Jordan Spieth crowned the Lion King after Presidents Cup masterclass
CNN
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“Everything the light touches is our kingdom.”
Step aside Mufasa, there’s a new ‘Lion King’ in town after Jordan Spieth became the new ruler of Quail Hollow Club.
Everything the three-time major winner touched turned to gold at the 14th Presidents Cup in Charlotte, North Carolina, as Spieth won all five of his matches to inspire his American team to a ninth straight title.
In doing so, the 29-year-old became just the sixth player in Presidents Cup history to win five points at a single event, and the first American since Jim Furyk in 2011.
As Spieth partnered with Justin Thomas for the opening four rounds of team matches, the duo swept International pairs that featured Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama and Adam Scott to help open up a four-point lead heading into Sunday’s singles match-ups.
Photos: In photos: A history of the Presidents Cup
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After playing captain Tiger Woods inspired his side to a dramatic fightback victory in 2019, Team USA will be targeting a ninth straight Presidents Cup victory at Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte, this week. Scroll through the gallery to look back at the previous 13 editions of the biennial event.
Photos: In photos: A history of the Presidents Cup
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Former US President Gerald R. Ford (pictured) served as the honorary chairman for the inaugural Presidents Cup, hosted at Robert Jones Trent Golf Club in Gainsville, Virginia in September 1994.
Photos: In photos: A history of the Presidents Cup
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Captained by Hale Irwin (pictured center-right), the US Team eased to a comfortable 20-12 victory over David Graham’s International Team at the maiden event, with 1992 Masters champion Fred Couples registering a flawless 3-0-0 record in his matches.
Photos: In photos: A history of the Presidents Cup
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The 1996 Presidents Cup was one of the closest run in the tournament’s history. As the event returned to Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Arnold Palmer — pictured with honorary chairman former President George H.W. Bush — captained the US to a nail-biting 16.5 – 15.5 victory over Peter Thomson’s International side.
Photos: In photos: A history of the Presidents Cup
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As the 3rd edition of the event, in 1998, saw the tournament leave the US for the first time, so too did the trophy, as the International Team registered its only Presidents Cup win to date. Under Thomson’s captaincy, it did so in some style too, roaring to a 20.5 – 11.5 victory at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia.
Photos: In photos: A history of the Presidents Cup
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It was back to Virginia for the 2000 Presidents Cup, as US Captain Ken Venturi oversaw a commanding 21.5 – 10.5 victory over Thomson’s side. Two-time Open champion Greg Norman (R) featured again for the International Team, with 42nd US President Bill Clinton (L) the event’s honorary chairman.
Photos: In photos: A history of the Presidents Cup
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History was made at the 5th edition of the tournament, in 2003, as George, South Africa, played host to the Presidents Cup’s sole tie — a 17-17 stalemate. Gary Player (L) captained the International Team for the first time in his home country, agreeing to share the trophy with US skipper Jack Nicklaus (R) after three tied playoff holes between Ernie Els and Tiger Woods.
Photos: In photos: A history of the Presidents Cup
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Woods (L) and David Toms (R) celebrate another US triumph following a 18.5 – 15.5 victory at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in 2005. Chris DiMarco fittingly clinched victory for the Americans having secured a team-best 4.5 points.
Photos: In photos: A history of the Presidents Cup
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US player Woody Austin walked to the 14th green in a dive mask on the final day of the 2007 Presidents Cup (a reference to the fact that he’d fallen in the water earlier in the tournament), as his team swam to a leisurely 19.5 – 14.5 win at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Quebec, Canada.
Photos: In photos: A history of the Presidents Cup
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Tiger fever hit San Francisco in 2009, as a scintillating 5-0-0 performance from Woods (L) powered the US Team — captained by Fred Couples for the first time — to a 19.5 – 14.5 win and a sixth Presidents Cup victory at Harding Park Golf Club.
