2026 Presidents Cup

Status: Automatic Qualifier
Age: 31
World Ranking: 13
Data Golf Ranking: 11
President’s Cup Experience: Three appearances (2017, 2022, 2024)
Overall: 6-5-0
Singles: 1-2-0
Foursomes: 2-3-0
Fourball: 3-0-0

It’s hard to envision an International upset victory without a leading contribution from Si Woo Kim, who enters the Cup as the highest-ranked player on their roster. Kim is now a veteran of that side, this being his fourth Cup. The Internationals are in a transition era as Adam Scott ages and no real top-of-the-rankings player has emerged. Could that be Si Woo? Maybe. He’s had a phenomenally consistent year and is one of the very best ball-strikers in the world (leading the Tour in SG Approach, ahead of Scottie in 2026). He also hasn’t won this year. And his major record is underwhelming, to say the least. In an upcoming profile with Joseph LaMagna, he admitted to having a poor approach at the biggest events, becoming more of a passenger happy to be there, and being unable to clip Scottie in all their home games. That will not work at the Presidents Cup if the Internationals are to have any chance of flipping this somehow. They need leaders posting in the intense crucible that are these team events. Ryder Cup Europe has always had those people and experiences to lean on. The Internationals simply never have when it counts. It’s doubtful that starts with Si Woo, but his record in the Cup is solid, and it would need to start with him if the Internationals are to have much of a chance. –Brendan Porath

Status: Automatic Qualifier
Age: 39
World Ranking: 24
Data Golf Ranking: 62
President’s Cup Experience: Rookie

Ryan Fox’s late-bloomer run over the last two years has been fun to watch. The Kiwi picked up his first two PGA Tour wins last season, then added his first-ever major title at this year’s Open Championship. He makes his Presidents Cup debut after qualifying second for the Internationals, and as the second-oldest member of the team — a year younger than veteran Adam Scott and a year older than fellow rookie Nick Taylor — captain Geoff Ogilvy will assuredly look to Fox to be a leader in the team room despite his lack of experience. –Adam Woodard

Status: Automatic Qualifier
Age: 34
World Ranking: 26
Data Golf Ranking: 17
President’s Cup Experience: Six appearances (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2024)
Overall: 9-13-5
Singles: 3-1-2
Foursomes: 3-6-1
Fourball: 3-6-2

Hideki Matsuyama enters his seventh Cup after a solid-yet-winless season, with zero missed cuts and 14 top-25 finishes in 23 events, six in the top 10. Geoff Ogilvy has a few options with how to deploy Hideki. He played three matches with Sungjae Im two years ago, and a pair of aces with Hideki alongside Adam Scott hasn’t fared well over the last decade-plus. Splitting those aces and joining Hideki with fellow countryman and rookie Ryo Hisatsune makes for a comfortable pairing and frees up the International team’s most experienced player. If the International side is going to pull off the upset, Hideki has to play a pivotal role. –Adam Woodard

Status: Automatic Qualifier
Age: 28
World Ranking: 30
Data Golf Ranking: 39
President’s Cup Experience: One appearance (2024)
Overall: 0-1-1
Singles: 0-0-1
Foursomes: 0-0-0
Fourball: 0-1-0

Min Woo Lee had a bit of an odd season in 2026. He started and finished strong, with a string of underwhelming performances in the middle that included the major championships. On a positive note, he hit his irons better than he ever has in his career. On a less positive note, his putter let him down much more often in the summer than you’d expect, given that it is normally a strength. Lee is an affable fellow and should make for a comfortable pairing no matter who you throw him with. Whether he or his partner will be doing more of the heavy lifting is anyone’s guess. Will he be a chef or a sous-chef? –Joseph LaMagna

Status: Automatic Qualifier
Age: 24
World Ranking: 31
Data Golf Ranking: 27
President’s Cup Experience: Two appearances (2022, 2024)
Overall: 3-5-1
Singles: 0-1-1
Foursomes: 1-2-0
Fourball: 2-2-0

Tom Kim might be the Justin Thomas of the International side. The emotional pulse of the team and a player who is both young and experienced in team events. Kim recently turned 24 and has already played nine Presidents Cup matches in his career. The Presidents Cup is a big stage for an International player like Kim, and it’s a spotlight he seems to relish. In Montreal, Tom and Si Woo Kim created fireworks in their Saturday matches, routing Wyndham Clark-Keegan Bradley and losing narrowly to Patrick Cantlay-Xander Schauffele. You’d have to imagine we’ll see that South Korean duo again. This time, they should wait until after the match to do any sort of “Night, night” celebration. –Joseph LaMagna

