The 2026 Presidents Cup begins Thursday at Medinah Country Club in Chicago, with the opening day featuring five four-ball matches. In the format, all four players compete with their own balls, and the lowest score from each team counts on every hole. Ten players from each side will compete, leaving two members of each team on the bench for the session.
U.S. captain Brandt Snedeker and International captain Geoff Ogilvy were scheduled to reveal their selections and matchups Wednesday afternoon. The captains make their choices independently, meaning neither knows which players the opposing captain has assigned to each match. Thursday’s action is scheduled for 12:30 to 7 p.m. ET, with coverage on Golf Channel and a live simulcast on GC Mobile.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler’s potential pairing has been a major talking point. Scheffler enters the event with a combined Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup match-play record of 6-11-4, a surprising mark given his dominance in individual competition. Snedeker acknowledged that pairing the world’s best player can be difficult, saying there may be “an inherent—not fear for the guy they’re playing with, but a feeling of ‘I’m letting him down.’”
Scheffler said team golf is “totally different” from a 72-hole tournament and admitted that his competitiveness may sometimes lead him to try too hard. “Over 18 holes, anything can happen,” he said, adding that the format is ultimately about making birdies. Sam Burns offered a hint that he could partner Scheffler, telling reporters that his teammate’s name starts with “S,” while also saying that any U.S. player would be excited to play alongside the No. 1 player in the world. Medinah’s renovated layout is expected to add another layer of strategy, with players choosing between aggressive lines toward fairway bunkers and safer routes that may leave longer or more difficult approach shots.