U.S. Team Captain Brandt Snedeker announces six picks for 2026 Presidents Cup

The U.S. Presidents Cup roster is set for Medinah.

Captain Brandt Snedeker announced his six captain’s picks on Tuesday during a live "Presidents Cup Selection Special" on Golf Channel from PGA Tour Studios in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

The big headline? Jackson Koivun, the 21-year-old phenom, was named to his first Presidents Cup team just months after turning pro and leaving Auburn.

Snedeker’s six picks were: Chris Gotterup, Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Jacob Bridgeman and Koivun.

The six captain’s picks join the six automatic qualifiers – Scottie Scheffler, Cameron Young, Wyndham Clark, Russell Henley, Sam Burns and Collin Morikawa – to form the full 12-man roster.

The U.S. Team has won the last 10 Presidents Cups, though a large chunk of the squad was part of the historic home loss at the Ryder Cup last fall and will be looking to get back to their winning ways.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of all 12 members of the Presidents Cup U.S. Team, beginning with the six captain’s picks.

Captain’s picks

CHRIS GOTTERUP

U.S. points list: seventh
Official World Golf Ranking: seventh
Presidents Cup appearances, record: N/A

One of three rookies on the U.S. side, Gotterup narrowly missed as captain’s pick for the U.S. Ryder Cup team at Bethpage Black. He left no doubt this year. A three-time winner this season, Gotterup carved out a Player of the Year-worthy campaign, winning three times (tied for most on Tour). His length will be an advantage to the U.S. side, particularly when paired with strong wedge players.

Captain Snedeker on Gotterup: “I have been watching Chris closely all season and it’s an understatement to say he has worked incredibly hard for this opportunity. His performance on the course speaks for itself in results but further than that, he is fearless. He embraces big stages and has showed he can contend against the best players in the world. This is a well-deserved milestone in his career and I’m excited to see what he can bring to the team."

XANDER SCHAUFFELE

U.S. points list: ninth
Official World Golf Ranking: 10th
Presidents Cup appearances, record: three (2019, 2022, 2424), 10-4-0

One half of the Americans’ most formidable duo, Schauffele has never been beaten in Singles in the Presidents Cup. He also boasts a 4-1-0 record in Foursomes, all alongside Patrick Cantlay. Schauffele has never played a Foursomes session in the Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup with anyone but Cantlay. It would be a shock if that changes. Both Cantlay and Schauffele will look to ride this momentum into 2027 after down years, by their standards.

Captain Snedeker on Schauffele: “Xander is one of the most important puzzle pieces to our team year after year and his presence means a lot. He is a leader in the team room, brings humor at the perfect times and ultimately has earned the respect of everyone in our group. When you’re putting together a U.S. Team, having a player of his caliber is a huge advantage.”

JUSTIN THOMAS

U.S. points list: 11th
Official World Golf Ranking: 21st
Presidents Cup appearances, record: Three (2017, 2019, 2022), 10-3-2

Absent from the 2024 squad in Montreal, Thomas returns and will slot back into an emotional leader role. Thomas has proven particularly lethal in Four-ball with a 6-0-0 record. Strangely, Thomas has never won a Singles match at the Presidents Cup. No matter who he plays with, it will be new. He’s played with four partners in his three Presidents Cup appearances, but none of those four made this year’s squad. He has played with Young and Cantlay in previous Ryder Cups.

Captain Snedeker on Thomas: “Justin has always embraced the responsibility and privilege of representing the United States. He loves team competition, he thrives in the atmosphere and he has a way of energizing both his teammates and the fans around him. His experience in these events is a tremendous asset, and I know he’ll play an important role both on and off the course."

PATRICK CANTLAY

U.S. points list: 13th
Official World Golf Ranking: 27th
Presidents Cup appearances, record: three (2019, 2022, 2024), 10-4-0

Well outside the top 12 in points for much of the season, Cantlay found form late in the year that surely helped Snedeker justify the pick. Cantlay is one of the U.S. Team’s most steady performers and became an unlikely emotional engine in recent Ryder Cups. He immediately slots into one of the U.S. Team’s most reliable duos alongside Schauffele.

