Olympic Champion Schauffele Clinches Presidents Cup for US

(Back L-R) Tony Finau, Max Homa, Justin Thomas, Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Captain Davis Love III, Cameron Young, Sam Burns, Billy Horschel (Front L-R) Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Kevin Kisner and Collin Morikawa of the United States Team pose with the Presidents Cup after defeating the International Team during Sunday singles matches on day four of the 2022 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow Country Club in Charlotte, N.C., on Sept. 25, 2022. Warren Little/Getty Images

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—The United States was forced to work harder than expected to earn a ninth consecutive Presidents Cup on Sunday, taking down a scrappy International team that vowed to fight until the final bell.

Robbed of top players who defected to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series, the depleted Internationals were expected to be easy pickings for an American squad packed with nine players in the world’s top 15.