Holmes, United States Hang on to Win President's Cup
INCHEON, South Korea - The 2015 President's Cup will stay with the Americans for the sixth-consecutive win as Team USA held on for a 15.5-14.5 win over the International team on Sunday. Former Kentucky great, J.B. Holmes, was a fixture for the Americans earning 2.5 points for the winning squad. A complete breakdown of Holmes in the event is as follows:
Thursday Foursomes
Holmes and Bubba Watson defeated the International pairing of Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama 3&2 in the foursomes format.
Holmes got his team off to a fast start by making birdie putts on numbers 2, 3, 4 and 5, giving the U.S. pair a 3-up lead through just five holes. The International team got within 1-down on the 10th hole, but would get no closer, as the Americans finished the match on the 16th hole.
Friday Four-Ball
Holmes paired up with Watson for the second-consecutive day for the four-ball matchup. The duo once again gave the Americans a point with a 2-up victory. It marked the only victory for Team USA on the afternoon. The American pairing quickly took a two-shot lead through the opening three holes.
Marc Leishman and Steven Bowditch fought back to all-square at No. 6. The Americans would immediately reclaim their lead on No. 7. Leishman and Bowditch would even the match once again, this time on No. 11. A birdie from Holmes on the No. 12 enabled the Americans to go in front once again, and they would hold on to that lead for the remainder of the match. Holmes' eagled the 18th to clinch the pairing for the USA.
Saturday Foursomes
United States' captain Jay Haas liked the pairing of Holmes and Watson so much, he stuck with the tandem once again for the Saturday foursomes. The duo halved its pairing in a matchup with Scott and Leishman.
Scott and Leishman took the early advantage with a birdie on No. 3. The Americans would even the match on no. 5, and eventually take a two-stroke lead through eight. The matchup would go back to all-square at No. 10, before Team USA once again earned a two-shot lead on No. 12. The Americans would maintain a one-shot lead through the 15th-hole. Scott and Leishman rallied to even the match once again, this time at No. 16, and the match would finish with both pairings paring the final two holes for an all-square finish.
Saturday Four-ball
For the first time all week, the pairing of Holmes and Watson did not accumulate any points for the Americans during Saturday's four-ball. The pairing of Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace earned a 1-up on the Americans. Holmes and Watson evened the match on No. 13, but the International team rallied for a birdie from Grace on No. 16 and would not relinquish the lead.
Sunday Singles
Holmes matched up with Matsuyama in the singles event on Sunday in a back-and-forth battle for the ages. The International star got the better of the Campbellsville, Ky., native for a 1-up win that featured three lead changes and a combined 10 birdies between the two.
Matsuyama went up one with a par on No. 4, while Holmes dropped a shot. The former Kentucky star would rally immediately, however, with a birdie on No. 3 to even the match. Matsuyama recaptured the edge on No. 4 with a birdie. Holmes would even the match once again, this time with a birdie on the par-four, six. A birdie on No. 7 gave the American the one-shot advantage.
Holmes would maintain that lead to close out the front nine. He would take a two-stroke lead on No. 10 with his fourth birdie of the day. Matsuyama got a stroke back on No. 12, and would once again even the match on No. 14. Holmes fought off a Matsuyama one-shot lead with a two on the par-three, 17. The International player, however, would get the best of the battle with a birdie on the 18th for the win.
The United States would hang on with five singles' victories to win its sixth-consecutive President's Cup.
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