Photos: In photos: A history of the Presidents Cup
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Woods’ teammate Jim Furyk took charge with a flawless five-point performance of his own as the Presidents Cup returned to Royal Melbourne in 2011. Yet it was Woods who clinched the decisive point in a 19-15 American victory.
Photos: In photos: A history of the Presidents Cup
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Team USA clocked its fifth successive victory as Muirfield Village Golf Club, Ohio, hosted the 10th edition of the Presidents Cup, in 2013. President Barack Obama served as honorary chairman for the second time, and welcomed both rosters to the White House the following year.
Photos: In photos: A history of the Presidents Cup
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The Jack Nicklaus Golf Club in Incheon, South Korea, took center stage as the Presidents Cup traveled to Asia for the first time, in 2015. Home hero Bae Sang-Moon impressed, but couldn’t prevent an agonizing 14.5 – 15.5 loss as the International Team suffered defeat for the sixth-straight time.
Photos: In photos: A history of the Presidents Cup
Rob Carr / Getty Images
A string of former US Presidents — Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton (L-R) — descended upon New Jersey for the 2017 Presidents Cup at Liberty National Golf Club. Incumbent President Donald Trump handed the trophy to US captain Steve Stricker following a 19-11 American victory.
Photos: In photos: A history of the Presidents Cup
Rob Carr / AsiaPac / Getty Images
Hosting the Presidents Cup for the third time, Royal Melbourne teed up an enthralling contest in 2019. Captained by South African icon Ernie Els, the International Team held a two-point lead after the first three days, only for playing captain Tiger Woods to kickstart a stunning fightback on Sunday to clinch a 16-14 US win.
No American partnership had won four in a row at the tournament since Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker in 2009, a feat sweetened by the childhood friendship of Thomas and Spieth.
And when your teammate’s only complaint is that you left him almost nothing to putt, you’ve probably had pretty good round.
“I played two matches, and I hit 10 putts. I think that’s pretty absurd,” Thomas told reporters Saturday.
“I legitimately think I picked my coin up more than I hit putts, so yeah, my partner’s pretty good.”
After a royal display of putting, it was only fitting then that Spieth marked his arrival at the first tee Sunday with a Lion King tribute.
Picking up his son Sammy from wife Annie, Spieth lofted the ear-muff sporting toddler above his head in a near-perfect rendition of the opening scenes of the 1994 Disney classic to the roaring delight of the Presidents Cup crowd.
“That was super cool,” Spieth said. “He’s finally old enough to just be looking around and taking it all in and being interested in everything.
“He loves the ear muffs, luckily, because it’s been loud out here.”
Despite his new status as the ‘Lion King,’ Spieth teed off against Australia’s Cameron Davis with a self-proclaimed monkey on his back: incredibly, Spieth had never won a singles match at the Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup.
Having lost three successive Presidents Cup singles bouts from 2013 through 2017, Spieth was not picked for the 2019 event which saw Woods inspire a dramatic American fightback. Three years on, the absence still stings.
“It sucked,” Spieth said ahead of this year’s Cup. “I remember it was a really tough spot.
“I hated every second of it because I know how fun they are and I know how beneficial these weeks are, these matches, for individually how you’re going to play the next year.”
Four straight birdies after the turn saw Spieth end his drought in decisive fashion against Davis, as his 4 & 3 win secured the American team’s first singles point of the day.
“I was more nervous than I probably should have been today just because I want to get that monkey off my back,” he said.
“It feels really good. When you go out early as I’ve done pretty much every team event on a Sunday, they’re looking for red on the board, and it feels good to finally provide that.”
Hours later, Xander Schauffele rolled home to seal the team’s 17.5 – 12.5 victory, sparking jubilant celebrations on the 18th hole.
Champagne was poured into the Cup before, for the second time that day, Spieth lifted a crowd favorite aloft.
“When you get to do it [compete] collectively, representing your country with some of the best players in the world … you just can’t put a price on it,” Spieth said.
“There’s really nothing that’s more enjoyable.”
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