Presidents Cup Pairings Announced
Scheffler And Burns Lead U.S. Presidents Cup Pairings As Team Seeks History
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Key Points
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The opening match will pit Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns against South Korea’s Im Sung-jae and Australia’s Min Woo Lee, while the United States’ other pairings will face international combinations including Hideki Matsuyama-Ryo Hisatsune and Corey Conners-Nico Echavarria.
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The Presidents Cup requires 15.5 of 30 available points to win; a 15-15 tie would result in the trophy being shared. The schedule includes five four-ball matches Thursday, five foursomes Friday, mixed sessions Saturday and 12 singles matches Sunday.
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Golf Channel analyst Mark Rolfing argued that captain’s picks are not decided by the captain alone, saying automatic qualifiers also influence the choices. He suggested Spaun may have lacked the level of player support Scheffler received when he was selected for the 2021 Ryder Cup.
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Scheffler said his personal measure of success in team play is not necessarily the number of points he earns, but whether he shows up, executes and does his best: “If I can show up and do my best and execute, that for me is what I'll define as successful.”
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The U.S. team’s camaraderie has included off-course joking: Sam Burns wore a shirt featuring Scheffler’s mug shot to the team room, continuing the running joke about Scheffler’s 2024 arrest before the PGA Championship.
The United States opens the Presidents Cup at Medinah as a commanding favorite, chasing an 11th straight victory with a 13-1-1 all-time record in the event. Golf News reported that world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns headline the opening four-ball session Thursday, launching the U.S. bid for another Presidents Cup crown against the International team.
Captain Brandt Snedeker's roster strategy emphasizes chemistry and young talent, but his captain's picks have drawn scrutiny. Snedeker left off 2025 U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun—ranked 10th in qualifying points—in favor of rookies Jackson Koivun, Jacob Bridgeman, and Chris Gotterup. Scheffler addressed his team-match record, saying Golf News: "If I can show up and do my best and execute, that for me is what I'll define as successful."
Snedeker Defends Roster Choices Over Veteran Stars
Snedeker rejected the idea that Scheffler alone determines the team's fate. Golf News reported him saying: "Scottie Scheffler is not going to be the reason we win or lose this Cup necessarily. It's going to have to be 12 people pitching in and doing their job." The captain selected 21-year-old Jackson Koivun just 112 days after he won the NCAA title with Auburn. Koivun won the 3M Open in his third PGA Tour start—a stunning breakthrough.
Snedeker also picked Jacob Bridgeman, the PGA Tour's leader in strokes gained putting. Meanwhile, Spaun won the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth shortly after being told he didn't make the team. Golf Channel Analyst Mark Rolfing argued that captain's picks aren't decided by the captain alone, suggesting Spaun lacked the team support that propelled Scheffler to the 2021 Ryder Cup.
First Match Pits Scheffler-Burns Against Korean-Australian Duo
Scheffler and Burns open Thursday against South Korea's Im Sung-jae and Australia's Min Woo Lee. The other four-ball pairings pit Cameron Young and Xander Schauffele against Corey Conners and Nico Echavarria. Justin Thomas and rookie Jackson Koivun face Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Hisatsune. Golf News reported the full matchups across all Thursday four-ball sessions.
The competition spans four days with 30 points available. The U.S. needs 15.5 points to win outright. A 15-15 tie results in a shared trophy. Thursday features five four-ball matches. Friday brings five foursomes. Saturday includes mixed sessions. Sunday closes with 12 singles matches.
Young Talent Faces Real Pressure in Presidents Cup Debut
Jackson Koivun told Golf News he expects first-tee jitters: "Definitely going to feel some nerves on the first tee, but we're all human... I told Justin [Thomas] once I get my first tee shot out of the way, I'm going to be good." At 21, Koivun ranks among the youngest U.S. competitors in event history, behind only Jordan Spieth. His rapid rise from college golf to Presidents Cup underscores Snedeker's bet on youth and form over veteran resume.
Off-course chemistry has been tight. Golf News reported that Sam Burns wore a T-shirt featuring Scheffler's 2024 PGA Championship mugshot to the team room, keeping alive a running joke about Scheffler's arrest that April. The light moments signal a squad comfortable in high-pressure settings and confident about their chances.
U.S. Seeks 11th Straight Cup Victory Against Long Odds
The United States has lost only once in Presidents Cup history—in 1998 in Australia. Since 1994, the U.S. compiled a 13-1-1 record, a dominance unmatched in golf's major team competitions. Golf News noted Collin Morikawa's perspective: "History is history, and it's nice to be a part of history on the good side. But history can always be changed... it all starts 0-0." That mindset reflects the U.S. team's confidence but also respect for the challenge ahead.
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