Jason Day’s nagging back injury, combined with the controversial Ryder Cup “injury envelope” rule, cost the former world No. 1 a place on the International team for the 2026 Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club. International captain Geoff Ogilvy confirmed Tuesday that Day’s health was central to the decision, saying there was no “100 percent guarantee” the 38-year-old could withstand four days of competition.
Day, a five-time Presidents Cup participant and 2015 PGA Championship winner, withdrew before the 3M Open and Rocket Classic this season and missed the FedEx Cup Playoffs for the first time in 18 years. Ogilvy said he had discussed the injury with Day extensively but felt rushing his rehabilitation created too much risk. “He needs to go and look after his back and get himself back to 100 percent,” Ogilvy said.
The captain was also mindful of last year’s Ryder Cup situation at Bethpage Black, where Viktor Hovland injured his neck and could not play Sunday singles against Harris English. Under the injury-envelope rule, each captain designates one player who sits out if an opponent is unable to compete; the match is then recorded as halved. The rule, which has been in place since 1979 but had not been used since 1993, has never been applied in a Presidents Cup. Keegan Bradley subsequently called for the rule to be changed so the healthy team would receive the full point, while Hovland defended its tradition and spirit.
Ogilvy selected Corey Conners, Sungjae Im, Ryo Hisatsune, Nick Taylor, Nico Echavarria and Christiaan Bezuidenhout with his six captain’s picks. Bezuidenhout owns a 3-1-0 Presidents Cup record despite ranking 96th in the world, while the Americans will bring a deep roster led by world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas and Patrick Cantlay. The United States is 13-1-1 all-time in the event and has never lost on home soil. Scheffler enters the competition after winning the Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup in the playoffs, collecting $10 million for the season-ending victory and $23 million from the FedEx Cup bonus pool.