Closely contested Presidents Cup goes to U.S. team, but future holds promise for internationals

By Kiran Dwivedi, GSS Correspondent

SONGDO, South Korea — The Presidents Cup, a thrilling contest that gripped golf fans throughout the world from Oct. 8 to Oct. 11, came to an incredible end when American golfer Bill Haas sank the winning putt.

Significantly, in a contest that has been dominated by the United States in the past, the internationals were no pushovers this time around. The contest went all the way to the final hole and kept U.S. fans worried until the very end.

Sangmoon Bae, the only South Korean national included in the international team, impressed and entertained fans on the global stage, earning a solid record of two wins and one defeat.

South African Branden Grace played stunning golf to win all five of his matchups.  However, when Bill Haas, son of the American coach, putted the winning shot, the celebrations were befitting of the hard-fought victory.

 The 2015 cup took place at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club in Songdo International Business District, Incheon City. The fixture had previously been hosted by only four nations: the U.S. (1994, 1996, 2000, 2005, 2009, 2013), South Africa (2003), Australia (1998, 2011) and Canada (2007).

However, hosting the competition in South Korea was not a strange move. The growing popularity of golf in Asia caught the eye of the organizers. For many new fans, Korea was closer to home than ever before.

Of the 10 previous cups, eight have been won by the U.S. team. In 1998 the international team defeated the U.S. team thanks to an inspired performance by Japanese golfer Shigeki Maruyama, who achieved a spectacular 5-0-0 record that year. The teams also battled to a draw in the 2003 cup in one of the most exciting contests.

 Created in 1994, the purpose of the Cup was to honor heads of states, hence the name. This year, the honorary chairman was Korean President Park Geun-hye. Park attended the opening ceremony and hosted influential political figures including former U.S. president George W. Bush. Park expressed delight at the opportunity for Korea to show its economic growth and modern culture.

Although many observers say that the cup, which is held every two years, still lags far behind the prestigious Ryder Cup between the U.S. and Europe, there is little doubt that the fixture is improving in its competitiveness and entertainment value.

 The next Presidents Cup is set to return to the U.S. in 2017, but golf fans in Korea need not despair. The Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA), which organizes the cup is considering Australia for the 2019 fixture. By then, the number of golf aficionados in surrounding countries will likely have increased and new stars will surely have emerged. The disappointed internationals now have two years to reinforce their team and stage a comeback.

This story was published with cijournalism.org, the student-led news website of Chadwick International School. For more information, contact CI Journalism editors-in-chief Diana Minjin Kim mkim2016@chadwickschool.org and Sarah Choi s2choi2017@chadwickschool.org.