Five matches, five points. The Americans trail by four with two days left.
The International team won all five of Friday's foursomes matches at Medinah Country Club, turning a 3–2 overnight deficit into a 7–3 lead. It is the fourth time in 16 Presidents Cups the Internationals have led heading into Saturday play.
The sweep ran through the entire card: Sungjae Im and Hideki Matsuyama beat Russell Henley and rookie Jacob Bridgeman 3&2 to open the scoring; Corey Conners and Nick Taylor beat world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns 1-up; Ryan Fox and Min Woo Lee edged Collin Morikawa and Wyndham Clark 1-up; Adam Scott and Christiaan Bezuidenhout beat Justin Thomas and Cameron Young 3&2; and Si Woo Kim and Tom Kim closed it out, 4&3 over Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay.
Twenty points remain across the final two days, and Saturday brings two sessions. “We got beat today,” Thomas said afterward. The question now is whether the Americans can answer before the arithmetic runs out.
Illustration for Morning Tee Sheet.Five matches, five International points.
Team Room
In the interview room after the 5–0 sweep
“We got beat today,” Justin Thomas said after his 3&2 loss, adding: “There's no scenario where you ever want to get swept, but if we're going to do it, I would say Friday sounds a little bit better than any of the rounds tomorrow” (EssentiallySports).
Xander Schauffele, asked why alternate shot keeps being the format where the U.S. bleeds points, leaned first on the format's small sample size, then on momentum — the Internationals' red numbers early in the session changed the tone of the afternoon (PGA Tour).
Adam Scott pointed to 2024: “There's a lot of golf left. Tomorrow is a big day. I think we had a similar situation two years ago in Canada. Hopefully we learned from that, and we can back a great day up tomorrow.” Tom Kim, on his partnership with Si Woo Kim: “We just blend really well. It's really hard to say why.” (PGA Tour).
Hear it from the room
Thomas: “We got beat today.” Friday post-round with Schauffele.Scott: “There's a lot of golf left.” Friday post-round.
The free-spending era gives way to restructuring.
Business
LIV Golf files for Chapter 11
LIV Golf filed for Chapter 11 in New Jersey on September 8, after Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund ended a funding commitment that topped $5 billion.
The creditor list reads like a major-championship leaderboard: the top three unsecured creditors are players: Jon Rahm (~$7.5M), Bryson DeChambeau (~$5.7M), Dustin Johnson (~$5.5M).
The plan: a recapitalization with BC Partners Credit and a player-majority-owned “LIV 2.0” with a 10-event 2027 schedule (Stark & Stark). The free-spending era is over. The lawyers' era has begun.
The Watchlist
Three worth your time
The sweep, in full
Every key shot from Friday's 5–0 International rout at Medinah. (Golf Channel)
Thomas: “We got beat today”
Thomas and Schauffele face the media after the Friday sweep.
Scott: “A lot of golf left”
The 12-time Cup veteran on the sweep — and Saturday.
FedExCup Fall Bubble Watch
Snapshot · September 25, 2026
The fight for 100
The guillotine moved.
Full PGA Tour status used to go to the top 125. Starting with the 2026 eligibility cycle, only the top 100 after the RSM Classic are fully exempt for 2027, with entry into THE PLAYERS. Nos. 101–150 hold conditional status in three access categories; below 150, the route back runs through Q-School.
No. 100Tony Finau · 416 pts · last fully-exempt spot
No. 101Billy Horschel · 413 pts · first man out
3Points between them
Top 100
Fully exempt for 2027, plus THE PLAYERS.
Nos. 101–110
Conditional status held all season; no reshuffle.
Nos. 111–125
Conditional status, subject to reshuffle.
Nos. 126–150
Conditional status with the lowest PGA Tour access.
Below 150
The route back runs through Q-School.
All players from 101–150 are also exempt on the Korn Ferry Tour. Individual higher-priority exemptions may still apply.
On and around the line
Ranks 90–107 · after Biltmore
RankPlayerPointsPosition
Tap any player for their number — what they need, and the finish that gets them there.
The runway
Seven events remain · 500 points to each winner
Presidents Cup (Sept. 24–27, Medinah) awards no FedExCup points. Procore and Sanderson Farms are not on the 2026 Fall schedule.
Fall winner perks: a two-year exemption through 2028, The Sentry invite, THE PLAYERS, and eligibility for the 2027 PGA Championship.
What a finish is worth
Solo-finish anchors — ties split
All eight Fall events award 500 points to the winner. Points go to everyone making the 36-hole cut.
Build a path
Scenario desk
Pick one of the three bubble players, a remaining event and a verified finish anchor. The arithmetic uses today's fixed cutline and standings.
Illustrative projection — not a guarantee. Assumes no other player around them scores; ties split points.
The Receipts
Commentator scoreboard
Hot takes go on the board immediately. Accurate and bad takes are graded only after the result is settled — and only when the exact quote, date, and original clip or transcript are in hand.
