For the first time in the history of the Presidents Cup held on American soil, the International team leads as they approach the final day. Geoff Ogilvy’s squad began as underdogs, possessing an average world ranking of 50.8 compared to the Americans’ 15.1. Yet, a significant victory in Friday’s foursomes raised their hopes, and they maintained the lead with a score of 10.5 points against the United States’ 7.5 by Saturday.
Ogilvy commented, “Both sessions today saw us initially behind in every match, yet we clawed back to get 1.5 points this morning. This felt like a small victory since we were trailing across the board. In the afternoon, the U.S. team performed strongly, especially in foursomes. Still, our team managed a comeback, seizing two points to draw the session.”
The American team cut into the International lead with a win during Saturday morning’s fourballs, reaching 8.5-5.5. However, the afternoon foursomes ended in a 2-2 draw. The duo of Cameron Young and Chris Gotterup posted a dominant win against Adam Scott and Sungjae Im, a standout performance this week, credited to six birdies and an eagle.
Young described the day as seamlessly aligned, explaining, “With consistent partners and today’s momentum, transitioning from morning into afternoon play felt quite straightforward.”
Next, Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele avenged a previous defeat by overcoming their rivals, Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim, with a 2 and 1 victory. U.S. captain Brandt Snedeker’s faith in the pair paid off, marking a significant turnaround.
Ogilvy’s team saw more success as Ryan Fox and Min Woo Lee beat Sam Burns and Wyndham Clark, utilizing strategic play on par 3s to secure their victory. Meanwhile, Corey Conners and Nick Taylor overcame an initial setback to defeat their opponents following a setback due to a bunker shot error from the Americans.
This matches three past times when the Internationals led going into Sunday, with 1998 being their sole winning year. In 2019, they lost despite leading, but this team holds a stronger position now, needing only 5 out of 12 available singles points on Sunday compared to the U.S.’s needed 8 to win.
Brandt Snedeker acknowledged the challenge, stating, “I set high standards for myself and may not have been my best. However, the team shows determination for Sunday.” Matches like the opening Young vs. Ryo Hisatsune and further Scheffler vs. Echavarria offer promising yet uncertain outcomes.
The battle may culminate with the rookie Jackson Koivun against Si Woo Kim, potentially pivotal as the day unfolds. Snedeker emphasized readiness, expecting the U.S. to pursue victories persistently.
The start times and pairings for the crucial singles matches of the 2026 Presidents Cup at Medinah suggest an intense finale. Both teams remain poised for a competitive conclusion to the tournament.
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