The International Team face an uphill battle to end their Presidents Cup drought this week at Medinah Country Club, where they will attempt to replicate the kind of dramatic final-day heroics that saw Team Europe claim Ryder Cup glory at the same venue 14 years ago. With coverage live on Sky Sports, Geoff Ogilvy's squad heads into the contest as substantial underdogs, seeking to avoid an 11th consecutive defeat to Team USA.
The United States have claimed every Presidents Cup title since 2005 and have suffered just a single defeat in the event's entire history—before seven of the 24 players competing this week were even born. All conventional wisdom suggests that winning streak will extend further in Illinois.
For Team USA, anything short of victory is unacceptable. The Americans suffered a humbling home Ryder Cup loss just 12 months ago, where only a singles comeback prevented an even more damaging scoreline. Captain Brandt Snedeker is acutely aware of the pressure to deliver and has made clear his team must reset expectations.
It's the elephant in the room you have to address. Just because these last Presidents Cup teams have been successful, doesn't mean we're going to be successful. We have to reset the bar for our team, tell them we have a standard to play to and we're 0-0. These 12 guys have accomplished nothing and we're going to hammer that into them.
Snedeker's words underline the weight of expectation on American shoulders after their recent Ryder Cup disappointment.
On paper, Team USA possess a significantly stronger roster based on world rankings and PGA Tour credentials. The International Team arrive with four rookies and merely three players ranked inside the world's top 30, a composition that appears eclectic compared to their opponents' star-studded line-up. According to PGA Tour coverage, the International roster includes rookies such as Nico Echavarria, Ryan Fox and Ryo Hisatsune, alongside seasoned campaigners Hideki Matsuyama and Adam Scott.
Yet history suggests that being favoured on paper carries no guarantee of success. The Ryder Cup has repeatedly demonstrated this principle, with Team Europe typically cast as underdogs but having won nine of the last 12 editions. Golf analyst Brandel Chamblee highlighted this dynamic when speaking to Golf Channel.
These team events are so compelling of what Europe has done. Europe have shown that a cohesion of a team can overcome a huge talent gap. Almost every time it is played, you are the underdogs and just thrash the United States. Many people will think a massive victory for the United States is a foregone conclusion and they're a massive favourite, but sport loves an underdog.
Ogilvy is prepared to embrace the challenge ahead, and he believes the gap between the two teams is narrowing. Team USA required a final-day comeback to prevail in 2019 and overcame being swept in a foursomes session during the 2024 edition, suggesting vulnerability.
Clearly winning something for the first time—the first time in a very long time—it's probably more difficult than if you're winning all the time. But we're getting closer all the time.
Ogilvy, who was involved in the course redesign at Medinah, understands the venue intimately and sees reasons for optimism despite the historical odds.
Seven nations unite under the shield
The International Team comprises seven different nationalities, with all players outside the United States and Europe competing under a black and gold 'shield' emblem introduced by Ernie Els in 2019 to foster team unity.
Nico Echavarria claimed the Cognizant Classic on the PGA Tour this season, while Tom Kim won the Genesis Scottish Open. Both arrive in Chicago in strong form. Adam Scott and Ryan Fox travelled to the venue following impressive performances on the DP World Tour at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
Fox, the reigning Champion Golfer of the Year, spoke about drawing inspiration from European team culture and the possibility of replicating their success.
I think we can learn a lot from Europe, just not being intimidated by it. I feel like we know a lot of the European players really well and if these guys can do it, we can do it, too. We can definitely emulate them and take a little bit out of how they get together as a team. I think the European Team has done a really good job of that over probably the last decade, maybe even longer, just having one collective goal. I feel like we're getting pretty close to that as an International Team—certainly feels like that this year. I think that's the way we win: have that collective goal, all buy into it, and it will be an exciting week for us.
Fox's comments capture the growing belief within the International camp that unity and collective purpose can overcome the talent disparity on paper.
European dominance across team golf
Team Europe currently hold both the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup following victories in New York and the Netherlands respectively. Masters champion Rory McIlroy has expressed hope that the International Team can complete a clean sweep by claiming the Presidents Cup.
All we need now is the Internationals to do it—that would be great.
McIlroy's wish remains unlikely, though far from impossible. The 2026 Presidents Cup begins at Medinah Country Club with opening ceremony coverage and match play scheduled across September 24-27, 2026, providing four days of compelling competition.
The road ahead
The competition schedule calls for opening ceremony coverage before the first matches, with the event running through September 27, 2026. Medinah Country Club's Course No. 3 will host the contest, with the venue's redesign history and specific course features playing a role in how the competition unfolds.
Expect four days of passion and excitement regardless of whether this proves to be the week the International Team finally end their losing streak. While McIlroy's dream of a European sweep may not materialise, the possibility of an upset remains tantalisingly real. Watch the United States take on the International Team exclusively live on Sky Sports, with all four days broadcast from Thursday on Sky Sports Golf.
