US take 3-2 lead after opening fourballs at Presidents Cup in Illinois

The United States opened the 2026 Presidents Cup with a 3-2 lead over the International team after Thursday’s fourballs at Medinah Country Club in Illinois. The American side, captained by Brandt Snedeker, secured three wins to close the opening session on top.

Justin Thomas and rookie Jackson Koivun registered the first point for Snedeker’s team with a 4&3 victory over Canada’s Corey Conners and Colombia’s Nico Echavarria. World number one Scottie Scheffler and long-time friend Sam Burns led out the US pairing and clinched their match by taking the 17th hole to defeat Min Woo Lee and Sungjae Im, whose team missed several putts late in the round. Two-time major champions Wyndham Clark and Collin Morikawa led from the first hole against Australia’s Adam Scott and reigning Open champion Ryan Fox, completing a 3&2 win.

“A session win is a session win; we're going to take it any way we can get it,” Snedeker said after Thursday’s play. The comment came as his side prepared to move into Friday’s alternate-shot format with a narrow advantage on the scoreboard.

Geoff Ogilvy’s International team will head into the alternate-shot sessions aiming to remain in contention; the International side have won the Presidents Cup only once previously, in 1998, and are pursuing a second triumph. Ogilvy’s squad recorded two wins during the fourballs to keep the contest alive heading into Friday.

Japanese pairing Hideki Matsuyama and debutant Ryo Hisatsune produced a 3&1 victory over Cameron Young and Xander Schauffele, while Kim Si-woo and Tom Kim recorded a 3&2 success against Chris Gotterup and Patrick Cantlay. Those two International wins accounted for the side’s two points in the opening session.

Play will continue on Friday with five foursome matches contested using the alternate-shot format at Medinah. Saturday’s schedule comprises two sessions — four four-ball matches in the morning and four foursomes in the afternoon — before all 12 players on each team compete in the singles on Sunday, with 15½ points required for overall victory.

The next on-course action is Friday’s set of five alternate-shot foursomes at Medinah, where both teams will look to build on Thursday’s session results.