U.S. Needs Eight Points Sunday at the Presidents Cup. I Think It Gets Them.

Brandt Snedeker did not bother disguising his plan for Sunday.

“We led pretty heavy,” the U.S. captain said after the singles pairings were announced.

He had little choice.

The United States enters the final day of the Presidents Cup trailing 10.5-7.5. Twelve singles points remain. The International Team needs five of them to win outright. The Americans need eight.

So Snedeker sent Cameron Young, Wyndham Clark, Justin Thomas, Scottie Scheffler, Sam Burns and Chris Gotterup into the first six matches.

That is where I believe this Presidents Cup changes.

I have the U.S. winning five of those first six points, flipping the scoreboard before the back half of Sunday’s lineup has had much time to develop. From there, I see the final six matches splitting 3-3.

Snedeker Put the Comeback Where It Had to Be

The U.S. cannot afford a patient Sunday.

A three-point deficit is manageable with 12 matches available. It becomes a different problem if the International Team begins piling up early points while the strongest American names are still waiting to tee off.

Snedeker avoided that.

Young goes first after a two-win Saturday alongside Gotterup. Thomas is third. Scheffler, rested Saturday afternoon, goes fourth. Burns follows him, and Gotterup is sixth.

If the Americans are going to make Medinah loud enough to affect what happens deeper on the golf course, those six have to provide the reason.

I think they will.

The one early match I am giving the International Team is Tom Kim over Wyndham Clark. Kim has been too important this week for me to dismiss simply because the crowd will be against him Sunday.

Everywhere else up front, I like the Americans.

There are several matches here I would not feel comfortable calling early Sunday afternoon, and that is precisely what makes singles so different from everything that preceded it.

No partner can bail anybody out. No alternate-shot order changes the assignment. There is no second ball in play.

One golfer. One opponent. One point.

The First Six Will Tell Us Plenty

If my card is right, the first six matches finish 5-1 for the U.S.

That would move the Americans from 7.5 points to 12.5 while the International Team moves to 11.5. Suddenly the side that entered Sunday three points behind would have the lead, and every match behind them would feel different.

That is where the home crowd becomes more than background noise.

Snedeker has spent the week telling his players not to stare at the larger scoreboard. On Sunday, the roars will do some of that work for them. Players several holes away will know when something has happened.

The International Team has handled those moments remarkably well so far. Saturday was evidence. American red covered significant portions of the board in both sessions, and Geoff Ogilvy’s players repeatedly recovered enough points to protect their lead.

Sunday asks them to do it without partners.

That changes my read.

I Like the Americans Late, Too

I am not forecasting a clean American sweep through the bottom half.

Hideki Matsuyama over Morikawa is one International point on my card. Si Woo Kim over Koivun is another. Min Woo Lee over Bridgeman gives the International Team three wins from matches seven through 10.

Then I have Henley beating Taylor and Schauffele closing the week with a victory over Fox.

Those last two points are the ones that get the U.S. to eight.

This has been an uneven American Presidents Cup. Friday’s 5-0 foursomes loss created the hole they are still trying to escape. Saturday offered enough good golf to reduce it, but not enough to erase it.

Sunday is different.

Snedeker no longer has to solve pairings. There is no foursomes compatibility to manage, no four-ball strategy to consider and no decision about which player should sit.

Twelve players get one match apiece.

The captain said Saturday night that every player can control only the point directly in front of him.

Eight American players have to control theirs.

I think they do.

Final prediction: United States 15.5, International Team 14.5.

PGA of America Golf Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer who serves as Athlon Sports Senior Golf Writer. Read his recent “The Starter” on RG.org, where he is their Lead Golf Writer. To stay updated on all of his latest work, sign up for his newsletter or visit his MuckRack Profile.