Internationals build commanding Bridges Cup lead with singles showdown next | News
In the three previous playings of the Bridges Cup, the Americans have come away undefeated. They captured a 14-12 win at the inaugural match at the Club at Nine Bridges in Korea in 2022; a resounding 19-11 victory at Les Bordes in France in 2023; and a nail-biting 17-15 win at Haesley Golf Club in South Korea in 2024.
But that run is in danger of coming to an end Wednesday.
In this year’s fourth edition of the Bridges Cup at Trump Turnberry in Scotland, the Internationals appear primed for a historic statement, as they hold a 12.5-7.5 lead over the Americans with 12 singles matches remaining.
Following a dominant opening-day performance by the Internationals on Monday at Trump Turnberry’s King Robert the Bruce course, the Americans trailed the Internationals 6.5-3.5. The Internationals then won both four-ball and foursomes sessions 3-2 on the historic Ailsa Course at Trump Turnberry on Tuesday to increase their lead heading into a crucial final day.
“We had the most amazing day of weather on the most perfect golf course we’ve ever seen, so the combination of those two, win or lose, made it a very special day,” said golf analyst Simon Holmes. “The International players have just kind of had an edge over the team from the U.S. so far, but America is strong in singles, and that’s what we’ve got tomorrow — Session 5, 12 singles matches.”
Despite the deficit, the Americans started strong on Tuesday and won the first two four-ball matches of the morning. Dennis Bull and Andrew Price prevailed over the Internationals’ Angus Carrick and Calum Hill, 2 and 1, while Cody Massa and DJ Lantz defeated International teammates Caolan Rafferty and Colum Campbell in a closely contested match, 1 up, thanks to a clutch birdie from Massa on the 18th hole. The win capped an epic comeback, as Massa and Lantz were 3 down on the 13th tee.
But with the score tightened at 6.5-5.5 with three morning four-ball matches remaining, the Internationals rallied, sweeping the remaining three matches: Gavin Dear and Joshua Jamieson defeated Drew Kittleson and Drew Stoltz, 4 and 3; Jacob Austin and Lukas Michel beat Hoyt McGarity and Scott Anderson, 4 and 3; and Jonathan Bale and Daniel Faccini took down Andrew Medley and Scott Strickland, 3 and 2.
The morning performance expanded the Internationals’ lead to 9.5-5.5 heading into the afternoon foursomes matches, where the tee was moved forward on the 7th to have the players challenge the bunkers at the corner. The hole was the latest update to the course, bringing to life Eric Trump’s vision of moving the greensite down to the beach. The hole was pivotal in every match, creating a risk/reward opportunity just before mid-round.
Although unfortunately for the Americans, the International team picked up right where they left off, with Andrew Davidson and James White notching a 5-and-4 victory over Massa and Medley.
In the second match of the afternoon, Kittleson and John Peterson earned a big point for the U.S. with a 4-and-2 win over Carrick and Hill.
With the score set at 10.5-6.5, the pressure was on for the afternoon’s three remaining foursomes matches. It was dead calm — the two massive Scottish flags just barely fluttering — so scoring conditions were ideal.
The International duo of Rafferty and Campbell held a 3-up lead on Stoltz and Bull at three separate times over the course of their match, with Stoltz and Bull refusing to submit, cutting the International lead to 1 up on the 17th tee.
Meanwhile, right behind them, Americans Strickland and Price were locked in an intense back-and-forth battle with Dear and Jamieson and were tied heading into the 16th hole. And in the final foursomes match of the afternoon, Internationals Bale and Faccini never trailed Lantz and Peter Tomasulo, eventually adding another point to the International tally with a 4-and-3 win.
That added an additional degree of importance to the middle matches, which the Americans desperately needed in order to have a fighting chance in Wednesday’s singles.
While Stoltz and Bull battled admirably, they ultimately succumbed to the Internationals’ Rafferty and Campbell, 2 and 1, while Americans Strickland and Price dug in to eke out a 2-and-1 victory over Dear and Jamieson.
“We have seen such amazingly good scoring,” Holmes said. “This is a really difficult golf course. You had foursomes matches where guys were three or four under par. This is the best 24 players that we’ve ever had in the Bridges Cup. The quality of the players stand out. Drew Kittleson, absolutely the best player in the field, and the best caddie as well, just knows how to get his ball round the course. And Josh Jamieson, huge shout-out to him, and Jacob Austin and Lukas Michel as well. And then the kind of surprise new entrant, Jonathan Bale, kind of wrapping his experienced arms around Daniel Faccini from Colombia. So far, they have gone undefeated.”
With the score set at 12.5-7.5, to win the Bridges Cup, the International team must claim at least four of the 12 points available in Wednesday’s singles, while the Americans need 8.5 points in order to retain the Cup. Despite the lopsided score, the Americans can be encouraged that there is precedent for a comeback of that magnitude: the U.S. Presidents Cup team recently won 9.5 of 12 singles points to win the 2026 Presidents Cup by a score of 17-13.
Can the Americans pull off the unthinkable at the Bridges Cup? Back in 1977, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson battled head-to-head down the stretch here in what became known as the “Duel in the Sun.” That was decided with a thrilling finish on the 18th. Will we get another one this week? The action begins at 8:10 a.m. local time on Wednesday. We’ll find out.
