United States holds on to win the Presidents Cup

INCHEON, South Korea—Bill Haas delivered the winning point to his team and to his father Sunday in a Presidents Cup that ended with a familiar result amid tension not felt in years.

The Americans won for the sixth straight time, 15 1/2-14 1/2, only this was one came down to the final match.

And the emotion was never stronger—on both sides.

U.S. captain Jay Haas made his son one of two wild-card selections, and he put him out in the last of 12 singles matches at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea against the local star, Bae Sangmoon, playing in his final event before he starts his mandatory military service in South Korea.

Bae did everything he could to give the International team a chance by holing a 10-foot putt on the 16th to stay 1 down and nearly holing a bunker shot on the 17th for par to extend the match. Needing to win the par-5 18th to share the cup, Bae stubbed his chip short of the green. As the ball rolled back down the slope, Bae sank to his knees and covered his eyes as caddie Matt Minister consoled him.

Haas blasted out of a bunker to 6 feet, and Bae conceded the birdie putt.

Haas choked back emotion and then chided himself for doing so. “It’s just golf,” he said. Jay Haas couldn’t even get started before his voice cracked during a TV interview. He treated his son like one of the 12 Americans all week, but this moment suddenly turned special.

“When we put him out 12th, I had no idea, obviously, that was going to happen,” the captain said. “But he played beautiful.”