Captain Snedeker on Cantlay: “Patrick is exactly the kind of player you want on a Presidents Cup team. His experience, consistency and ability to perform under pressure make him a no-brainer. Year after year he has proven himself as an asset to the U.S. Team, not to mention he continues to prove himself as one of the strongest players on Tour. He understands what this competition is all about and we’re happy to have him in our arsenal.”

JACOB BRIDGEMAN

U.S. points list: 12th
Official World Golf Ranking: 28th
Presidents Cup appearances, record: N/A

Bridgeman has a clear directive on this roster: Roll the rock. The American led the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Putting this season and showed his mettle at Riviera earlier this year when he outlasted a pack of dangerous chasers, led by Rory McIlroy. What Bridgeman lacks off the tee can be mitigated by the right partner, freeing him up to do what he does best.

Captain Snedeker on Bridgeman: “Jacob has quickly proven himself as one of the brightest young players on Tour. What impressed me most wasn’t just his win at Riviera but the way he continued playing consistent golf throughout the season, ending with a strong finish at the TOUR Championship. He'll bring some new and exciting energy as a first-timer to the team this year.”

JACKSON KOIVUN

U.S. points list: 48th
Official World Golf Ranking: 66th
Presidents Cup appearances, record: N/A

The 21-year-old is only three months removed from college life at Auburn University, though that inexperience hasn’t shown in his brief pro career. Koivun’s potential inclusion was a hot-button topic after he defeated Scottie Scheffler at the 3M Open and played his way into the Playoffs despite making only five pro starts. Koivun is a helpful piece now, but the experience will also be valuable for future iterations, as he is expected to be a foundational piece for the next decade of American teams.

Captain Snedeker on Koivun: “It’s rare to see a player this young demonstrate the level of poise and confidence that Jackson has, even before turning professional. We’ve had the opportunity to speak on several occasions, and his maturity and work ethic have always stood out. He’s already proven he can win on the biggest stage in golf on the PGA Tour, and I’m excited to watch him perform in his first team event."

Automatic qualifiers

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER

U.S. points list: first
Official World Golf Ranking: first
Presidents Cup appearances, record: two (2022, 2024), 3-5-0

The runaway world No. 1 is back for his third Presidents Cup and sixth overall U.S. team event. His record is weighed down by a particularly poor debut at Quail Hollow in 2022, but he was a steady 3-2-0 two years ago. He will again be a workhorse for the American side and will likely renew his partnership with Russell Henley. Could this be the year we see Scheffler dominate a team event?

CAMERON YOUNG

U.S. points list: second
Official World Golf Ranking: third
Presidents Cup appearances, record: one (2022), 1-2-1

The lone bright spot for the U.S. side at last year’s Ryder Cup, that performance spurred a career year on the PGA Tour. Young won THE PLAYERS Championship and the Cadillac Championship and will now transition from a role player to a key cog for the U.S. Team.

WYNDHAM CLARK

U.S. points list: third
Official World Golf Ranking: fifth
Presidents Cup appearances, record: one (2024), 1-2-1

Clark played his way into automatic qualification by winning the BMW Championship and will be one of the most in-form players on either side. Clark will be searching for a new partner(s) as neither of his 2022 teammates – Keegan Bradley or Tony Finau – are around this time.

RUSSELL HENLEY

U.S. points list: fourth
Official World Golf Ranking: sixth
Presidents Cup appearances, record: one (2024), 3-1-0

A revelation two years ago in Montreal, Henley is back as an automatic qualifier this time. Henley has played five matches of Foursomes/Four-ball between the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup. All five were played alongside Scheffler. It would be a surprise if those two aren’t together again at Medinah.

SAM BURNS

U.S. points list: fifth
Official World Golf Ranking: ninth
Presidents Cup appearances, record: two (2022, 2024), 3-3-3

Burns had an incredible Presidents Cup in Montreal two years ago, gaining 3.5 of a possible four points. He was the lone American who did not lose at least once to the International Team. He will arrive to Medinah in better form than any previous team event, with four top-five finishes in his last eight starts.

COLLIN MORIKAWA

U.S. points list: sixth
Official World Golf Ranking: 11th
Presidents Cup appearances, record: two (2022, 2024), 6-2-0

Despite a nagging back injury, Morikawa played his way into an automatic qualifying spot for the second time in his Presidents Cup career. He’s never lost in the Four-ball or Singles format and has proven an adaptable partner. He’s played with four players on the current Presidents Cup roster.