Presidents Cup 2026: 10 Major Storylines and Bold Predictions at Medinah Country Club

September 23, 2026 · Yahoo Sports

USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The 2026 Presidents Cup has arrived. Taking place at Medinah Country Club, which is about 25 miles west of Chicago, the 12-man team event will be one to watch.

The best golfers from the United States face off against the best from the rest of the world, not from Europe.

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It sets up for an exciting weekend in the Windy City.

Here are 10 major storylines and bold predictions to follow this week.

Presidents Cup 2026 format

Sep 22, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; International Team golfer Adam Scott (left) and International Team golfer Hideki Matsuyama (right) stand on the first tee during the foursomes match play of the Presidents Cup golf tournament at Quail Hollow Club. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

The 2026 Presidents Cup will be played over the course of four days, beginning on Thursday. The home team, the Americans, decided how the format begins. U.S. Captain Brandt Senedeker chose to begin with five Four-ball matches on Thursday. Five Foursomes on Friday will set the stage for the weekend, with four Four-ball and four foursomes matches on Saturday. Then on the final day, all 12 players from both teams go head-to-head in Sunday’s singles.

One Pairing to Watch on Both Teams

Sep 28, 2024; Ile Bizard, Quebec, CAN; Xander Schauffele of team U.S.A. and teammate Patrick Cantlay lines up a putt on the first green during the foursomes (alternate) round of The Presidents Cup golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

For the U.S., it will be the longtime duo of Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay. Especially in foursomes, that is a duo to watch. The two have gone 4-1 across their four Presidents Cup starts in foursomes, or alternate shot. Overall, both players went 4-1 at Royal Montreal and are looking to continue to build on those points this week.

For the International Team, there are two ways to look at this. The experience of Hideki Matsuyama and Adam Scott, or the energy of Si Woo Kim and Tom Kim, both stand out. Matsuyama and Scott played together for seven matches. That includes two wins in foursomes. Within the last two Presidents Cups, Si Woo Kim and Tom Kim were paired three times, going 2-1. That includes facing Cantlay and Schauffele twice.

What Will the World No. 1 Do?

Sep 28, 2024; Ile Bizard, Quebec, CAN; Scottie Scheffler of team U.S.A. tees off on the fourth hole during the third round of The Presidents Cup golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

Scottie Scheffler has not yet led the U.S. team in points in his two Presidents Cup starts. In his first appearance, he logged 0.5 points with a tie alongside Sam Burns on Friday Four-balls while losing three other matches. In 2024, he went 3-2, which included falling in foursomes and in singles. Two years ago, he came one point from being tied with Morikawa, Schauffele and Cantlay for a team-leading four points.

However, this time has the chance to be different. Two wins during the FedEx Cup Playoffs, including the FedEx Cup, put him in a position to have a big week.

Ryan Fox Shines in First Presidents Cup

Jul 19, 2026; Southport, ENG; Ryan Fox reacts on the 18th green after putting for a birdie to win The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The International Team has one major champion from the 2026 major calendar: Ryan Fox. Fox won the Open, taking down three Presidents Cup Americans: Scheffler, Sam Burns and Cameron Young. That memory of taking those three will fuel him if he gets paired against them. At 39 years old, Fox is making his Presidents Cup debut, and as a blue-collar player, he delivers, getting three points.

Jackson Koivun Shines as Young Energy for Americans

Jun 6, 2024; Dublin, Ohio, USA; Brandt Snedeker (right) and Jackson Koivun shake hands on the 18th green during the first round of the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Sports

Three months ago, Jackson Koivun helped Auburn win a national championship. Within the next three months, he has a PGA Tour win and now a captain’s pick for the Presidents Cup for Snedeker. At 21 years old, he is the youngest player to compete in a Presidents Cup since Jordan Spieth in 2015. Koivun can provide youthful, competitive energy and has a similar mantra to his teammate Justin Thomas.

Min Woo Lee Cooks at Medinah

Jun 16, 2026; Southampton, New York, USA; Min Woo Lee plays his tee shot on hole 1 during a practice round for the U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Chicago is known for its hot dogs and deep dish pizza. However, a third menu item is on the list at Medinah when Min Woo Lee competes. Known as “The Chef,” Lee has the chance to cook this week. However, the big thing is that he has to be out there. In the five sessions last year, he only appeared in one four-ball session before Sunday singles. As a result, he was not able to find any rhythm, which every chef needs. And with his success in 2026, now as an automatic qualifier, he can deliver for the International Team.

Jacob Bridgeman Continues Winning Ways

May 14, 2026; Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA; Jacob Bridgeman putts on the first green during the first round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Aronimink Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images

Koivun and Jacob Bridgeman are two of the Americans’ three rookies, along with Chris Gotterup. Bridgeman was one of Snedeker’s final captain’s picks, along with Koivun because of his putting. However, since being named to the U.S. team, Bridgeman secured another victory. He won the Biltmore Championship in Asheville, N.C. at 26-under par in his final tuneup before the Presidents Cup. That included shooting a final round bogey-free 10-under 61 as he led the field with 28 birdies and 8.13 strokes gained putting. In a week where putting sets the momentum in match play, Bridgeman brings that.

Future Presidents Cup Venues

August 12, 2018; Saint Louis, MO, USA; Ian Poulter hits from the bunker on the 17th hole during the final round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Bellerive Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Earlier this week, it was announced where the next two Presidents Cups will take place. After this week, the 2028 Presidents Cup is slated to commence at Kingston Heath Golf Club, southeast of Melbourne. This year, Kingston Heath will host the Australian Open, and the winner earns exemption into the 2027 Masters. It will mark the return of Presidents Cup golf in Australia for the first time since 2019. That Presidents Cup saw the return of Tiger Woods as he helped the U.S. win 16-14 at Royal Melbourne.

In 2030, the Presidents Cup will be held at Bellerive Country Club, west of St. Louis, Mo. Bellerive Country Club is coming off hosting the BMW Championship during the FedEx Cup Playoffs, which Wyndham Clark won. Bellerive has hosted three major championships and two more on the senior circuit, including the 2018 PGA Championship.

How to Watch the 2026 Presidents Cup

Sep 27, 2024; Ile Bizard, Quebec, CAN; General view of the first hole tee box and stands during the second round of The Presidents Cup golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

Here is a look at the TV schedule for the Presidents Cup.

Thursday: 12:30 – 7 p.m. (Golf Channel)
Friday: 2 – 7 p.m. (Golf Channel)
Saturday: 8 – 9 a.m. (Golf Channel), 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. (NBC)
Sunday: 12 – 6 p.m. (NBC)

Winning Pick and Wcore

Sep 25, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Team USA golfer Xander Schauffele is congratulated for clinching the win on the 18th green during the singles match play of the Presidents Cup golf tournament at Quail Hollow Club. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Going 13-1-1 in the previous 15 Presidents Cup shows how dominant the Americans have been, even with some tight finishes. However, that does not happen this week. For the first time since 2000, the U.S. scored more than 20 points to get the win.

Most of the players on the U.S. team went through the downfall of last year’s Ryder Cup. With the history of the Presidents Cup and the U.S. winning 13 of the last 15 events, this week is a chance to bounce back. The U.S. has lost each of the last two Ryder Cups, and a handful of Americans on this year’s Presidents Cup team were present last year and in 2023. As a result, this is a week where the Americans set the momentum, not only for this week, but for next year’s Ryder Cup.

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