Grading every Presidents Cup performance after the U.S. comeback at Medinah

The United States won the Presidents Cup again. The 2026 event at Medinah was a study in extremes: the Americans struggled badly in alternate shot, then dominated Sunday singles 9-2-1. In the end, U.S. talent and individual quality outweighed questions about match-play preparation and team strategy.

GOLF.com’s James Colgan graded the performances of the players and captains.

Scottie Scheffler — B

Scheffler had more to prove than anyone in the field. The world No. 1 has not been consistently effective in team competitions. He won both four-ball sessions with Sam Burns but looked vulnerable in alternate shot, losing his only appearance on Friday. U.S. captain Brandt Snedeker benched Scheffler for Saturday afternoon’s alternate-shot session, saving him for Sunday. In singles, Scheffler narrowly beat Nico Echavarria, whom Colgan describes as one of the weaker players on the International side. Scheffler finished 3-1-0: solid, but not enough to end all questions ahead of next September’s trip to Adare Manor.

Tom Kim — A

Four years after his breakout at the 2022 Presidents Cup, Kim remains nearly automatic on short putts under the International flag. He trailed singles counterpart Wyndham Clark in DataGolf’s strokes-gained numbers for the weekend, but delivered when it mattered, winning 3 and 2. That gave him four points, the International team high.

Brandt Snedeker — D+

Snedeker deserves credit for keeping the team together after its disastrous start. But he also deserves much of the blame for that start and for the subsequent mistakes and missteps, including what Colgan describes as an almost hour-long commute from the team hotel in downtown Chicago. The U.S. side did not look in control, committed to a clear plan or prepared to face a stronger European team in 12 months. Captaining is difficult, but this was not a performance for the history books.

Sam Burns — C-

Burns finished with two four-ball wins alongside Scheffler—and little else. After a season in which he appeared to move into the world’s upper echelon, the Presidents Cup showed he still has work to do before fully reaching that level.

Nico Echavarria — D-

Echavarria lost more than seven strokes to the field from tee to green over two rounds. He struggled in a limited showing for the International team at Medinah. His rally against Scheffler down the closing holes Sunday, after an ugly incident on the 14th tee, kept him from receiving a complete failing grade, but this was clearly not the Chicago week he envisioned.

Cameron Young — A

Young is quickly becoming an exceptionally dangerous team player. After last year’s Presidents Cup at Bethpage, Medinah marked his second straight event as the clear best player on the U.S. side. He elevates under the flag, making him a rare and important addition to the future American roster.

Sungjae Im — A-

Im was equally brilliant for the International team and delivered a rare point on Sunday when it mattered most. He lost a few points for his record, which included a loss to Scheffler and Burns in four-ball after holding a late lead and a painful Saturday afternoon alternate-shot loss to Young and Chris Gotterup.

Corey Conners — C+

Conners largely delivered what was expected: brilliant iron play and a huge putt to close out the Americans in Saturday’s foursomes. But he lost nearly six strokes to the field on the greens during the week and missed several short putts in a lopsided singles loss to Justin Thomas. The International team needed an exceptional week from Conners to get over the hump, and it did not get one.

Jackson Koivun — A+

The youngest American was expected to spend the week learning. Instead, Koivun looked like a superstar. On Saturday morning, he “carried” Justin Thomas, in Thomas’ own words, in a halved four-ball match that kept the contest close. On Sunday afternoon, Koivun held off Si Woo Kim to deliver one of the Americans’ clinching points. He played a crucial role in Chicago and placed himself on the shortlist for next fall in Ireland.

Jacob Bridgeman — C

Bridgeman earned his place on the team ahead of J.J. Spaun and others and enjoyed the moment of officially clinching the U.S. victory Sunday evening. But an 0-2-0 record in foursomes was not a strong case for future Ryder Cup teams.

Chris Gotterup — A-

Gotterup also earned his place after an early-season surge on the PGA Tour, beating out Spaun and others. He did make a case for future Ryder Cup teams, assuming his form holds. Gotterup looked like the type of player the U.S. has lacked in recent team competitions: a dependable partner with a real feel for the moment.

Si Woo Kim — B+

Kim was ready for the moment and looked like a more complete and formidable player than in previous Presidents Cups. DataGolf ranked him third in the field in strokes gained. But he lost twice in five matches, including the tournament’s marquee match to Koivun on Sunday.

Justin Thomas — B+

Thomas can win regularly at a team event while producing D-minus-level golf. It is not always pretty, but he is a true competitor. The golf gods rewarded him this week.

Geoff Ogilvy — B+

Ogilvy got the most out of a team that was badly outmatched in talent. But the same problems that had hurt the Internationals in previous Cups returned in Chicago. Any plan for Australia in two years, where Ogilvy would be an excellent captain if reappointed, should begin with fixing singles play.

Hideki Matsuyama, Adam Scott and Ryan Fox — B-

All three experienced players were expected to carry the International side through the decisive weekend. Instead, all three lost their Sunday singles matches, handing the U.S. three crucial points.

Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay — B+

Cantlay and Schauffele struggled to a foursomes loss Friday, and each lost a four-ball match Thursday. Both then played a major role Sunday evening with the Cup on the line. Cantlay’s 57-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole was especially memorable—an example of the almost instinctive play that has become normal for him in this setting.

Wyndham Clark — C

Clark was one of the team’s best energy sources and statistical performers, but finished 1-4-0. If the U.S. needs to rely on him in future team events, he showed he can bring his game. The question is whether the wins will follow.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Ryo Hisatsune and Min Woo Lee — B-

Each had strong moments and important wins, but the group will probably be remembered chiefly for three major singles losses Sunday as the American comeback gathered pace.

Nick Taylor — A-

Taylor was left off the International team in Montreal in 2024 for extremely dubious reasons. In his first Presidents Cup, he showed why that decision was a mistake, grinding out a half Sunday evening and adding two wins in foursomes sessions. It seems unlikely he will be left off the team in Australia in two years.

Collin Morikawa — B

A week of ups and downs ended with a significant singles win. Morikawa has not always looked like the top-five player he once seemed destined to become, but he proved he can help the U.S. side.

Russell Henley — C

Henley struggled at last fall’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage and again had problems in alternate shot at the Presidents Cup. He gets some benefit of the doubt for playing almost exclusively in the format in which the U.S. was thoroughly beaten, but a singles win Sunday would have made the result easier to accept.