U.S. holds Presidents Cup edge

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The day started out with memories of 2017 at Liberty National, where the Americans dominated so thoroughly they nearly clinched the Presidents Cup on Saturday.

By the time 20-year-old Tom Kim slammed his cap to the ground in a wild celebration, and Cameron Davis finished with three straight birdies for another comeback win, all anyone could think about was the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah.

The Americans still lead by four. It just felt much closer.

Kim, a young talent with a massive personality, delivered the first big moment for the International team. He gave his team a spark with a 55-foot eagle putt after driving the 11th green. And on the final hole, he made a 10-foot birdie putt in a 1-up victory over Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele.

He took a few steps back as the ball neared the hole, dropped his putter and slammed his cap to the ground in a raucous celebration.

“I wanted that putt more than anything in the world,” Kim said.

In two matches Saturday, Kim and K.H. Lee took out world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns, and he and Si Woo Kim beat the formidable Cantlay-schauffele tandem.

The International team split the foursomes matches in the morning and won the fourballs session 3-1. It was enough to cut into a big deficit, enough to give the underdogs hope.