The Daily Spin – Presidents Cup Preview
Note: The pairings for Thursday will not be announced until the middle of the afternoon on Wednesday. I will add some analysis once those initial matchups drop.
DraftKings Preview: 2026 Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club
The 16th Presidents Cup arrives at a transformed Medinah Country Club Course No. 3 outside Chicago from September 24-27. Team USA, captained by Brandt Snedeker, is a heavy favorite to make it 11 straight wins against Geoff Ogilvy’s International side. DraftKings contests typically reward players who stack points through match wins and halves across four ball, foursomes, and singles. With 30 points available and 15.5 needed to win, roster construction hinges on expected playing time, pairing chemistry, current form, and the unique demands of the renovated parkland layout.
RECAP (Biltmore Championship)
The FedEx Cup Fall opened last week at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove in Asheville with the inaugural Biltmore Championship. Jacob Bridgeman, already a 2026 Genesis Invitational winner and a Snedeker captain’s pick, rallied from five shots back with a career best 10 under 61 to finish 26 under and win by two over Ben James. Bridgeman birdied three of the first four holes, eagled the par 5 eighth, saved pars at 11 and 12, then closed with a flurry. Jackson Koivun, the 21 year old amateur turned pro and another U.S. pick, posted a 63-65 weekend and tied for fifth at 21 under. J.T. Poston nearly shot 59, missing a 25 footer on the last for a 60. Neal Shipley, the 54 hole leader, faded to a 69 and tied for third.
Several International players also competed. Corey Conners, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Nick Taylor, Nico Echavarria, and Ryo Hisatsune gained competitive reps after the Tour Championship layoff. Bridgeman’s second win of the year and Koivun’s continued momentum give the U.S. side two players arriving with recent birdie making form. The event used preferred lies after rain, producing low scores on a Jack Nicklaus design that rewarded aggressive play, useful context heading into a match play week where momentum and confidence matter more than 72 hole totals.
Lineup Review
Ben James ($9,500) — 141.00 pts
Solo 2nd (−24, 260): 67-67-65-61
Off-the-tee and approach carried the first three days; putting caught fire on Sunday. He missed only five fairways all week and just one on Sunday, then gained nearly four strokes putting in the final round after the putter had been a weak spot Thursday–Saturday. The 10-under 61 started with an approach to about three feet and included a 25-foot birdie at 16. Tee-to-green all week plus Sunday putting was the engine.
Ben Kohles ($7,700) — 108.50 pts
T15 (−18, 266): 65-63-65-73
Approach and driving accuracy were the strengths (92.3% fairways, two eagles, 23 birdies). Friday’s 63 was the peak: he gained 5.74 strokes on the greens that round and finished with eagle-birdie. Saturday’s 65 kept the irons in play. Sunday’s 73 was the leak — 38 on the front with bogeys at 2, 5, 6, and 9.
Blades Brown ($8,800) — 99.50 pts
T17 (−17, 267): 70-68-65-64
Approach traveled. Thursday’s 70 (−1) was the soft spot; he climbed from there and closed 65-64 (11-under weekend). A 54-foot birdie at 13 was the putting highlight.
Rico Hoey — 98.00 pts
T39 (−13, 271): 67-67-70-67
Off-the-tee held up (82% accuracy, 302-yard average). GIR was fine at 69.6%; scrambling was the miss at 33.3% saves. Saturday’s 70 (−1) was the quiet round; another 67 on Sunday banked the floor.
Kevin Roy — 96.00 pts
T24 (−15, 269): 67-67-71-64
67-67 to start, even-par 71 Saturday, then a 7-under 64 Sunday that locked T24. Driving and Sunday scoring were the pluses; Saturday was the dip.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout — 33.50 pts
MC after 73-67 (T77, −2)
Thursday putting was the funeral: he lost 2.259 strokes on the greens in the opening 73. Driving accuracy was fine (80.8%). GIR was only 63.9%, so irons were messy too, but losing more than two strokes on the greens in one round on a birdie course is what made that day embarrassing. Friday’s 67 (−4) was a bounce-back. Too late.
Five of six made the weekend and four finished T24 or better. James’s Sunday putter and Kohles gaining 5.74 strokes on the greens Friday created the ceiling; Brown, Hoey, and Roy held the floor. All in all it was a great way to start the fall and earned me my fifth straight winning week in cash, a fantastic feeling after really having to battle for wins earlier in the season.
Course
Medinah Country Club Course No. 3 now measures approximately 7,548-7,564 yards and plays as a par 70 for the Presidents Cup after the 2023-24 OCM renovation (Geoff Ogilvy, Mike Cocking, Ashley Mead). The Australian firm, coincidentally led by the International captain, removed two redundant par 3s and the old short par 4 15th, added three new holes, widened fairways from 29 to 58 acres, doubled bunker count from 70 to 117 (sand area to 204,000 square feet), enlarged greens more than 40 percent to roughly 8,600 square feet on average, and slashed tree cover and rough acreage. The result is a more open, strategic, Melbourne Sandbelt inspired layout rather than the old tree lined corridor test.