Status: Automatic Qualifier
Age: 46
World Ranking: 52
Data Golf Ranking: 28
President’s Cup Experience: 11 appearances (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2024)
Overall: 20-28-6
Singles: 5-6-0
Foursomes: 10-10-2
Fourball: 5-12-4

Everything about the following paragraph is true: Scott has never won a Presidents Cup, yet he has a better record in this event than any of his teammates (he was part of the tie in 2003); he has a losing record overall, he’s played in 54 career matches, and if he plays twice this week, he’ll surpass Phil Mickelson has for the most matches in the history of this event; he’s had 18 different partners, including this year’s captain Geoff Ogilvy; he’s qualified for the team every year except one (2009), when he was a captain’s pick; he’s faced off in matches against Jay Hass in this event (born in 1952) and Sahith Theegala  (born in 1997). He’s been paired up with Hideki Matsuyama more than any International player (seven times) but gone just 2-4-1 with him as a partner. –Kevin Van Valkenburg

Status: Captain’s Pick
Age: 34
World Ranking: 54
Data Golf Ranking: 52
President’s Cup Experience: Two appearances (2022, 2024)
Overall: 2-7-0
Singles: 1-1-0
Foursomes: 1-3-0
Fourball: 0-3-0

The good news is, Conners remains an excellent iron player, maybe the best on the International squad outside of Si Woo Kim. The bad news? Conners simply isn’t an elite player anymore, or at least he wasn’t in 2026. Statistically this was his worst season since 2019. A year ago, he finished fourth at the Tour Championship. This year, he didn’t even make it to the BMW Championship, and finished 59th in the FedEx Cup. He’s never been a good putter, but his driver was always a nice complement to his superb iron play. Now it’s also a liability. He had just one top 10 all season. Ogilvy didn’t have a ton of great options, and the fact that Conners was a captain’s pick who generated zero controversy probably says all you need to know about the Internationals' lack of depth. –Kevin Van Valkenburg

Status: Captain’s Pick
Age: 32
World Ranking: 60
Data Golf Ranking: 90
President’s Cup Experience: Rookie

Ahead of what’s sure to be plenty of Chicago Bears talk during this trip to the Windy City (and northwest Indiana), we now present an audience-mandated Nico Minute:

The 32-year-old Colombian reportedly had the International Shield as his phone background as some added motivation this cycle, and sure enough, here he is. He won the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches back in March, keeping it between the mayo and mustard (or whatever it is you put on a Chicago hot dog) while Shane Lowry fell apart on Sunday. Not much has happened for him since, as he last finished in the top 10 of an event in May at the Charles Schwab Challenge. Echavarria did make it to the second round of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, but finished in dead last at the BMW Championship to wrap up his season.

In any event, the win at PGA National was good enough for an eighth-place finish on the International Points List and an easy captain’s pick for Geoff Ogilvy. Echavarria will join Camilo Villegas and Sebastian Munoz as Colombians who have donned the almighty Shield.

Now that that’s over with, have you heard about this Caleb Williams guy? –PJ Clark

Status: Captain’s Pick
Age: 28
World Ranking: 59
Data Golf Ranking: 43
President’s Cup Experience: Three appearances (2019, 2022, 2024)
Overall: 6-7-2
Singles: 2-1-0
Foursomes: 1-4-1
Fourball: 3-2-1

Steady Sungjae makes his fourth straight appearance at the Presidents Cup carrying a decent overall record. Geoff Ogilvy needs him to be more than decent. By Sungjae standards, it was a middling year. He did not make it to East Lake, which has been automatic in recent years, often by simply how many starts he makes and points he buckets. He did finish in the top 10 in both FedEx Cup Playoffs events before getting chopped from the Atlanta proceedings. But overall, it was a steady, meh year that does not stack up with the USA players’ records. He spent much of the 2024 Cup playing with Hideki Matsuyama, which may change this time with another Japanese player in the fold. I am not sure how he will perform, but I can predict with near 100 percent certainty that there will be members of both teams wearing Sungjae HIM apparel in the post-Cup revelry on Sunday night. –Brendan Porath

Status: Captain’s Pick
Age: 23
World Ranking: 66
Data Golf Ranking: 77
President’s Cup Experience: Rookie

Hisatsune got off to a hot start in 2026, recording three consecutive top-10 finishes at Torrey Pines, TPC Scottsdale, and Pebble Beach. The 2023 DP World Tour Rookie of the Year has shown plenty of promise, but struggles with the putter have kept him from contending on a consistent basis. That’s not to suggest that his pre-putt routine, which includes taking a swig of water before every putt, isn’t working, but maybe we need to work on the temperature of the water or change something else up. Has he tried sparkling water? 

