphere.”

Lee is among the longest hitters on the PGA Tour, rating fifth in complete driving distance and sixth in strokes gained off the tee. He performs like his electrical character, filled with creativity and amusement. ‘Chef Min Woo’ has two high 10 finishes to his title this 12 months, a powerful accomplishment for simply his second full season on the PGA Tour. He additionally received the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship final November on the Royal Queensland Golf Membership in Brisbane. Extra victories will come sooner or later, as he even has the potential to win a significant championship quickly. However Lee should play effectively this week to assist the Worldwide Staff win.

Your complete workforce should play effectively as a complete.

But, as Hicks has alluded to, we must always by no means depend out the Worldwide facet, regardless of the chances stacked in opposition to them. They’ve loads of expertise to get the job completed. Plus, they’ll have the house crowd on their facet. And who is aware of? Stranger issues have occurred. Larger upsets have transpired. Simply ask the 1980 U.S. Males’s Ice Hockey Staff. Or the 2023 Farleigh Dickinson workforce that Purdue. Or the 2001 New England Patriots. Heck, Shaun Micheel received at Oak Hill in 2003, proving that something can occur on any given week.

That very same mantra applies to this week.

Simply ask Weir, who is aware of all about being the underdog.

Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By way of. Make sure you take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You may observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as effectively.