Lake Kadijah still defines several holes, but angles have changed. Matches start on the regular fifth hole so that the dramatic new lakeside stretch is more likely to be in play; the member first through fourth become 15-18. Expect a mix of long par 4s (several 470-510 yards), two reachable par 5s, and varied par 3s. Larger, multi tiered greens and more bunkers punish poor approaches and reward precise iron play and short game creativity. Out of bounds and water remain factors on select holes. The 2012 Ryder Cup and 2019 BMW Championship (Justin Thomas 25 under with a 61) showed the old course could yield low scores when soft. The new version should still allow birdies if players stay in the short grass, but the added sand and strategy should produce more hole by hole drama typical of match play.
Course Comps
The closest recent stroke play comp is the 2019 BMW Championship on the pre renovation No. 3 (7,613 yards, par 72). Soft conditions produced a 25 under winning score by Justin Thomas, with Patrick Cantlay second and Hideki Matsuyama third after a pair of 63s. Ball strikers and putters who could attack the old greens thrived. The 2012 Ryder Cup at the same venue produced Europe’s famous Sunday comeback; match play volatility and home crowd energy were decisive.
Other useful comps include recent Presidents Cups at Quail Hollow (2022) and Royal Montreal (2024), parkland courses with water and length that favored elite ball strikers. Muirfield Village (2013 Presidents Cup) and Liberty National also rewarded driving accuracy plus GIR. The post reno Medinah sits between old Medinah’s tightness and a more open, bunker heavy modern championship course. Players who excel at courses with large greens, strategic bunkering, and occasional water (TPC Southwind, Quail Hollow, even certain setups at East Lake) should translate well. Avoid over relying on 2019 scoring averages. The new routing and turf will play differently, especially in cooler September air.
Field
Team USA automatic qualifiers: Scottie Scheffler, Cameron Young, Wyndham Clark, Sam Burns, Russell Henley, Collin Morikawa. Captain’s picks: Chris Gotterup, Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, Jacob Bridgeman, Patrick Cantlay, Jackson Koivun. The roster features overwhelming tee to green strength and multiple recent winners. Seven of the world’s top ball strikers sit on the American side. Rookies Bridgeman (fresh off a win), Koivun (3M Open winner), and Gotterup add youth and fearlessness.
International automatic qualifiers: Si Woo Kim, Ryan Fox, Hideki Matsuyama, Min Woo Lee, Tom Kim, Adam Scott. Picks: Corey Conners, Nico Echavarria, Sungjae Im, Ryo Hisatsune, Nick Taylor, Christiaan Bezuidenhout. Matsuyama remains the veteran anchor (seventh appearance). Si Woo Kim and Sungjae Im bring match play pedigree. Conners and Bezuidenhout offer Canadian and South African reliability. The side lacks the same depth of top 10 talent; only a handful sit inside the world top 20. Experience gap and recent form disparity explain the betting markets (USA roughly -400 to -600). Captains will sit some players in early sessions. Expect Scheffler, Schauffele, Thomas, Morikawa, and Cantlay to see heavy minutes for the U.S., while Matsuyama, the Kims, Im, and Conners log the most for the Internationals.
Weather
Forecasts for Medinah through Sunday call for seasonably cool, dry conditions. Highs in the mid 60s to around 70°F, overnight lows in the mid 50s. Precipitation chances stay low (generally under 10 percent most sessions). Winds look light to moderate, mostly 5-10 mph with occasional higher gusts. No major storm systems are expected. Cooler air will slightly reduce carry distances compared with midsummer, but firm and fast is unlikely after typical September moisture. Scoring should be fair, with birdies available without the course becoming a pitch and putt. Light wind favors precise iron players over raw bombers who need help from the elements. Practice rounds Tuesday and Wednesday will give both teams a look at how the new turf and enlarged greens react.
Key Stats
- SGTG: 35%
- SGP: 20%
- Birdie or Better %: 15%
- Proximity: 15%
- Scrambling: 10%
- Par 5 Scoring: 5%
Those weights reflect a long, bunker heavy, large green Medinah in match play. Tee to green quality still decides most holes. Putting decides the rest once players are on the enlarged surfaces. Birdie rate and proximity matter most in four ball. Scrambling is the safety net around 117 bunkers and Lake Kadijah. Par 5 scoring is a smaller slice because there are only two of them, even if both are reachable.
Top DFS Plays
Note – Thursday matchups not announced until later in the week
Matchplay Results: One of my favorite resources each year for matchplay research is a free website put together by a guy named, Adam Sarson. It is pretty easy to find – AdamSarson.com The guy must just love matchplay golf and wants to share it for free with all of us. It is a great place to start each year for these team events.
