Matsuyama, Koreans among top six International team qualifiers for Presidents Cup

Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and Korea’s Joohyung ‘Tom’ Kim, Sungjae Im and Byeong Hun An were amongst the top six automatic qualifiers for the International team to face USA in the 2024 Presidents Cup at the end of the BMW Championship on Sunday. The other two automatic qualifiers for the Internationals decided at the weekend were Australia’s Adam Scott and Jason Day.

The US team’s top six were also finalised, with world no. 1 and FedEx Cup leader Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay and Sahith Theegala earning their places for the showdown at The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Canada, from September 24 to 29, the PGA Tour said.

Internationals captain Mike Weir and his US counterpart Jim Furyk will announce their six captains’ picks on Tuesday, September 3, to round out the 12-man teams.

Meanwhile, US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley claimed his seventh tour title at the BMW Championship with a single-shot win over Scott and fellow-American Sam Burns at the Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Rock, Colorado. The result, however, left Korea’s Si Woo Kim just short in his bid to join compatriots Sungjae Im and Byeong Hun An at the Tour Championship, despite finishing a season-best tied fifth at Castle Rock.

A four-time tour winner, Kim closed with a 2 under par 70 to end the week on 8 under 280 and four back of winner Keegan Bradley who shot a final round 72 for his second BMW Championship title. 

Amongst the Asian quartet, Matsuyama, Kim and Im were part of the Internationals who lost 12.5 to 17.5 to the US in Quail Hollow two years ago. An will return to the team following his lone appearance at Royal Melbourne in 2019. Matsuyama, who won the Genesis Invitational and FedEx St. Jude Championship this season, finished as the top-ranked International qualifier. 

He will make a sixth straight appearance in the Presidents Cup, tying for fourth most among the Internationals alongside Retief Goosen and Robert Allenby. The 32-year-old enters the FedEx Cup Playoffs finale ranked third and also won bronze at the Paris Olympics earlier this month. Matsuyama holds a career 7-10-5 (win-loss-tie) record in the Presidents Cup.

Im, a two-time tour winner, said he was excited to make his third straight appearance where he owns an undefeated record in Sunday Singles play in the Presidents Cup after defeating Gary Woodland and Cameron Young in 2019 and 2022 respectively. He has seven top-10 finishes this season, and qualified for the Tour Championship for the sixth straight season.

“The Presidents Cup is a tournament that every player in the international category wants to play in.  It's a team competition, so we're going to go in with the mentality of playing as the International Team, and we're going to do our best together and try to beat the US team,” said 26-year-old Im, who holds a 5-3-2 record.
 
Following a memorable debut at Quail Hollow, Tom Kim was happy to earn his second straight appearance for the International Team where he hopes to improve on his 2-3-0 record. The 22-year-old, who holds three PGA Tour wins, delivered one of the moments of the week in 2022 while partnering with Si Woo Kim in Saturday afternoon’s four-ball matches. On the 18th hole, tied with Schauffele and Cantlay, he hit a magnificent 2 iron approach and then converted a 10-foot birdie putt to win the match, 1-up, before breaking into a wild celebration with his team.

Kim said: “I'm really excited. It's (Presidents Cup) definitely up there, it's very unique. It is the one week where we get to play on a team environment. After the last one, I just wanted to be on the team again. There's so much joy and it's just one week. I'm very passionate, so I think energy is a big thing, especially as a young guy. 

“My first Presidents Cup was so passionate and I wanted to do so much for our team. I think going to our home ground, the crowds are going to be great. They're going to be very feisty. And, you know, I can't wait to get those Canadian crowds going.”

After a successful season that sent An into the Tour Championship for the first time, the 32-year-old is looking to play a role in helping the Internationals secure a second victory in the biennial team competition. An has recorded five top-10s this season, including a playoff loss at the Sony Open in Hawaii. He played in all five matches at the 2019 Presidents Cup in Australia, partnering twice with Scott in the four-balls. 

“It's not easy to get on the team, but I'm glad to be back. And now hopefully, I will never miss it again. I’m hoping to play some nice golf and deliver a lot of points. It was one of my priority goals for this year to make it to the Presidents Cup. It's very unique you play for the team and as a team, and there are some great team members,” he told the PGA Tour..