Scottie Scheffler and Tom Kim traded barbs within the type of fiery celebrations throughout a heated opening day four-ball match on the Presidents Cup which was gained by Scheffler and Russell Henley 3&2.
It created scenes much like final yr’s Ryder Cup the place the Europeans and People nearly got here to blows, with fever pitch reached on the tenth gap on Friday (AEST) the place each Scheffler and Kim made birdies on an opening day completely dominated by the USA.
They every set free huge fist pumps and successfully yelled at each other as Kim tried to breath life into an Internationals battle again whereas Scheffler tried to keep up the American’s dominant begin to the match.
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The strain led golf author Dan Rapaport to make a name again to the notorious feud between Patrick Cantlay’s Joe La Cava and Rory McIlroy in Rome final yr by posting on X: “Want Joe La Cava was on Scottie Scheffler’s bag proper now”.
The competition reached fever pitch when the pair each birdied the tenth gap when Scheffler yelled “What was that?” at Kim.
Scheffler and Kim are good pals which led the world primary to strive douse any flames post-round by taking part in it off as heated competitors between pals.
“Yeah, that was a little bit of enjoyable. It’s the identical factor I might have achieved at house if he had made a putt and we had been taking part in ‘Wolf’ and he celebrated like that,” Scheffler stated.
“So it’s all in good enjoyable. We take pleasure in competing towards one another. That’s what it’s like out right here. It’s enjoyable to compete and enjoyable to signify our nation, and on the finish of the match you’re taking your hat off and shake fingers. We’re pals after, we’re not pals throughout, I suppose.”
Rapaport added additional context to the state of affairs on X by saying that they do usually like each other.
“Scottie Scheffler and Tom Kim are legitimately shut pals,” he stated.
“Scottie and the remainder of the Dallas crew have taken Tom underneath their wing. However immediately, contained in the ropes, they need nothing greater than to beat one another. Badly.
“We’ve all been there with a superb buddy on the golf course. Group competitions are one of the best.”
Henley admitted that Kim and Sungjae Im strolling off to the following tee whereas Scheffler was nonetheless placing out on the eighth inexperienced “bothered” him “somewhat bit”.
Commentator, and three-time Ryder Cup winner as a participant, Paul McGinley stated that he believed the Worldwide pair’s actions had been “bordering on dangerous behaviour…that’s disrespectful in my view”.
Scheffler nonetheless took some duty for his opponents’ behaviour.
“To be truthful to them strolling off, I did like scream at them on the opening,” he stated with fun.
“I’m not going to say it was their fault, you understand what I imply?”
The uncharacteristic behaviour from Scheffler gathered loads of consideration on-line and it comes at an essential time for the Presidents Cup which has been criticised for missing ardour and relevance because of the American dominance.
Scheffler has loved a yr harking back to Tiger Woods in his prime which included profitable The Masters for the second time and golf.com’s Claire Rogers shared her ideas on his animation on X.
“Obsessive about the truth that the largest celebration we’ve seen from Scottie Scheffler this yr (regardless of profitable 7x + a gold medal) was to match Tom Kim’s birdie on the seventh gap on Day 1 of the Presidents Cup,” she stated.
The US gained all 5 four-ball matches on Thursday at Royal Montreal Golf Membership.