GOLF.AI • yesterday

Presidents Cup: A Ghost of '13

With the Presidents Cup at Medinah just 11 days away, the anticipation builds, often fueled by forgotten tales of past heroics. One such story, recently unearthed, sets the stage perfectly: the improbable victory of journeyman pro Brendon de Jonge and his idol, Ernie Els, over Tiger Woods and Matt Kuchar in 2013.

For de Jonge, a steady but winless PGA Tour pro, being selected for the International team was a career highlight. Being paired with his childhood hero, Ernie Els, was beyond his wildest dreams. "This was a guy that I'd grown up respecting, was an idol of mine, and now I get to play with him on the Presidents Cup team," de Jonge recalled. "I couldn't have drawn it up any better than that."

The stakes were immense. Captain Nick Price pitted them against the formidable American duo of Woods and Kuchar in Saturday foursomes. The pressure was compounded by Els's known struggles with his putter at the time. Yet, in a display of pure grit, the underdog pair triumphed, securing a 1-up victory that stood as the lone point for the International team in that entire session.

This story of raw emotion, pressure, and unexpected triumph is the essence of team competition. As we look ahead to Medinah in 2026, the first edition since the conclusion of the LIV war, the dynamics have shifted. Will former LIV players return to the fold? How will new allegiances and old rivalries play out? The ghost of de Jonge's victory reminds us that beyond rankings and tour affiliations, the Presidents Cup is about these deeply human moments, where idols become partners and legends can be toppled.