Records
| Player | Team | Presidents Cup | PC Foursomes | PC Fourball | PC Singles | Ryder Cup | WGC Match Play | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scottie Scheffler | USA | 3-5-1 | 1-3-0 | 2-0-1 | 0-2-0 | 3-6-3 | 16-5-2 | 22-16-6 |
| Cameron Young | USA | 1-2-1 | 1-1-0 | 0-0-1 | 0-1-0 | 3-1-0 | 7-4-0 | 11-7-1 |
| Wyndham Clark | USA | 1-2-1 | 0-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 0-0-1 | 1-1-1 | 2-3-2 | |
| Sam Burns | USA | 3-3-3 | 1-2-1 | 2-1-1 | 0-0-2 | 1-3-2 | 7-0-0 | 11-6-5 |
| Russell Henley | USA | 3-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 0-2-1 | 6-10-1 | 9-13-2 |
| Collin Morikawa | USA | 6-2-0 | 2-2-0 | 2-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 4-5-2 | 4-4-4 | 14-11-6 |
| Chris Gotterup | USA | |||||||
| Xander Schauffele | USA | 10-4-0 | 4-1-0 | 3-3-0 | 3-0-0 | 7-5-0 | 11-6-3 | 28-15-3 |
| Justin Thomas | USA | 10-3-2 | 4-0-2 | 6-0-0 | 0-3-0 | 9-6-2 | 11-14-1 | 30-23-5 |
| Jacob Bridgeman | USA | |||||||
| Patrick Cantlay | USA | 10-4-0 | 4-1-0 | 3-3-0 | 3-0-0 | 6-5-2 | 12-5-2 | 28-14-4 |
| Jackson Koivun | USA | |||||||
| Si Woo Kim | INT | 6-5-1 | 2-3-0 | 3-0-0 | 1-2-0 | 8-10-3 | 14-15-4 | |
| Ryan Fox | INT | 2-1-0 | 2-1-0 | |||||
| Hideki Matsuyama | INT | 9-13-5 | 3-6-1 | 3-6-2 | 3-1-2 | 12-13-4 | 21-26-9 | |
| Min Woo Lee | INT | 2-0-1 | 0-0-0 | 0-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 3-2-1 | |
| Tom Kim | INT | 3-5-1 | 1-2-0 | 2-2-0 | 0-1-1 | 1-3-0 | 4-8-1 | |
| Adam Scott | INT | 20-28-6 | 10-10-2 | 5-12-4 | 5-6-0 | 24-26-2 | 44-54-8 | |
| Corey Conners | INT | 2-7-0 | 1-3-1 | 0-3-0 | 1-1-0 | 8-6-0 | 10-13-0 | |
| Nico Echavarria | INT | |||||||
| Sungjae Im | INT | 6-7-2 | 1-4-1 | 3-2-1 | 2-1-0 | 6-5-0 | 12-12-2 | |
| Ryo Hisatsune | INT | |||||||
| Nick Taylor | INT | 1-2-0 | 1-2-0 | |||||
| Christiaan Bezuidenhout | INT | 3-1-1 | 1-0-0 | 0-1-1 | 2-0-0 | 0-5-1 | 3-6-2 |
Premium chalk / must consider: Scottie Scheffler remains the safest high salary play. Unmatched tee to green numbers, proven big event closer, and near certain maximum minutes make him the highest floor, highest ceiling option. Pair him with a cheaper U.S. teammate if the contest allows stacking or simply take the points he is expected to generate. Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa offer similar reliability at slightly lower salaries. Both thrive on precise approaches and have strong team event résumés. Justin Thomas owns the 2019 Medinah course record and brings proven match play fire. Patrick Cantlay’s ball striking and competitiveness fit the venue.
Strong mid tier U.S. options: Sam Burns (putting and four ball upside), Cameron Young (length and recent consistency), Russell Henley (iron play and control). Jacob Bridgeman arrives with a win and confidence. If Snedeker rides the hot hand he becomes excellent value. Jackson Koivun and Chris Gotterup are boom or bust rookies who can steal points if they get favorable pairings and stay aggressive.
International values and contrarian leans: Hideki Matsuyama is the clearest INT stud, with experience, ball striking, and history at the old Medinah. Si Woo Kim and Sungjae Im have the fight and short game skills to steal matches. Corey Conners offers elite tee to green play at a lower price. Adam Scott’s 12th appearance brings veteran calm. Min Woo Lee and Tom Kim supply length and youth. Cheaper Internationals (Hisatsune, Echavarria, Taylor, Bezuidenhout, Fox) only make sense in large field GPPs if they draw favorable early pairings or if you fade an overpriced American.
Construction notes: In classic salary cap formats, build around 2-3 U.S. stars and fill with form players or Internationals who project for three plus matches. Fade players likely to sit early sessions unless the salary is tiny. Monitor official pairings Thursday morning. Chemistry and format (four ball vs. foursomes) swing ownership and expected points. Ownership will concentrate on Scheffler, Schauffele, Thomas, and Matsuyama. Differentiate with Bridgeman, Koivun, Conners, or Im in tournaments.
USA’s talent gap is real, but match play and a home crowd at a newly strategic Medinah can produce individual upsets. Focus on players who strike it well, putt with confidence, and will actually be on the course for most sessions. That combination, plus the cooler, dry forecast, should produce a high scoring, entertaining four days.
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