A Presidents Cup debutant, Hisatsune seems like a probable playing partner for Hideki Matsuyama, given that Matsuyama is both experienced and Japanese. Such a pairing would put a little bit of pressure on Hisatsune, as this would be one of the strongest duos on the International side. For the Internationals to have any chance, Hisatsune will need to show up. –Joseph LaMagna

Status: Captain’s Pick
Age: 38
World Ranking: 81
Data Golf Ranking: 66
President’s Cup Experience: Rookie

One of four rookies on the International team, Nick Taylor was an interesting selection by Geoff Ogilvy and Co. The 38-year-old finished 13th on the points list despite just one top 10 and five top 25s this season. It’s a no-brainer pairing to play him alongside fellow countryman Corey Conners, who has played with a Canadian in five of his seven partner matches. Taylor’s year was so average I really have no idea what to expect from him this year, but given past Bagel Boy performances from the Canadians in this event, a point or two will justify the selection. –Adam Woodard

Status: Captain’s Pick
Age: 32
World Ranking: 97
Data Golf Ranking: 72
President’s Cup Experience: Two appearances (2022, 2024)
Overall: 3-1-1
Singles: 2-0-0
Foursomes: 1-0-0
Fourball: 0-1-1

Christiaan Bezuidenhout makes his third straight appearance for the Internationals as a captain’s pick, a questionable one at that this go-around. His lone top 10s came at opposite-field events, and both occurred before June. As for the Cup competition, none of Bezuidenhout’s past partners are on this year’s team, but it's the singles format where the South African has shown his worth. Sure, they were comfortable wins against Kevin Kisner (2022) and Brian Harman (2024) late in the day when the Cup was already decided, but those are rare wins on Sunday for the Internationals. And it’s not like the Internationals had many better options. –Adam Woodard

Status: Automatic Qualifier
Age: 30
World Ranking: 1
Data Golf Ranking: 1
President’s Cup Experience: Two appearances (2022, 2024)
Overall: 3-5-1
Singles: 0-2-0
Foursomes: 1-3-0
Fourball: 2-0-1

“What’s wrong with Scottie?” was a question frequently asked this season after the world No. 1 racked up three wins, five runner-up finishes, and 19 top 25s in 20 starts. That’s a down year for Scottie these days. His run of dominance have been compared to Tiger Woods, but the connection to the Big Cat doesn’t stop there. Scottie’s team play record is … meh. He’s 3-6-3 in the Ryder Cup and 3-5-1 in the Presidents Cup, and is 0-2-0 in Presidents Cup singles with losses to Hideki Matsuyama and Sebastian Munoz. I’d imagine that winless trend will come to an end this year. –Adam Woodard

Status: Automatic Qualifier
Age: 29
World Ranking: 3
Data Golf Ranking: 14
President’s Cup Experience: One appearance (2022)
Overall: 1-2-1
Singles: 0-1-0
Foursomes: 1-1-0
Fourball: 0-0-1

Every year that passes where Young doesn’t win a major is a missed opportunity. Still, Cam has to consider the 2026 season a success. He won twice on Tour, a clutch win at the Players Championship and a blowout six-shot victory at Doral. At his best, Young is as good as just about anybody and he finally has the world ranking (No. 3) to back it. The year will leave some sour tastes in his mouth, as he contended late at both the Masters and Open Championship and failed to get the job done. But a standout performance would send the year out on a positive note and keep momentum going into next season, where Young’s expectations should be high. Considering what we saw him do at the Ryder Cup last September and his current form, there is every reason to believe he’ll deliver a similar dominant performance in Chicago. –Joseph LaMagna 

Status: Automatic Qualifier
Age: 32
World Ranking: 5
Data Golf Ranking: 12
President’s Cup Experience: One appearance (2024)
Overall: 1-2-1
Singles: 0-0-1
Foursomes: 0-1-0
Fourball: 1-1-0

