The 2026 Presidents Cup at Chicago's Medinah Country Club begins Thursday, Sept. 24, and Team USA is a massive favorite to win for an 11th consecutive time ahead of Day 1.
My golf picks align with the current Presidents Cup odds, with the star-studded Americans expected to grab an early lead and take down the International squad once again.
Below are additional Presidents Cup picks for the marquee competition.
⛳ Key takeaways
- Best early pick: Team USA to win (82%) - The Americans are considerably more talented and have dominated this event to the tune of a 13-1-1 record that includes 10 consecutive victories
- Medinah Country Club (No. 3): Features wide fairways and massive multi-tiered greens, offering a long 7,548-yard layout optimized for aggressive match-play strategy
- Weather: Early forecasts call for comfortable, overcast autumn conditions with highs in the 65-75°F range and light winds
- Trading volume: There's been $420,095 traded as of Thursday morning, with the market moving slightly to the USA side to win ahead of today's matches
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📇 Presidents Cup top picks
| Pick |  Probability |
|---|---|
 Team USA to win |
82% |
| Team USA to win Day 1 |
55% |
| Xander Schauffele Top Scorer |
11% |
| 🌎 Sungjae Im Top International scorer | 11% |
Percentages courtesy of Kalshi.
Kalshi is a regulated financial exchange where you trade on real-world event outcomes. Instead of traditional odds, prices are listed as percentages (0-100%), representing the market’s estimated probability of an event occurring.
📊 Presidents Cup odds
The 2026 Presidents Cup runs at Medinah Country Club from Thursday, Sept. 24, through Sunday, Sept. 27.
Percentages courtesy of Kalshi.
The Americans traded as high as 85.9% in May, so while Team USA is still a colossal favorite, the long number on the International Team has drawn traders' attention.
Additionally, while the Americans could see their number dip even further, I’m not anticipating it because they’re the superior team by a significant margin.
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🏆 Who will win the Presidents Cup?
Pick: Team USA to win (81%)
The Americans boast a 13-1-1 all-time Presidents Cup record, including 10 consecutive tournament victories. With the 2026 edition returning to home soil, I'm fully confident the U.S. side will make it 11 straight wins (playable to 88%).
There is a huge talent gap between the two teams. Team USA has seven of the top eight players in true strokes gained tee-to-green in 2026 in this event, in addition to having 10 golfers ranked inside DataGolf’s Top 15, while the International team only has Si Woo Kim.
On top of the sheer talent mismatch, the Americans also hold a significant edge in match-play experience thanks to their biennial participation in the Ryder Cup.
💰 Presidents Cup prop picks
Pick 1: Team USA to win Day 1 (55%)
The Americans have won nine of the 10 opening-day matches across the past two Presidents Cups, and I’m expecting more of the same this week.
Team USA owns the clear edge in high-end talent, but the bigger concern for the Internationals is their lack of depth. They have eight of the nine lowest-ranked players in true strokes gained tee-to-green this season, a weakness that should be exposed immediately with five matches and only 12 players per team.
Pick 2: Xander Schauffele Top Scorer (11%)
Xander Schauffele holds a sterling 10-4-0 Presidents Cup record, including a 7-2-0 ledger across the past two events, so there’s an edge in this prop market to 12%.
Schauffele's well-rounded game suits match play perfectly, and it’s clearly reinforced by his results. I also value Schauffele sporting a 6-2-0 record on U.S. soil in the far more competitive Ryder Cup.
Additionally, Schauffele concluded the 2026 season ranked eighth in adjusted scoring average and 13th in bogey avoidance while ranking fifth in this event in true strokes gained tee-to-green. He’s a perfect stylistic and statistical fit to lead the tournament in points.
Pick 3: Sungjae Im Top International Scorer (11%)
Sungjae Im carded a 5-3-2 record across his first two Presidents Cups, and he also finished the 2026 PGA Tour season strong with four consecutive Top 15 finishes while gaining true strokes across the board.
In particular, Im paced the 24 golfers in this event in putting during the heater. If the putter stays hot, Im’s match-play experience positions him to pace the Internationals in points at Medinah.
🚩 Course breakdown: Medinah Country Club
- Par & Yardage: Par 70, 7,548 yards
- Design & Architecture: Complete 2024 redesign by OCM Golf (led by International captain Geoff Ogilvy), which doubled fairway acreage and expanded green sizes by 40%
- Tournament Routing: The Presidents Cup will begin on the members' fifth hole to ensure matches reach the dramatic Lake Kadijah water holes (tournament holes No. 12 and 13)
The newly transformed Course No. 3 shifted from traditional penal rough in favor of wider fairways, massive multi-tiered greens, and clear sightlines across the property. This places a massive premium on creative shot-making and tactical angles rather than just straight driving.
Players are forced to challenge cross-bunkers and navigate complex green run-offs, and the layout rewards aggressive risk-taking to suit match play perfectly.
Players to watch:
- Scottie Scheffler: While his match-play track record doesn’t jump off the page, Scheffler is the World No. 1 for a reason and checks all the stylistic and statistical boxes to lead his side to victory
- Patrick Cantlay: This is the fourth consecutive Presidents Cup for Cantlay (10-4-0), and in addition to finishing second in the 2019 BMW Championship at Medinah, he also paces this event in true strokes gained on approach across his past 10 tournaments
- Si Woo Kim: A tee-to-green specialist with a 6-5-0 Presidents Cup record, Kim also gained true strokes across the board during his only competitive tournament at Medinah
🔢 Key stats & player profiles to target
- True strokes gained approach, true strokes gained tee-to-green
- Birdie-or-better percentage
- True strokes gained off-the-tee
- True strokes gained around-the-green, scrambling percentage
- Match play experience
Players to watch:
- Collin Morikawa: The ball-striking precision has translated to a 6-2-0 Presidents Cup record, and Morikawa finished the 2026 season fourth in birdie-or-better percentage
- Justin Thomas: Elite 10-3-2 Presidents Cup record, and he also won the 2019 BMW Championship at Medinah
- Ryan Fox: The reigning Open Champion finished sixth in Par-4 birdie-or-better percentage in 2026, and Fox will be a key rookie for the International squad
📺 How to watch the Presidents Cup
- Thursday: 12:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. ET on Golf Channel / Peacock
- Friday: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. ET on Golf Channel / Peacock
- Saturday: 8 a.m. – 9 a.m. ET on Golf Channel / 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. ET on NBC & Peacock
- Sunday: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. ET on NBC & Peacock
Presidents Cup FAQs
What is the Presidents Cup?
The Presidents Cup is a biennial men's team golf tournament featuring a 12-player squad from the United States playing against a 12-player International Team representing the rest of the world outside of Europe.
Who is the 2026 Presidents Cup favorite?
Team USA is an 82% favorite at Kalshi.
When is the 2026 Presidents Cup?
The 2026 Presidents Cup will be played from Thursday, Sept. 24 to Sunday, Sept. 27.
Where will the 2026 Presidents Cup be played?
The 2026 Presidents Cup will be played at Medinah Country Club in Illinois.
Who won the last Presidents Cup?
Team USA won the last Presidents Cup in 2024. The final score was 18.5-11.5 over Team International.
Are Presidents Cup odds the same across all sportsbooks?
You'll see slight to significant variations in odds across sportsbooks and prediction markets for the Presidents Cup; it's always good practice to check multiple sports betting sites for the best odds.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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