The International team wants more from the home crowd.
It was a drubbing Thursday at the 2024 Presidents Cup, with the United States winning all five matches and taking a 5-0 lead heading into Friday’s foursomes at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Canada. The Internationals were close in a handful of matches late, but the United States made putts and clutch shots down the stretch as the International team faltered.
At the end of the day, there wasn’t much to cheer on for the Canadian fans in Montreal, but a couple players were wanting more from the fans after the opening day of play.
“We need to get louder, I think, the next few days here and really feel the home support,” said Canadian Taylor Pendrith.
Added Tom Kim, who broke out as a star at the Presidents Cup in 2022: “Definitely when the crowds are with us, it definitely helps when you can kind of get loud. Like Taylor said, I think it was a little too quiet today being on home soil. I don’t think the fans were really — I wish they would have helped us out a bit more, especially being in Canada. I know how much they love golf.
“I’m definitely expecting more crowds to be louder and for them to be on our side.”
Kim is a fiery competitor, as shown by his back-and-forth with Scottie Scheffler on Thursday.
A better showing from the International team will help the crowd get back into it as the Presidents Cup moves into the weekend, but there’s no doubt a raucous home crowd is needed for the Internationals to have any chance of a comeback.
“I thought the crowds were good today,” International captain Mike Weir said. “I think you get a little momentum going on your side, that’s when the crowds can get going. I think everybody is excited, nervous, and I think the crowds are going to be louder and louder as we go along here.”