I nominate Wyndham Clark for craziest season on Tour. He started the year getting voted the Most Overrated Golfer in the World in the Fried Egg Pro Golf Survey and finished the year with a legitimate candidacy for Player of the Year. With his U.S. Open win at Shinnecock, Clark became a two-time major champion, meaning Scottie Scheffler is the only player in the Presidents Cup with more major championship victories. He is a fascinating, sometimes polarizing figure in the sport. His game always seems to be surrounded by skepticism, yet he has already accomplished more in the sport than the vast majority of his peers will accomplish in their careers. He could be a liability for the United States, sure. But he could also be their best player. –Joseph LaMagna

Status: Automatic Qualifier
Age: 30
World Ranking: 9
Data Golf Ranking: 2
President’s Cup Experience: Two appearances (2022, 2024)
Overall: 3-3-3
Singles: 0-0-2
Foursomes: 1-2-0
Fourball: 2-1-1

A fixture on the American side for a fifth straight cup, Burns is coming off a career year at the majors. Few players were more impressive across the entire slate, from Augusta to Shinnecock to Birkdale. There’s little reason to think he will not continue to be on these teams. We’re too quick to quip that he’s there as a binky for Scottie Scheffler, being his best friend. But that continues to be unfair to Burns’s actual play, which has been extremely strong throughout and especially this year (also, he carried Scottie during a poor putting stretch in his team debut at Quail Hollow in 2022). Besides, at the last two cups, he has not played with Scottie at all, partnering with Patrick Cantlay exclusively at Bethpage and mixing in some Collin Morikawa the last couple years. He remains one of, if not the, very best putters on the PGA Tour. But this year was about so much more than that at the biggest events. –Brendan Porath

Status: Automatic Qualifier
Age: 37
World Ranking: 6
Data Golf Ranking: 7
President’s Cup Experience: One appearance (2024)
Overall: 3-1-0
Singles: 1-0-0
Foursomes: 1-1-0
Fourball: 1-0-0

All aboard the Russ Bus. Henley has been a top-25 machine the last three seasons, with 14 in 20 starts this season alone. In his Presidents Cup debut in 2024, he went 3-1-0 with three matches alongside Scottie Scheffler. He made his Ryder Cup debut last year and struggled, like most of the U.S. team, and picked up two losses with Scottie again as his partner. I’d expect the two to run it back this year, likely in fourball where they’ve had the most success. –Adam Woodard

Status: Automatic Qualifier
Age: 29
World Ranking: 11
Data Golf Ranking: 10
President’s Cup Experience: Two appearances (2022, 2024)
Overall: 6-2-0
Singles: 2-0-0
Foursomes: 2-2-0
Fourball: 2-0-0

You might not buy it, but I can make a case that this was Collin Morikawa’s best season as a professional. He had the best year of his career with the putter (.40 Strokes Gained), his irons were typically superb (.95 Strokes Gained Approach), and his driver wasn’t a liability, despite having a disadvantage in distance. He was 22nd on the PGA Tour Off the Tee. So why did he win only once all year? The back injury that forced him to withdraw from the Players seemed to make him a little tentative early in the season, but it wasn’t an obvious liability. He was great on Sundays (fourth best scoring average on Tour in final rounds) and played well in three of the majors. It might just be that professional golf is deep, and winning is difficult. When someone is a great iron player, you can pair them with anyone, and Morikawa is proof of that. He’s been a partner with Scheffler, Young, Burns, and Sahith Theegala the last two cups. Expect to see some combination of that again. –Kevin Van Valkenburg

Status: Captain’s Pick
Age: 27
World Ranking: 7
Data Golf Ranking: 13
President’s Cup Experience: Rookie

Arguably the most fascinating player in the entire Presidents Cup before the balls are struck. Hindsight being 20/20, Gotterup should have been on the Ryder Cup team at Bethpage. He was one of the last cuts for Keegan Bradley, and then left no doubt this year. Gotterup is an indisputably likable fellow, relatable, emotional, and proven to be nails when he’s in the hunt late on Sundays. Expect the American audiences to rally behind him in a major way due to the three Ps – personality, play, and physique. They want to go nuts for this guy. And given that he had an absurdist social media mashup overflowing with patriotism ready to ship as soon as he was announced on the team, Gotterup seems ready to lean into it, too. He has to maintain his level, of course, but this could be the start of a stalwart run on these American rosters, and opposing sides coming to dispute that whole “likability” factor. –Brendan Porath

Status: Captain’s Pick
Age: 32
World Ranking: 10
Data Golf Ranking: 9
President’s Cup Experience: Three appearances (2019, 2022, 2024)
Overall: 10-4-0
Singles: 3-0-0
Foursomes: 4-1-0
Fourball: 3-3-0

