2026 Presidents Cup: Internationals Take 10½-7½ Lead Into Final Day at Medinah

Internationals One Day Away From History

The International team is one day away from potentially ending nearly three decades of frustration at the Presidents Cup. After repeatedly rallying from deficits throughout Saturday at Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Illinois, the Internationals take a 10½-7½ lead over the United States into Sunday’s final day of singles competition.

The three-point advantage is the largest International lead heading into the final day since 2003 in South Africa, where the Presidents Cup ultimately ended in a tie. It is only the fourth time since the event began in 1994 that the International team has held the lead entering Sunday.

Now comes the hardest part: finishing the job. The Americans have won the Presidents Cup 10 consecutive times, while the Internationals have not captured the event since 1998.

Internationals Continue Their Comeback Formula

The Internationals showed once again Saturday that they are not easily beaten, rallying from deficits in every match across the morning four-ball and afternoon foursomes sessions.

The United States narrowly won the morning four-ball session, cutting the International advantage to three points. The afternoon foursomes session ended in a 2-2 split, leaving the Internationals with their 10½-7½ overall lead. The Internationals’ ability to close matches has been one of the defining storylines of the week.

Min Woo Lee played a role in both of Saturday’s major comebacks. Lee teamed with Sungjae Im in the morning and rallied from two down against Justin Thomas and Jackson Koivun to earn a half-point. In the afternoon, Lee partnered with Ryan Fox and overcame an early deficit before the duo pulled away from Sam Burns and Wyndham Clark.

The final dramatic moment came on the 18th hole when Corey Conners rolled in a six-foot par putt with both teams gathered around the green, giving the Internationals the final point of a long and emotional day.

Americans Find a Spark From Young and Gotterup

The United States did show signs of life Saturday morning, led by Cameron Young and Chris Gotterup. Young and Gotterup were outstanding in four-ball. They won the first four holes against Conners and Nick Taylor before closing out a 2-and-1 victory.

Gotterup was even more dominant in his other match, teaming with Young to build a five-hole lead through seven against Im and Adam Scott. The Americans eventually won that match 6 and 4, making it the shortest match of the week. The Chicago crowd provided plenty of energy, with Clark embracing the noise from the fans and U.S. captain Brandt Snedeker repeatedly encouraging the galleries to get louder.

The Americans twice filled the leaderboard with red numbers during the afternoon session and held at least a two-hole advantage in every foursomes match at some point. But the Internationals won two of the four matches, preventing the Americans from making a significant dent in the overall deficit.

Russell Henley and Jacob Bridgeman appeared to be in control after going 3 up through 10 holes against Taylor and Conners. But the International pair mounted another comeback and eventually secured the final point when Conners made his clutch par putt on 18.

Sunday Singles Could Decide Everything

The Americans now face a significant challenge in Sunday’s singles matches. Historically, singles have been a strength for the United States. The Americans hold a 97½-82½ advantage in singles matches dating to the inaugural Presidents Cup in 1994.

However, teams that have trailed entering the final day at the Presidents Cup have historically struggled to overcome the deficit, going 1-12-1. Snedeker responded by putting some of his biggest names at the top of the lineup in an effort to create early momentum.

Cameron Young will lead off against International rookie Ryo Hisatsune, followed by U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark against Tom Kim. Justin Thomas will face Corey Conners, while world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler will take on Nico Echavarria.

Scheffler did not play Saturday afternoon after teaming with Sam Burns to help spark an American comeback in the morning. It marked the first time since 2023 that Scheffler did not play all five matches in a Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup-style team competition.

Medinah Crowd Adds to the Drama

The atmosphere at Medinah has been a major part of the weekend, with the Chicago crowd creating a raucous environment for both teams. At one point Saturday, the crowd became so boisterous that a volunteer had to retrieve a fan’s dentures after they came loose and landed from the upper level of a hospitality tent near the 10th hole.

Lee, who made his Presidents Cup debut at Royal Montreal in 2024, has experienced a dramatically different atmosphere this week. The Internationals have embraced the pressure, particularly when matches have turned against them. Time and again, they have responded when facing deficits, putting themselves in position to enter Sunday with a three-point cushion.

Internationals Looking to Finish What They Started

The International team has already accomplished something rare by taking a lead into the final day. Now it has to convert that lead into a championship. The Americans have controlled this competition for much of its history, winning the last 10 Presidents Cups and owning the overall advantage since the event began. The Internationals last led entering Sunday at Royal Melbourne in 2019, only for the United States to rally behind playing captain Tiger Woods.

This time, the Internationals have another opportunity. With a 10½-7½ lead, they need to win enough of Sunday’s singles matches to finally break through and claim the Presidents Cup for the first time in 28 years. At Medinah, the Internationals have repeatedly shown they know how to come from behind and close out individual matches. On Sunday, they will find out whether they can do it one more time and close out the entire Presidents Cup.