Record: accurate — hot — bad. No receipt, no verdict.
Accurate Takes
4
Christopher Powers · Golf Digest
“Maybe the only true 'lock' of the entire golf season. The U.S. has won the first session in eight of the last nine Presidents Cups.”
What happened: Golf Digest senior writer's expert pick: the U.S. to win Day 1 (Thursday four-ball). The U.S. took the opening session 3–2.
“There's something about these Kims, man. They just care so much more, and you can feel their chemistry. With Cantlay's continued putting woes and Xander's poor play, I'm confident the Kims will earn their second point in this year's Presidents Cup.”
What happened: Picked Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim over Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele in Friday foursomes. The Kims won 4&3.
“Thursday Leader Pick: USA (-152 at DraftKings | Play to -165)”
What happened: His pre-tournament Day 1 call hit — the U.S. took Thursday 3–2. (His Day 2 pick of the U.S. in foursomes is graded separately, and went very badly.)
“Team USA has won nine of the 10 opening-day matches in the past two Presidents Cups, and having five matches means the Internationals' lack of depth will be on full display with 10 of their 12 players hitting Medinah on Thursday.”
What happened: Picked Team USA to win Day 1. The U.S. won Thursday four-ball 3–2.
“Min Woo Lee, I just don't think he's good at golf.”
What happened: Said on the Day 1 live show after Lee and Sungjae Im lost 1-up to Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns on Thursday. Tron Carter agreed on the same episode: “I don't think he's a proper player” (~00:31:41) and “he's got all the shots until it's time to hit him. And then he like just kind of disappears” (~00:32:21). Friday: Lee and Ryan Fox beat Collin Morikawa and Wyndham Clark 1-up in foursomes, 6-under with no bogeys — early evidence against the take. Lee is 1–1 for the week.
Paul McGinley · Golf Channel (Live From The Presidents Cup)
“America is going to win because they're so good and Scottie Scheffler is so good that he's going to have a good Presidents Cup here, and the opposition is not that strong.”
What happened: Said on Golf Channel's Live From The Presidents Cup on Day 1. Trending wrong: the Internationals swept Friday foursomes 5–0 and lead 7–3; Scheffler is 1–1 for the week. Caveat: the U.S. were heavy favorites, so the spicy part is the dismissiveness — “the opposition is not that strong” — not the pick itself.
“I'm predicting the USA to win the Presidents Cup by six points, with an 18-12 victory available at 12/1.”
What happened: Published September 23 in GolfMagic's Presidents Cup betting tips, arguing “across 30 matches, I expect the depth of the American side to once again prove decisive, especially on home soil.” Alive but unlikely: the U.S. sits on 3 points and needs 15 of the remaining 20 to reach 18.
Paul McGinley · Golf Channel (Live From The Presidents Cup)
“The best player in the world, but not the best team player. His team play record is very average, Brandel”
What happened: Said on Live From the Presidents Cup after Thursday's session, adding he is 'not intimidated playing Scottie in match-play' because 'he hasn't proved himself yet in team events.' Holding up: Scheffler is 1–8 in career Presidents Cup foursomes and went 1–1 through two days.
“If the Americans don't take care of business early, they will feel the pressure the rest of the way.”
What happened: The only Golfweek staffer (of seven) to pick the Internationals (+550): 'the vibes have been so off for U.S. teams in these competitions lately that I'm willing to take a chance on a clear underdog.' Quote verified verbatim on the page.
“All we need now is the Internationals to do it in a couple of weeks. That would be great.”
What happened: Said at Wentworth, after Europe's Solheim Cup and the Walker Cup wins. The Internationals lead 7–3 with their largest-ever lead through two sessions.
“I'm seeing some value with Si Woo Kim. He's absolutely the best international player and was first on the PGA Tour in strokes gained around the green this year.”
What happened: Pick: Si Woo Kim, top International scorer. Kim won Thursday and Friday — 2 points, pacing the Internationals with three sessions left.
What happened: Fore Play's 'closest to the pin' prop: International points going into Sunday singles (~01:41:29). Frankie's 8 is the only call still alive — it needs the Internationals to earn exactly 1 point across Saturday's 8 matches.
“On paper this shouldn't even be that close but the International side can count on solid weeks from Ryan Fox, Si Woo Kim and veteran Adam Scott, who at 46 is likely playing his final Presidents Cup. But the American depth is too much to overcome.”
What happened: Punch Shot panel prediction: U.S. 17½–12½. Alive — the U.S. needs 14.5 of the remaining 20 — but the 'shouldn't even be that close' framing is already contradicted at 7–3.
“The Americans are feeding off that home turf Chi-town energy this week and will score to match His Airness.”
What happened: Punch Shot prediction: U.S. 23–7. Mathematically dead — the Internationals already have 7 points; it requires the USA to win every remaining match.