It’s been an unusual year for Schauffle. He didn’t win a tournament, but he did play well in all of golf’s biggest events, finishing third at the Players, ninth at the Masters, seventh at the PGA Championship, 11th at the U.S. Open, and 18th in the Open Championship. His driver and his irons have been excellent, but if you had to point to one reason he’s slipped a bit from the player he was in 2024 (when he won two majors), the easiest culprit is the putter. He just isn’t rolling it like he once did, and is nearly half a shot worse per round than he was two years ago. That said, he’s arguably been the best American in his event the last three cycles. Only Justin Thomas has more points, and Schauffele has never been beaten in singles. The U.S. can’t seem to solve its woes in Ryder Cup foursomes, but Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay are a formidable pair in the Presidents Cup. Their 4-1-0 record is the best all-time in that format for any American pairing. –Kevin Van Valkenburg

Status: Captain’s Pick
Age: 33
World Ranking: 22
Data Golf Ranking: 25
President’s Cup Experience: Three appearances (2017, 2019, 2022)
Overall: 10-3-2
Singles: 0-3-0
Foursomes: 4-0-2
Fourball: 6-0-0

The heartbeat of the U.S. team. Justin Thomas was born to play in team events, but would it shock you to learn that, despite his 10-3-2 Presidents Cup record, he’s winless in singles, with losses to Si Woo Kim (2022), Cameron Smith (2019), and Hideki Matsuyama (2017)? On the season, Thomas was good-not-great all year, with just one missed cut and 10 top-25 finishes. He never really sniffed a win outside of a T-4 at the PGA Championship, but expect the fiery American to be up and ready to go in Chicago. –Adam Woodard

Status: Captain’s Pick
Age: 26
World Ranking: 29
Data Golf Ranking: 23
President’s Cup Experience: Rookie

I loved the Jacob Bridgeman selection. I covered the 26-year-old a bunch when he was leading the Clemson Tigers in college and have been waiting his breakout season on the PGA Tour. This year, Bridgeman picked up his first win at the Genesis Invitational of all places and added four more top-five finishes thanks largely by leading the Tour in SG: Putting on the season. He’s an absolute assassin with the flatstick and will be a fun player to watch all week. –Adam Woodard

Status: Captain’s Pick
Age: 34
World Ranking: 27
Data Golf Ranking: 8
President’s Cup Experience: Three appearances (2019, 2022, 2024)
Overall: 10-4-0
Singles: 3-0-0
Foursomes: 4-1-0
Fourball: 3-3-0

Dread it. Run from it. Destiny arrives all the same… and now, it’s here. Or should I say, Team Event Patrick Cantlay is.

Over four years removed from his last win, Patrick Cantlay is back on the American side for his seventh (!!!) consecutive team event. How’d he get here? Playoff P showed up at the exact right time, cashing in his only top-five finish of 2026 with a runner-up at the BMW Championship. The result launched him into the FedEx Cup top 30 and solidified another year of major starts in 2027. Cantlay was a non-factor for most of the year, finishing in the top 10 in just five of his 20 starts. He poked his head out at the Masters with a Saturday 66, but a Sunday round of 73 promptly took him out of Wikipedia Yellow territory. This week, he’ll likely run it back with longtime partner Xander Schauffele as the two extend their lead as the most-used tandem in Presidents Cup history. They’re 5-4 lifetime as a team against the Internationals, with those four losses being Cantlay’s only defeats in his three prior appearances. –PJ Clark

Status: Captain’s Pick
Age: 21
World Ranking: 65
Data Golf Ranking: 29
President’s Cup Experience: Rookie

The selection of Jackson Koivun by captain Brandt Snedeker immediately infused life into an event that needs it. The pick took some by surprise. Koivun is just 21 years old and didn’t even qualify for the second round of the FedEx Cup Playoffs. He was still playing college golf in June! Make no mistake about it: Koivun was a worthy selection. He wasn’t a worthy selection for the future – to “blood” him for future Ryder Cups – he is a worthy selection now. We don’t know exactly how good Koivun is yet. Or how good he is going to be. What we know is that he is doing exactly what future superstars do: flash signs of excellence at an extremely young age. He finished T-23 at this summer’s U.S. Open without his A-game and won three starts later at the 3M Open. Perhaps he’ll have a bad day at the Presidents Cup. Young golfers often aren’t as consistent as older, more polished players. But expectations should be high for what Koivun brings to the table. Not at Adare Manor. Not in 2030. Right now. –Joseph LaMagna