American’s Sunday Surge Secures 11th Straight Presidents Cup
By Tyler Cheung
The USA team mounted a thrilling comeback in the 16th biennial Presidents Cup on Sunday, Sept. 27. Entering Sunday, the Americans were at a three-point deficit to the Internationals with 12 singles matches to be played. They went on to win nine matches outright with notable wins by world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and 21-year-old first-timer, Jackson Koivun. The tournament concluded with a winning putt from short-distance by Jacob Bridgeman, making his Presidents Cup debut.
Coming into the tournament, the Americans were heavy favorites, having won the previous 10 Presidents Cups and boasting a roster that was significantly stronger on paper. The average world ranking of the American roster was 15, conversely the International team’s was 50.
Despite being clear underdogs, the Internationals played exceptionally well to start the tournament. The Americans led 3-2 after Thursday, but the Internationals swept Friday’s foursome format taking a 7-3 lead. They maintained most of the lead through the Saturday sessions, finishing with a three-point lead, setting up a decisive Sunday.
Jackson Koivun has emerged as golf’s biggest rising star in recent months. After a decorative amateur career at Auburn, he earned his PGA Tour card in June 2026. In his third professional start, Koivun shot 25 under at the 3M Open, holding off proven winners Scottie Scheffler and Hideki Matsuyama en route to the win and more than $1.5 million. He undoubtedly had talent, but was extremely inexperienced, having never been a part of a President Cup like tournament. Koivun was paired with veteran Justin Thomas on Thursday and Saturday. The duo came out with a win and a tie.
On Sunday, the world took notice of his performance against Si Woo Kim, the International team’s top-ranked player. Koivun fell behind early but came firing back, winning four of five holes through the 15th. Going into the final hole, Koivun was one up and just needed to tie the hole to earn a full point. He had previously struggled under high pressure, hitting a really poor tee shot on the final hole at the 3M Open. Not this time, he hit two near-perfect shots, sealing the full point and giving the Americans enough momentum to finish off the win. Jackson Koivun ended the Presidents Cup as the only American not to lose a match.
The standout player on the International side was Tom Kim. The 24-year-old South Korean went 4-1 in the tournament and was a big reason the International team exceeded expectations.
The PGA Tour is largely driven by individual performances. This often causes it to lack the competitive team loyalty that fans find in many other sports. Despite being an individually driven sport, the PGA Tour can still create meaningful tournaments that reshape golf’s image.
Following the hype surrounding the Ryder Cup, the Presidents Cup has helped carry that momentum forward, showing that team play can bring a different level of excitement and energy to the sport.
Golf events like the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup go against this narrative. Founded in 1927, the Ryder Cup remains a staple match-play event that includes team-based competition which created a rivalry in golf between Europe and the United States. The Presidents Cup was founded in 1994 to give top golfers from outside the United States and Europe an opportunity to compete in team-based competition. The inaugural Presidents Cup was won 20-12 in favor of the USA team in September 1994.
