The biggest week in team golf lands on American soil this Thursday. The 2026 Presidents Cup tees off September 24 at Medinah Country Club near Chicago, pitting a loaded United States side against an International team chasing something it has managed only once in three decades: a win.
What’s Happening
From September 24 to 27, 24 of the world’s best male golfers (minus the Europeans, who compete separately in the Ryder Cup) will contest the 16th edition of the Presidents Cup over Medinah’s famed Course No. 3. Brandt Snedeker captains the United States; Geoff Ogilvy leads the International team of players from outside Europe. You can see the full rosters in our breakdown of the picks, snubs and surprises from selection week.
The U.S. team is anchored by world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, alongside Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Collin Morikawa, Russell Henley, Sam Burns, Cameron Young, Wyndham Clark and three rookies in Chris Gotterup, Jacob Bridgeman and 21-year-old Jackson Koivun. On paper it is, again, formidable — several of these players own Presidents Cup winning percentages above 70%.
Ogilvy’s International side blends experience and youth: veteran Adam Scott is making a record-extending 11th appearance, joined by Hideki Matsuyama, Si Woo Kim, Tom Kim, Sungjae Im and Min Woo Lee, plus rookies including Ryan Fox, Nico Echavarria, Ryo Hisatsune and Nick Taylor. Their task is enormous, but their depth is the best it has looked in years.
Why It Matters: A 28-Year Drought
The headline storyline is history. The United States leads the all-time series 13-1-1 and has won the last ten meetings in a row. The International team’s only outright victory came all the way back in 1998, when Peter Thomson’s group routed a Jack Nicklaus-led U.S. side 20.5-11.5 at Royal Melbourne. There was a memorable tie in 2003, and then two decades of American control, most recently an 18.5-11.5 win at Royal Montreal in 2024.
That lopsided record is exactly why this event needs a live underdog. The International team has trended closer in recent editions, and a raucous, partisan Medinah crowd will only sharpen the challenge. Winning on the road, against the deepest U.S. roster in the game, would be the biggest result in the competition’s modern history.
Medinah itself carries team-golf ghosts. This is the same club that hosted the 2012 Ryder Cup, remembered for Europe’s stunning Sunday comeback. If you want the backstory to the venue, revisit the Miracle at Medinah — proof that big deficits can vanish fast in match play.
The Format, Briefly
The Presidents Cup is contested over 30 points across four days, with 15.5 needed to win the cup. Thursday opens with foursomes (alternate shot), Friday moves to four-balls (best ball), Saturday mixes both formats, and Sunday closes with all 12 singles matches. It is entirely match play, not stroke play — a crucial distinction that changes strategy completely. If those terms are new to you, our guide to match play vs stroke play explains how they differ and why match play produces such drama.
What This Means For You
For fans in the U.S., coverage runs on Golf Channel and NBC, with streaming on Peacock; check local listings for exact times, as Sunday singles are the marquee session. If you are new to the event, the beauty of match play is that you do not need to track a cumulative leaderboard — each match is its own head-to-head story, and momentum swings hole by hole.
There is something to take from Medinah into your own game, too. Team events reward two skills that amateurs routinely neglect: clutch putting and disciplined shot shape. Watch how the pros lag long putts to tap-in range on Medinah’s slick surfaces — then borrow the technique with our guide to putting on fast greens. And if the alternate-shot format exposes anyone’s wild driving, it is a reminder to groove a repeatable move; the 9-to-3 drill is the simplest way to build a consistent swing at home.
Key Takeaways
- The 2026 Presidents Cup runs September 24-27 at Medinah Country Club (Course No. 3) near Chicago.
- Brandt Snedeker captains the USA; Geoff Ogilvy captains the International team.
- The U.S. leads the all-time series 13-1-1 and has won ten straight; the Internationals’ only win was in 1998.
- Scottie Scheffler headlines a stacked U.S. roster; Adam Scott makes a record 11th International appearance.
- It is match play over 30 points, 15.5 to win, culminating in Sunday’s 12 singles.
Sources: Presidents Cup (presidentscup.com); PGA Tour; historical records via Golf Monthly and Today’s Golfer.
