Justin Thomas praised his Presidents Cup partner Jackson Koivun following their 4-and-3 victory over Corey Conners and Nico Echavarria on the opening day at Medinah Country Club. The American duo secured the first point for Team USA as Thomas guided the 21-year-old rookie through his debut match at the biennial competition.
Thomas carried much of the load during the four-ball match, sealing the victory with birdies on the 14th and 15th holes. He expressed admiration for his rookie teammate's composure under pressure, saying it was fun to be out there with Koivun and watch him do his thing. Thomas noted it was cool to watch Koivun show up in some pretty big moments.
Koivun acknowledged struggling on the opening two holes due to nerves from making his Presidents Cup debut, admitting the first two holes were definitely a little shaky. However, he found a groove after that and contributed important wins on the 3rd and 6th holes for Team USA. The 21-year-old credited Thomas with helping him stay calm when things were not going his way early in the match.