The United States holds a narrow 3-2 lead over the International Team after the opening four-ball session of the 2026 Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club, setting up a high-stakes slate of Friday foursomes matches. U.S. Captain Brandt Snedeker and International Captain Geoff Ogilvy have locked in their alternate-shot pairings for Friday afternoon outside Chicago, where the Americans look to build on their advantage and the visitors search for a momentum shift.
Friday Foursomes Pairings and Tee Times
Alternate shot, widely regarded as the most difficult format in team match play, places a premium on strategic pairings. Friday’s afternoon session features five matches starting at 2:05 p.m. ET, broadcast live on Golf Channel and streaming on Peacock.
- Match 1 (2:05 p.m. ET): Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns (U.S.) vs. Corey Conners and Nick Taylor (International)
- Match 2 (2:19 p.m. ET): Russell Henley and Jacob Bridgeman (U.S.) vs. Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im (International)
- Match 3 (2:33 p.m. ET): Wyndham Clark and Collin Morikawa (U.S.) vs. Ryan Fox and Min Woo Lee (International)
- Match 4 (2:47 p.m. ET): Justin Thomas and Cameron Young (U.S.) vs. Adam Scott and Christiaan Bezuidenhout (International)
- Match 5 (3:01 p.m. ET): Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay (U.S.) vs. Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim (International)
For Friday’s session, Chris Gotterup and Jackson Koivun will sit out for the U.S. team, while Nico Echavarria and Ryo Hisatsune will watch from the sidelines for the International squad.
Analyzing the Opening Day Momentum
The U.S. Team secured its opening-day lead for the ninth time in the last 10 editions of the tournament thanks to gritty performances in Thursday’s four-balls. Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns narrowly delivered a point by defeating Min Woo Lee and Sungjae Im 1-up. Snedeker opted to run that successful pairing back immediately for Friday’s opening foursomes match against Canadians Corey Conners and Nick Taylor.
Justin Thomas anchored the American effort on Thursday, teaming up with rookie Jackson Koivun to defeat Conners and Nico Echavarria 4 and 3. Thomas now pairs with Cameron Young on Friday, facing Adam Scott and Christiaan Bezuidenhout. Meanwhile, Wyndham Clark and Collin Morikawa return together after securing a 3-2 win over Ryan Fox and Adam Scott on Thursday, setting up a Friday clash against Fox and Min Woo Lee.
The International side earned their points through resilient play, highlighted by Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Hisatsune defeating Cameron Young and Xander Schauffele 3 and 1, alongside Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim closing out Thursday with a 3 and 2 victory over Chris Gotterup and Patrick Cantlay.
A High-Stakes Rematch in Match 5
The anchor match of the Friday session brings a direct rematch from two years ago at Royal Montreal. Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim return as Ogilvy’s top anchoring pairing to face Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay. Two years ago, Cantlay and Schauffele eked out a 1-up foursomes victory over the Kims in a match punctuated by memorable celebrations. Cantlay and Schauffele boast a 5-1 overall record in Presidents Cup competition, including a 4-1 mark when playing alternate shot together.
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