Presidents Cup – Orange crush

Writing from Medinah, Illinois

Friday, September 25, 2026

Now what’s all this fuss about the Presidents Cup needing a revamp or going coed or being put out to pasture?

All that happened Friday at Medinah Country Club is a rally that turned the scoreboards International orange. The only thing missing after the Internationals’ 5-0 alternate shot rout of the American team on a soft afternoon was the Tennessee band playing “Rocky Top.” 

The visitors from everywhere but Europe rose to the occasion, and thus hold a 7-3 advantage going into Saturday, when eight matches, half best-ball and half alternate shot, will be played.

Take a bow, Nick Taylor, for a splendid third shot to 14 inches on the 18th hole to help lock up your and Corey Conners’ win over snakebit Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns – after Mr. Taylor’s shanked tee shot into Medinah’s still formidable forest. Burns won’t sleep well after his 18-foot birdie putt to halve the match and grab a half-point edged the cup.

“I would say maybe I bailed myself out after that drive,” Taylor said. “Yeah, when it mattered most, it was nice to hit a close one in there and apply the pressure back to them.”

Great going, Ryan Fox and Min Woo Lee, for your back-to-back birdies on Nos. 15 and 16 to erase the lead of Collin Morikawa and Wyndham Clark – the only lead any American team had past the fourth hole on Friday – and forge one of your own en route to a 1-up victory.

Fist pumps also go to Sungjae Im and Hideki Matsuyama (3 and 2 winners over Russell Henley and Jacob Bridgeman), Adam Scott and Christiaan Bezuidenhout (3 and 2 winners over Justin Thomas and Cameron Young) and Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim (4 and 3 winners over Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele). Job well done, one and all, to keep the Presidents Cup vibrant.

Clark said after Thursday’s proceedings, in which the Americans took a 3-2 lead, that the crowd wasn’t as loud as he’d hoped. Friday, as the scoreboard glowed orange, came the sound of silence.

“We just wanted to come win the session,” International captain Geoff Ogilvy said. “They were all in a really good frame of mind, but you would never imagine doing five sets. We did it in Montreal (in second day alternate shot play), so maybe it's a pattern now. We never mentioned that, but the boys played really well. They all got off to a great start. We've seen in these events. When you get a lot of your team up on the leaderboards, some momentum, and it inspires all the groups.”

Unlike 2012 on these lush and friendly confines, when the Europeans rallied on the final day to heist the Ryder Cup, the Americans have two days and 20 matches to regain their senses. It might take that long.

“I feel terrible for the guys because I know they grinded out there and gave me everything they had today, and it wasn't meant to be,” said U.S. captain Brandt Snedeker, wearing a Bears cap. “That being said, there's still 20 points out there. There's a lot of golf left to play. See a few putts go in, and we'll have some fun over the weekend.”

Around Medinah

This is the first lead for the International team after two sessions since 2019, when it led 6.5-3.5. The U.S. rallied to win the Cup 16-14. … The unrelated Kims are 2-0 so far. … Saturday’s action starts bright and early at 7 a.m. … A likely visit by President Trump on Sunday means fans should arrive earlier than originally planned to deal with more stringent security.

– Tim Cronin