There is no denying the incredible talent of golfer Scottie Scheffler. Holding the number one spot globally for good reason, he has completely ruled the PGA Tour throughout the past few seasons.
However, Scheffler’s difficulties in international team competitions—a persistent issue he has yet to resolve—persisted this Thursday at Chicago’s Medinah Country Club.
On Thursday, Scheffler joined the lead group at the 2026 Presidents Cup, partnering with Sam Burns for the initial four-ball matchup of five against the International squad. The duo scraped by with a 1-up victory over Sungjae Im and Min Woo Lee, secured by a crucial par save on the 17th hole, securing the initial point for the United States. Additionally, this marked the very first time Burns and Scheffler emerged victorious as partners in a Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup match.
At the conclusion of play, the American team established a 3-2 advantage over their International opponents leading into Friday’s foursome contests. The United States has now held the lead following the first session in 12 out of the 16 Presidents Cups played.
“We simply fought hard to remain competitive,” remarked Scheffler. “It seemed like both sides launched into the day with a lot of momentum, but then things began to slow down a bit after that opening burst.”
Scheffler began his round with an impressive walk-in birdie, though that proved to be his sole major highlight of the day. Lee and Im quickly leveled the score as Scheffler found it difficult to generate any real momentum. Among other missteps, he missed the green on the brief par-3 seventh hole, sending his tee shot sailing into the spectators, and he found little success on the greens for the remainder of the round.
Consequently, the burden fell mostly on Burns to keep the partnership afloat. He rolled in a crucial birdie putt on the ninth to keep the score level at the turn, while Lee and Im failed to convert three consecutive birdie opportunities that could have put them ahead for the first time. The International pair eventually took the lead on the 13th hole when Scheffler failed to convert a short three-foot birdie attempt, but Burns responded by sinking a putt on the 14th to tie the match once more.
Scheffler subsequently converted a four-foot putt for par on the 17th, whereas Im squandered a similar opportunity in a costly error, giving the Americans a decisive lead. Nevertheless, Scheffler had to rescue par from a green side bunker on the final hole to prevent the match from ending in a draw.
Scheffler’s performance in team matches for his country remains less impressive than his individual achievements. He holds a 3-6-3 lifetime record at the Ryder Cup and arrived at this tournament with a 3-5-1 standing in Presidents Cup play. Furthermore, Scheffler has yet to claim victory in a single-player match at the Presidents Cup, despite carrying a 2-0-1 record in singles during Ryder Cup competitions.
Scheffler and Burns, who share a close friendship outside of golf, held a disappointing 0-3-1 collective record when playing as a duo in prior Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup events before securing Thursday’s victory. It was a less-than-ideal partnership record.
Fortunately for Scheffler and his teammates, the United States holds the advantage at the end of the opening day in Chicago, though their lead remains slim.
“I witnessed our players fighting incredibly hard out on the course,” stated U.S. captain Brandt Snedeker. “I am deeply proud of their efforts. Winning a session is always a success, and we will gladly accept it however it comes. I’m thrilled that Scottie and Sam could lead the charge in that opening match and secure a vital victory to set the tone for us.
“It is a lengthy tournament, and this was only the initial session. We still have four remaining. I am just so pleased with how the team kicked off our campaign.”
Dominant Victories for Thomas-Koivun and Clark-Morikawa
Though the pairing of Scheffler and Burns had to fight hard, two subsequent American duos quickly wrapped up their respective contests.
Justin Thomas and newcomer Jackson Koivun powered their way to a convincing 4&3 victory against Corey Conners and Nico Echavarria during the afternoon’s third matchup. Koivun carded three birdies on the opening nine holes to establish an early advantage, demonstrating remarkable composure for a player who only debuted on the PGA Tour in the middle of this season.
Thomas subsequently holed a birdie putt from off the putting surface on the 14th to restore their three-up lead, putting the match out of reach. With this result, Thomas has claimed victory in seven consecutive four-ball matches at the Presidents Cup, matching the tournament’s historic record. At just 21 years old, Koivun became the second-youngest American to ever win a match at the event, trailing only Jordan Spieth in that distinction.
Wyndham Clark and Collin Morikawa enjoyed a similarly smooth path to a 3&2 win over Adam Scott and Ryan Fox. Clark spearheaded their effort by shooting four-under par on the front nine alone, keeping the International duo at a safe distance. Clark then extended their cushion to three with a birdie on the 15th, allowing the Americans to close things out on the next hole.
Scott is currently participating in his 12th Presidents Cup appearance, with Thursday marking his 55th career match, a pair of milestones that draw him even with Phil Mickelson for the most in history.
Matsuyama-Hisatsune and Kim-Kim Secure Points for the Internationals
Despite being positioned in the final and slowest-moving flight of the afternoon, Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim faced few obstacles in overcoming Patrick Cantlay and Chris Gotterup, securing a comfortable 3&2 triumph to deliver a point for the International team.
They seized command immediately by going 2-up after the first two holes. Though Gotterup and Cantlay mounted a brief comeback, recording three birdies over a four-hole span to level the match, their resurgence was short-lived. Cantlay faded from contention over the remaining holes while the Kim tandem comfortably established a three-hole lead to secure the win. Si Woo even rolled in a spectacular long-range birdie putt on the 14th that hit the back of the cup perfectly.
Tom came incredibly close to registering a hole-in-one on the 16th hole, with his tee shot striking the pin directly. A successful ace would have marked only the third in the history of the Presidents Cup.
Meanwhile, Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Hisatsune surged during the inward half to claim a 3&1 triumph. Following a tightly contested front nine, the duo secured consecutive holes just before the turn to capture momentum, as Cameron Young and Xander Schauffele found it difficult to convert their birdie opportunities. Ultimately, when Young’s birdie attempt on the 17th failed to drop, Matsuyama and Hisatsune delivered the International team’s opening point of the day.
Both squads are set to return to Medinah on Friday to compete in five foursomes, or alternate-shot, matchups.
