Presidents Cup rain disrupts Medinah plans

Heavy rain has disrupted United States captain Brandt Snedeker’s intended course setup before the 2026 Presidents Cup begins at Medinah Country Club in Illinois on Thursday 24 September.

Snedeker said recent rainfall had softened Medinah’s No. 3 course and prevented it reaching the conditions envisaged in his preparation plan. He said the design was intended to allow balls to run through the fairways and towards the greens, with bounces and the course’s slopes affecting play. Rain during the previous 10 days, he said, had made that outcome difficult to achieve.

The United States begin with a 13-1-1 overall Presidents Cup record and 10 consecutive victories dating back to 2005. They have not been beaten since the International team won in Australia in 1998. Geoff Ogilvy’s International side are seeking only a second outright victory in the competition, after the 2003 contest ended in a tie.

Snedeker said players would have to perform regardless of the conditions. The United States have won 10 consecutive Presidents Cups.

Snedeker sees Bethpage similarity

The US captain said the Medinah situation was eerily similar to the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, where rain also softened the course during the week. Snedeker said the preparation at Medinah had not developed in line with the plan he had set with tournament staff.

He said tournament staff had worked to dry the course during the previous 48 hours, but added that there was a limit to what could be achieved after the rainfall. Snedeker said a substantial dry-out would be needed for Medinah to reach the playing conditions intended by its design.

Golf Magic reported that eight of the 12 United States players were inside the world’s top 24 entering the contest. Sky Sports and Irish Golfer reported that the International side contains four rookies and only three players inside the world’s top 30.

The US team includes Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay, Justin Thomas and Cameron Young. The International line-up includes Hideki Matsuyama, Adam Scott, Tom Kim, Si Woo Kim, Min Woo Lee, Ryan Fox and Nico Echavarria.

Those ranking figures illustrate the scale of the task facing the Internationals, although Ogilvy has said recent editions were more closely contested during play than some final scorelines suggested.

Ogilvy cites International team spirit

Ogilvy said the spirit within his group was strong and that the team had shared more collective experiences during the year than normal. He said the players had arrived in Illinois in good spirits and had been excited about the tournament for a considerable period.

The International captain also said recent final scorelines had not always reflected how closely the contests had developed. Discussing Montreal, Ogilvy said the Internationals won more individual holes than the United States despite the final result. He said that was evidence that the team had been playing sufficiently well.

Ogilvy’s squad includes players with recent individual achievements. Fox arrives as reigning Open champion, while Tom Kim and Echavarria have each won on the PGA Tour this season. Sky Sports also reported that Fox and Scott reached Chicago after strong performances at the BMW PGA Championship on the DP World Tour.

Fox said at Wentworth that the International players could learn from Europe’s team approach, particularly by avoiding intimidation when facing the United States and committing to a collective objective. Europe do not compete in the Presidents Cup. Sky Sports reported that the International team is made up of players from outside the United States and Europe, with seven nationalities represented in this year’s side.

Medinah hosted Europe’s final-day Ryder Cup comeback 14 years earlier. Golf reported that Ogilvy was involved in the course’s recent renovation.

How the Presidents Cup will be played

The competition runs across four days and comprises 30 matches, with one point available for each match. The first side to reach 15.5 points will win the Cup.

All 24 players will take part in the Sunday singles. Sky Sports Golf will show live action from all four days in the UK. Before the opening fourballs, however, Snedeker said the rain had made it difficult for Medinah to dry after disrupting the setup he had intended.