What happened: Prop: International points going into Sunday singles (~01:41:29). The Internationals reached 7 before Saturday's 8 matches were played — already impossible.
What happened: Prop: International points going into Sunday singles (~01:41:29). The Internationals reached 7 before Saturday's matches — already impossible.
What happened: Prop: International points going into Sunday singles (~01:41:29). Requires the Internationals to be shut out across all 8 Saturday matches — functionally dead.
“I think the biggest drama on Sunday will be whether the United States can break the all-time margin of victory (11 points in the 32-point format back in 2000), and whether they can get to 20 points for the first time in what is now the seventh President Cup in the 30-point format.”
What happened: ESPN Research's correct-score pick: U.S. 19.5–INT 10.5. The margin-of-victory discussion is inverted with the Internationals leading 7–3.
“It's been Harlem Globetrotters against the Washington Generals, one of the most predictable results in sports and I don't see any reason why that will change this time at Medinah.”
What happened: Picked USA (-600). A 7–3 International lead with a historic 5–0 foursomes sweep is the opposite of Globetrotters-vs.-Generals. Quote verified verbatim on the page.
“Our Eamon Lynch said this week that the worst thing for the Presidents Cup would be an International upset of the Americans. Good news, Eamon. That won't happen.”
What happened: Picked USA (-600). The International upset he dismissed is now the live scenario at 7–3. Quote verified verbatim on the page.
“The Presidents Cup could really use a good competition, but the chances of that happening are low. The Americans are the much-better team, and even with a lot of the team coming in having not played since the Tour Championship or before, it's hard to see a scenario where the Internationals pull off the upset.”
What happened: Picked USA (-600). The scenario he couldn't see is now the most plausible outcome at 7–3. Quote verified verbatim on the page.
Paul McGinley · Golf Channel (Live From The Presidents Cup)
“I think (Scottie) Scheffler and (Sam) Burns should be too strong for (Corey) Conners and (Nick) Taylor, they're going to need a Houdini act if they're going to get anything out of that.”
What happened: Day 2 foursomes preview on Live From: also called Thomas/Young 'too strong' for Scott/Bezuidenhout and predicted a 3–2 session to tie it up. Both named U.S. wins lost; Friday went 0–5 to the Internationals. Note: the Fox Sports Australia page returned 404 on direct U.S. fetch (likely geo-block); the quote is verbatim from the indexed article text.
Brandel Chamblee · Golf Channel (Live From The Presidents Cup)
“not like climbing Mt Everest, it's more like Mt Olympus on Mars”
What happened: Said on Live From the Presidents Cup about the challenge facing Ogilvy's Internationals (quote confirmed on the opened page). The 'near-impossible mountain' is looking climbable at 7–3.
Brandel Chamblee · Golf Channel (Live From The Presidents Cup)
“The big difference between the International side and the US side, a massive difference, has been the foursomes”
What happened: Said on Live From after Day 1, framing foursomes as the U.S. edge. The Internationals swept Friday foursomes 5–0 — the 'massive difference' now runs the other way. Note: quote verbatim from indexed article text; the page returned 404 on direct U.S. fetch (likely geo-block).
“Wyndham Clark played exceptional golf in Thursday's four-ball. He's a stone-cold killer, and you can tell he cares more than anybody. He's been by far the best player on the team so far, and I don't see how Fox and Lee compete with him in this matchup.”
What happened: Picked Clark/Morikawa over Fox/Lee on Friday. Fox and Lee beat them 1-up in the sweep.
“I just have a hard time seeing Conners and Taylor earning a point in this one.”
What happened: Picked all four Friday matches for the USA: Scheffler/Burns, Henley/Bridgeman, Clark/Morikawa, Young/Thomas. All four lost in the 5–0 sweep.
“With Friday switching to foursomes (alternate shot), pressure rises on each individual member and one guy can't carry his playing partner as he could on Thursday.”
What happened: Pick: USA Day 2 winner (-165). His core foursomes logic inverted completely — the Internationals swept 5–0.
“To me, Sam Burns, Scottie, and Wyndham Clark, those are your horses, and Cam Young. If Cam Young's putting is back, those are your four guys that you play in every single session.”
What happened: Named his four every-session U.S. horses. The anointed core underdelivered: the USA were swept 5–0 in Friday foursomes and trail 7–3.
“when you look at the back half of the lineup for the International team, those six to 12 guys, they have to step up in such a big way to be able to do away with the advantages that they have from a depth standpoint for the United States.”
What happened: Framed the International back six as needing a near-miracle to overcome U.S. depth. They delivered exactly that in the 5–0 Friday sweep; the Internationals lead 7–3.
“He's a perfect stylistic and statistical fit to lead the tournament in points.”
What happened: Pick: Xander Schauffele, top overall scorer. Schauffele sat at 0 points after two sessions, including Friday's 4&3 loss with Cantlay — near-dead.
