International Team bounces back at Presidents Cup, sets stage for massive weekend

The most emphatic — and impressive — win for the International Team on Friday belonged to the duo of Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im, which dominated the American duo of Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele. 

Matsuyama and Im won seven holes, while Cantlay and Schauffele failed to win a single one. The match ended after 12 holes, making it the fastest match in Presidents Cup history. 

Mackenzie Hughes and Corey Conners were nearly as dominant in their match, winning seven holes in their match against Tony Finau and Wyndham Clark. The Finau/Clark pairing won just a single hole in a match that lasted only 13 holes, sending the Canadian crowd into a frenzy. 

Friday was a stunning reversal because Thursday's round for the Americans was just the fifth time in 71 sessions at the Presidents Cup that a side won all five matches in a clean sweep. Then it happened again 24 hours later to even things up. 

Now, what looked to be a quick weekend of work for the Americans is going to be a tense, stressful fight. The Presidents Cup is a race to 15.5 points and things are all even going into the weekend.

The United States has dominated the Presidents Cup over the last decade, winning nine straight entering this year. If that streak is going to continue they now have their work cut out for them.