Adam Scott is 46 years old and without a Presidents Cup victory on his potential Hall of Fame résumé, having been a part of 12 consecutive winless International teams.
Jackson Koivun is 21 years old and already has a signature moment to go with a Presidents Cup victory in his first appearance, the game’s new wunderkind making good on captain Brandt Snedeker’s faith in him.
Seeing the two of them early Sunday evening, the reality of the Presidents Cup results hitting them differently, it was a living metaphor for the event.
The Americans are blessed with an abundance of talent, deep enough that Koivun was intentionally slotted into the ninth singles match on Sunday, Snedeker’s safeguard on the back end of his roster, trusting that his squad would be close enough to completing a comeback that he wanted the youngster there to lock it down.
Scott, meanwhile, was left to sort through another disappointment, made worse by how close the International team was to finally winning again, sitting on a three-point lead Saturday evening, and by his own 1-3 record.
In contrast to how Snedeker front-loaded his Sunday singles lineup to ignite what ultimately happened, International team captain Geoff Ogilvy had several of his best players on the back end of the tee sheet. When Hideki Matsuyama, Si Woo Kim, Min Woo Lee, Ryan Fox and Scott all lost, so did the International team – again.
It’s possible this was Scott’s final Presidents Cup as a competitor. He’s at a point where he may be contemplating how hard he wants to push himself. Scott is still ranked No. 44 in the world but eventually trying to fight off the Koivuns and the Michael Thorbjornsens becomes a losing equation.
With the Presidents Cup heading to Kingston Heath in Melbourne, Australia, in two years, Ogilvy will probably have the chance to be captain again but should he choose to step aside, Scott figures to be the next logical choice.
That question was put to Scott Sunday evening.
“I don’t know. It’s a long way away. We’ll see if I’m – if I can contribute to the team in any way, I’ll do whatever for this team,” said Scott, who on Monday was announced as a finalist for enshrinement into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2027.
If Sunday at Medinah might have been Scott’s final Presidents Cup as a player, Koivun is just getting started.
The game has seen plenty of perceived phenoms arrive but few have ever seemed as fully prepared to live up to the expectations as Koivun. He’s quiet, diligent and not afraid of anything on the course.
When the American team was walking into its Sunday evening press conference, seemingly every player had a beer in his hand. Koivun, who somehow looks younger than his age, was among the last to arrive and seeing him, a teammate barked, “He’s 21 so he’s old enough to drink.”
When Snedeker added Koivun as one of his six captain’s picks last month, bypassing J.J. Spaun and Ryan Gerard among others, it was a choice of conviction. For whatever else Snedeker could have done better as captain, there was no second-guessing his pick of Koivun.
It was a smart move to pair Koivun with Justin Thomas, who still seems young to be playing the role of mentor, but it worked.
“I don’t think I’ve ever shook on a golf course like I did on Thursday on the first tee. At the same time, I couldn’t stop smiling,” Koivun said Sunday evening.
Thomas said he could tell how nervous Koivun was on Thursday morning because the youngster leaned over to get his tee after hitting his first shot and never picked up the tee. It was still on the ground when Thomas went to tee up his ball.
“I think he kinda blacked out,” Thomas said.
“I hate to give him as much credit as I am, but he is really good at golf.”
Every American player but one – Koivun – lost at least one match at Medinah. He brought a 13-4-1 match-play record with him from college and built on it at Medinah, setting himself up as a critical piece of the American puzzle at the Ryder Cup in Ireland next fall.
As the Sunday pairings were being put together Saturday evening, Snedeker slotted Koivun against Si Woo Kim, one of the two best players on the International team along with Tom Kim.
“That was a massive match. If we were going to have any chance today, he had to win that match,” Snedeker said.
Koivun was 2 down through 10 holes but got better as the match progressed. Through 15 holes, Koivun had a 2-up lead.
With the Americans still chasing down the International team, Koivun was 1 up playing the uphill par-4 18th hole. He striped his tee shot then painted a beautiful 8-iron to within 8 feet of the hole, his club twirl on his final full swing hinting at his self-assurance.
“Shot of the day,” Snedeker said.
Every American player but one – Koivun – lost at least one match at Medinah. He brought a 13-4-1 match-play record with him from college and built on it at Medinah, setting himself up as a critical piece of the American puzzle at the Ryder Cup in Ireland next fall.
“I just love match play,” Koivun said.
For Scott and his experience in the Presidents Cup, the format hasn’t loved him back.
“Of course I want to win one desperately and I don’t know how many more I can possibly play in,” Scott said last Tuesday at Medinah.
The clock is ticking for Adam Scott while it’s just begun for Jackson Koivun.