by By Mike McAllister and Sean Martin, PGATOUR.COM
SONGDO IBD, INCHEON, South Korea — The final match of The Presidents Cup offers the kind of storylines to make a Hollywood writer drool. The local hero who has electrified the crowds with his sizzling play against the son of the opposing team’s captain.
But whether the last Sunday singles match between Sangmoon Bae and Bill Haas will have an impact on the actual outcome remains to be seen.
International captain Nick Price opted to use Bae last instead of sending him out early to gain some early support. He also put Branden Grace and Jason Day in the back of his lineup in hopes that if the matches come down to the wire, he’ll be ready with guys who’ve played well this week.
Price says there was no philosophy in specifically sending Bae out last, other than “I wanted to keep three really strong players toward the end to be honest.”
Likewise, U.S. Captain Jay Haas said sending out his son Bill in the final match wasn’t by design. He had Bill tagged to go anywhere from the fifth match to later. As for last? “That’s just kind of the way it played out,” Jay Haas said.
What Haas did do is put world No. 1 Jordan Spieth in the ninth spot after Price had sent out Marc Leishman. Haas could have waited and perhaps created a matchup with world No. 2 Jason Day. But he wasn’t feeling the pressure of pitting those two together, as they had already played against each other in two team sessions on Saturday.
“I heard some groans had we put him up that it was not a Jason/Jordan matchup,” Haas said. “ … But they have played a lot of that golf during the season. So I don’t know if it was a make-or-break The Presidents Cup if they played or didn’t play. So I don’t know if we were too concerned about that matchup.”
Price did take notice, though.
“I was surprised they put Jordan down opposite Marc Leishman,” he said.
“Obviously they figured out where their strengths are throughout that, and with Jordan, I think they are figuring that he is going to be the point that’s going to win them. But if it isn’t … the momentum switches to us at the end.”
And if it does come down to Bae vs. Haas, with the Internationals seeking just their second Presidents Cup win in 11 tries? International vice-captain K.J. Choi said his Korean countryman will be ready.
“He’s very familiar with this course, so that could be one advantage that he has playing this Presidents Cup,” Choi said. “We didn’t plan him to be in the last match, but if my prediction is right, and it’s going to be down to the wire, that only one or half a point will make or break the victory of this Presidents Cup, I believe that Sangmoon Bae is confident enough to win over the pressure.”
The United States Team leads the International Team by a score of 9.5 to 8.5. The team that first reaches 15.5 points will claim The Presidents Cup.
Adam Scott (Int.) vs. Rickie Fowler (U.S.): Tee Time 9:27 PM CST
Scott has won his last two singles matches, beating Bill Haas two years ago and Phil Mickelson in 2011. He’s yet to win this week in the team sessions with four different partners. Fowler, a Presidents Cup rookie, lost to Rory McIlroy at last year’s Ryder Cup and halved with Edoardo Molinari in 2010. He sat out the afternoon session on Saturday and should be rested.
Presidents Cup singles record: Scott 3-3-0; Fowler 0-0-0
PREDICTIONS
Mike McAllister: Fowler def. Scott, 2 and 1.
Sean Martin: Fowler def. Scott, 4 and 3.
