Presidents Cup preparation takes center stage at Biltmore Championship Asheville

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – As the Presidents Cup looms, preparation ramps up for the battle at Medinah Country Club in Chicago.

The inaugural Biltmore Championship Asheville plays host to seven players teeing it up next week for the 16th edition of the Presidents Cup.

For the U.S. Team, the Biltmore Championship is headlined by 21-year-old phenom and 2026 3M Open winner Jackson Koivun plus the No. 1 putter on Tour, Jacob Bridgeman.

Koivun hasn’t participated in a Tour event since the FedEx St. Jude Championship, where he failed to advance to the second round of the FedExCup Playoffs.

“It's hard to replicate the feelings of playing a PGA Tour event. The best way to do that is to just get back into it and enjoy being in the competition and having to hit shots under pressure,” Koivun said Wednesday.

Many felt as though he needed a deep run in the Playoffs to be selected by U.S. Team Captain Brandt Snedeker. Instead, Snedeker selected him outright, making him the youngest player chosen for a Presidents Cup since Jordan Spieth in 2013.

Koivun is no stranger to match play, as he played a vital role in the U.S. Walker Cup victory at Cypress Point Club in 2025 and was part of two NCAA National Championships in 2024 and 2026 during his time at Auburn University.

“Match play is one of my favorite formats. It’s so exciting playing on a team, playing for guys you can call your brothers for the rest of your life,” Koivun said during the “Presidents Cup Selection Show.” “And then you’re just going one-on-one against another person and may the best man win.”

As for the International Team, Nico Echavarria, Nick Taylor, Ryo Hisatsune, Corey Conners and Christiaan Bezuidenhout continue their preparation as they attempt to secure their first victory on American soil since the Presidents Cup debuted in 1994.

“We've talked about in the team, it's a little bit of David against Goliath. We're the underdogs. But we want to make history. The international team has never won in the United States,” Echavarria said earlier Wednesday. “So I think in a way, this group is kind of getting together as a family, is probably going to be our best chance.”

For Echavarria, his 2026 season began with a bang: a playoff victory against Ryan Gerard at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches at PGA National.

From there, becoming a member of the 2026 International Team became a momentous goal for him.

“In the middle of the summer, I was putting a lot of pressure on myself with the Presidents Cup situation. But I liked it. I liked the challenge and feeling. I wanted to get myself on the team and qualify without getting picked. Unfortunately, I didn't, but luckily I got picked.”

Part of the preparation for next week has included visits with his mental coach to help manage the emotions and nerves involved with representing his country in an international event.

“I've been pretty clear with him and talked about how nervous I'm going to be on that first tee or first session or that week overall. But he's told me a lot of, ‘You're fortunate to be feeling those nerves. You're fortunate to be here.’ Use it to your advantage. Use it to sharpen the focus,” Echavarria said in an interview ahead of the Biltmore Championship.

For the U.S. Team, the quest to continue its dominant streak begins, and for the International Team, can they finally break through on American soil?

Asheville represents the final moments of preparation to settle their nerves and build momentum before Medinah.