Starting the final day with an 11-7 lead the USA was in an almost-impregnable position and despite a strong contest from the International team, it was not especially close. The final margin was 18.5-11.5.

Day lost 4&3 to Xander Schauffele and Scott was beaten 2&1 by Collin Morikawa, but the 26-year-old Lee came from behind to tie his match against Wyndham Clark as a further indication of his talent.

Lee rinsed his ball in the water at the 17^th to fall one down to Clark but then hit a gorgeous short iron shot in tight at the 18^th to win the hole and tie the match, albeit that by then, the cup had already been decided.

He admitted afterward to some disappointment at having sat the second and third days, but kept it in perspective. “Of course you want to contribute as much as – I wanted to, of course. I wanted to play every day. But full trust in the team, and yeah, the boys were playing really good. People have said they would have loved me out there, but I would have loved to, too, but I had a good rest and then came out, tried to win my match today.”

The best match was between world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, who took down the American 1 up.

But the Americans were too steady overall, to no one’s surprise, and they had secured the 15.5 points required by the time Keegan Bradley defeated Si Woo Kim 1 up, Kim missing an eight foot birdie putt at the 18^th hole that would have tied the match and extended it.

Day went out first for the Internationals and a birdie three at the second hole put him on top of Schauffele, but the American dual major winner was back in the lead by the fifth and never headed from there, their match ending at the 15^th hole. The Queenslander won just one point for the week from his three matches.

Scott never had his best against Morikawa, although he led until he made a mistake off the tee at the par-5 sixth hole where the American took over and the lead did not change from the time that Morikawa birdied the eighth hole. That match ended at the 17^th where Scott, needing a birdie to extend it, missed from eight feet.

Scott, who was playing his 11^th Presidents Cup, had two wins in his five matches this week.

American captain Jim Furyk said his team had focused on playing the back nine better than their opposition.

“We talked about being a dog all week, being a tougher team,” he said. “I feel like we kind of owned the back nine this week, and that was the difference.”

This was the 15^th playing of the Presidents Cup. The USA has won 13 times and tied the contest once in 2003. The only victory by the International team was at Royal Melbourne in 1998.

“We’re close,” said Mike Weir, the International captain. “A lot of these matches were so close.”

PHOTO: The Americans celebrate as Keegan Bradley (left) closes out the Presidents Cup in Montreal. Image: Getty

THE AUSTRALIANS AT MONTREAL

Adam Scott 2 wins, 3 losses

Jason Day 1 win, 2 losses

Min Woo Lee 1 tie, 1 loss