As sports fans in this country know full well, the better team doesn’t always win.
asserted
team → know → country
The 2025 World Series proved that rather painfully, as did the 2026 Olympic men’s hockey gold-medal game.
asserted
game → prove → that
Supporters of the International side in golf’s biennial Presidents Cup — a fandom born of patriotic pride for the mishmash of countries or, simply, a desire to see the Shield finally pull off another victory — may sympathize with that sentiment.
uncertain
Shield → bear → sentiment
For the most part, the world squad outplayed, out-putted, out-captained and out-clutched the United States through three days of play at Medinah Country Club near Chicago, and with a lead of 10 1/2 to 7 1/2 heading into Sunday it looked poised to hoist the trophy for only the second time in the event’s 32-year history, and the first time since 1998.
asserted
it → outplay → 1998
They would potentially do so on American soil as a massive statistical long-shot.
asserted
They → do → shot
Then singles play arrived (the most formidable format of the home team, to be sure) and the visitors’ very realistic chances of winning went up in smoke.
asserted
chances → arrive → smoke
The Americans needed to take eight of the final day’s 12 mano-a-mano matches to come from behind and steal the Cup.
asserted
Americans → need → Cup
They won nine, to the International team’s two, with what turned out to be the last match on the course — Canadian Nick Taylor versus Russell Henley — ending in a meaningless tie.
asserted
what → win → tie
The final tally was 17-13, suggesting a lopsided result for the favourites when in fact it was the underdogs who turned more heads.
asserted
who → suggest → heads
But the World Series didn’t end after five games, and hockey’s gold medal wasn’t determined by shots on net.
asserted
medal → end → net
The Internationals wilted under the pressure.
asserted
Internationals → wilt → pressure
Their longtime leaders, Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama, did not do their part on Sunday.
asserted
leaders → do → Sunday
Captain Geoff Ogilvy perhaps erred in putting some of his stronger players, Taylor among them, at the back of the batting order while the Americans front-loaded their lineup.
asserted
Americans → err → lineup
The clutch putts that fell for the boys in black and gold as duos did not as individuals.
asserted
that → fall → individuals
That gave the Americans an opportunity to rally and the better, deeper squad, which had received much criticism through three days at Medinah, pounced and pulverized.
asserted
which → give → Medinah
“I want these guys to really enjoy what they did today,” said U.S. assistant captain Jim Furyk, who will lead the Americans at next year’s Ryder Cup in Ireland.
asserted
who → want → Ireland
“Walking into a Sunday three points down, having a lot of pressure, playing like they had nothing to lose, going out there and showing off for these fans, getting them into it, I really want them to enjoy what they did today because it’s pretty darn special.”
asserted
it → walk → what
Ogilvy was classy in defeat, expressing pride for his charges.
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Ogilvy → express → charges
They represented seven countries, and varied backgrounds in part have always made it hard for the Internationals to find an identity, beyond trying to beat the mighty U.S.A.
asserted
Internationals → represent → U.S.A.
The American captain, Brandt Snedeker, tipped his hat to his squad for “bailing him out” as he believed he hadn’t led them properly.
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he → tip → them
He also credited the arrival of President Donald Trump, the event’s honorary chair, as is tradition when the event is held in the United States.
asserted
event → credit → States
But beyond that turnoff (yep, it was) the ultimate result just seemed … annoying.
asserted
result → seem → turnoff
The Presidents Cup has not been a fair fight in recent times, and it has always placed way behind the Ryder Cup in popularity and prominence.
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it → place → popularity
An unlikely triumph — on U.S. soil — by the Internationals would have done so much for its relevance.
asserted
triumph → do → relevance
It would have made the 2028 tournament in Australia so much more exciting.
asserted
tournament → make → Australia
Make no mistake, the American players deserve tremendous credit for digging deep and finding a way not to lose, which certainly would have produced a great deal of second-guessing and scrutiny, especially after they were blown out at home in last year’s Ryder Cup.
asserted
they → make → Cup
Their 9-2-1 showing in singles play is the best Sunday put forth by any Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup team.
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showing → put → team
They were better, far better, when it mattered most.
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it → matter → ?
Which will push much of the good produced by the International team to the back burner.
asserted
Which → push → burner
The partnership of Taylor and fellow Canuck Corey Conners, who went 2-1 together, although Conners’ putter betrayed him on Sunday with several short misses costing him dearly in a 5-and-3 defeat to Justin Thomas.
asserted
misses → go → Thomas
Min Woo Lee showed his tremendous talent.
asserted
Lee → show → talent
And 24-year-old Ryo Hisatsune proved he can play on the big stage.
asserted
he → prove → stage
But none of it was enough, again, and so the question coming out of Chicago will be this: If the Internationals, now with just one victory and one draw in 14 Presidents Cups, couldn’t win after taking a three-point advantage into the final day, with seemingly everything going according to plan, when will they again, if ever?
uncertain
they → come → plan
The Aporia
