U.S. Completes Historic Comeback to Win 2026 Presidents Cup at Medinah

Americans Rally From Three Point Deficit to Beat Internationals 17-13

The deficit was larger than anything the United States had ever faced at home in the Presidents Cup. The celebration Sunday afternoon, however, was all too familiar. The Americans rallied from a three-point deficit entering singles to produce the most dominant final-day performance in Presidents Cup history, winning 9½ of the 12 available points and completing a 17-13 victory over the International team at Medinah Country Club.

The victory gave the United States its 11th consecutive Presidents Cup title. From world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler to 21-year-old rookie Jackson Koivun, the U.S. players passed the gold trophy down the line during the celebration. It was fitting for a comeback that required contributions throughout the lineup.

After trailing 10½-7½ entering Sunday the first time the International team had ever carried a lead into singles on U.S. soil the Americans overwhelmed the visitors in the final session. The U.S. won nine matches, lost two and halved another, collecting 9½ points to the Internationals’ 2½. 

Americans Set the Tone Early

The comeback began almost immediately. Cameron Young defeated Ryo Hisatsune 3 and 2 in the opening match, closing with a spectacular 31-foot birdie on the 16th hole. Justin Thomas followed with a 5-and-3 victory over Corey Conners, while Scheffler defeated Nico Echavarria 2 and 1.

Chris Gotterup also earned an early U.S. point, while Tom Kim and Sungjae Im provided the International team’s only singles victories. Suddenly, the three-point deficit that had looked so daunting Saturday night was disappearing.

Scheffler’s match also produced one of the day’s most notable moments. During Echavarria’s backswing on the 14th hole, a fan yelled, causing the Colombian’s tee shot to veer badly right. Scheffler confronted the fan and later, after missing his own birdie attempt, conceded Echavarria’s lengthy par putt rather than taking advantage of the disruption. Scheffler eventually closed out the match on the 17th.

Morikawa and Koivun Deliver Key Comebacks

The Internationals had spent three days outplaying the Americans in team matches, taking control with a 5-0 sweep in Friday’s foursomes and carrying that momentum into Saturday. But singles changed everything. Collin Morikawa rallied past Hideki Matsuyama, while Koivun produced one of the most impressive individual comebacks of the day against Si Woo Kim.

The American rookie was two down after 10 holes before taking control on the back nine. Koivun grabbed his first lead on the 13th, added another birdie on the 15th and finished with another birdie on the 18th to secure a 2-up victory. For the 21-year-old rookie, the moment provided another defining chapter in a Presidents Cup that demanded composure from the American newcomers.

Patrick Cantlay added another crucial point by defeating Adam Scott 2 and 1. Cantlay answered a bogey on the 15th by holing a remarkable 57-foot birdie putt on the 16th, igniting the Medinah crowd before closing out the match on the following hole. 

Bridgeman Clinches the Presidents Cup

The decisive moment came from Jacob Bridgeman.With the Americans needing only one more point to officially secure the Presidents Cup, Bridgeman battled Min Woo Lee deep into the final holes. Lee’s bogey on the 18th opened the door, and Bridgeman converted the opportunity to win 1-up and clinch the Presidents Cup for the United States.

Xander Schauffele later capped the singles session with a 2-and-1 victory over Ryan Fox, giving the Americans their final point of the day and the 17-13 overall margin. The result marked the largest final-day comeback in Presidents Cup history.

Snedeker Gets His Redemption

For U.S. captain Brandt Snedeker, the celebration carried plenty of emotion. The Americans had entered Sunday facing the possibility of losing a Presidents Cup on home soil for the first time. Instead, they delivered a record-setting singles performance and turned a three-point deficit into a four-point victory.

Snedeker had shouldered responsibility for the deficit entering the final day, but his team responded with an extraordinary display of momentum and composure. The Chicago crowd played its part, producing the type of loud, relentless support that helped fuel the American charge. Some moments crossed the line, including the incident involving Echavarria, but the overwhelming atmosphere inside Medinah gave the Americans another advantage as the comeback gathered steam.

Trump Attends Final Day and Trophy Presentation

President Donald Trump, the honorary chairman of the Presidents Cup, was at Medinah for the start of Sunday’s singles matches and remained for the trophy presentation. He also attended the 2017 Presidents Cup at Liberty National during his first term.  The scene at Medinah was a stark contrast to another famous team event at the same venue.

The 2012 Ryder Cup saw Europe erase a 10-6 deficit against the United States in one of the most memorable comebacks in golf history. Fourteen years later, the Americans created their own comeback story at Medinah. This time, they were the ones celebrating.

The International Team’s Historic Opportunity Falls Short

The loss was a devastating finish for Geoff Ogilvy’s International team, which had put itself in position to make Presidents Cup history. The Internationals had never previously held a lead entering Sunday singles on American soil. After dominating Friday and playing strong team golf throughout the first three days, they needed only five points from the 12 singles matches to win the Cup.

Instead, the Americans seized control almost immediately. The International team has now gone without a Presidents Cup victory since its lone outright championship in 1998, with the 2003 competition ending in a tie. The United States improved its all-time record to 14 wins, one tie and one loss.

Another Presidents Cup Belongs to the Americans

The final score, 17-13, doesn’t fully capture how dramatic the week became. The Internationals led for only the fourth time in Presidents Cup history entering the final day, and for the first time on U.S. soil. The Americans responded by producing a singles session that erased the deficit, overwhelmed the International lineup and secured another Presidents Cup.

Now the attention turns toward the 2027 Ryder Cup in Ireland. The Americans will leave Medinah with another trophy, but the next major test of their team-golf chemistry awaits across the Atlantic. For one Sunday in Chicago, though, the Americans had their comeback. And the gold cup made its way down the line once again.