Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns will lead Team USA into the opening session of the 2026 Presidents Cup, with the close friends selected to play together in the first Thursday fourballs match at Medinah Country Club.
United States captain Brandt Snedeker confirmed the pairing on Wednesday, with Scheffler and Burns scheduled to face the International Team combination of Min Woo Lee and Sungjae Im in the first match of the competition.
The decision reunites two players whose friendship away from the course is well known but whose record together in international team competition has not yet matched their individual success.
Scheffler and Burns have previously partnered at both the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup, but they enter Medinah with a combined 0-3-1 record when playing together in those events.
That record gives Thursday’s opening match an intriguing subplot.
Burns acknowledged before the tournament that the pair have experienced frustrating results together despite feeling that they often played better than the final score suggested. He said their focus at Medinah would simply be on competing aggressively and trying to deliver as many points as possible for the United States.
Scheffler, meanwhile, arrives as the leading figure in the American team.
The world No. 1 has established himself as the dominant individual player in men’s golf over recent seasons, but his overall record in international team events has been more mixed. His career Cup record stands at 6 wins, 11 defeats and four ties entering this year’s contest.
Scheffler has suggested that the unpredictable nature of match play can sometimes make results difficult to interpret. A pair can produce strong golf and still lose if their opponents deliver an exceptional performance.
That will be especially relevant in the fourballs format.
Each player plays their own ball, with the better score from the two team mates counting on every hole. The format generally rewards aggressive golf and birdie making, qualities that both Scheffler and Burns possess.
Their opponents will present a significant challenge.
South Korea’s Sungjae Im brings considerable Presidents Cup experience, while Australia’s Min Woo Lee adds power and attacking ability to the International Team. Captain Geoff Ogilvy will hope the combination can immediately put pressure on the Americans by taking something from the opening match.
The first contest is scheduled to begin at 5.35pm UK and Ireland time on Thursday, with the International Team having the honour from the opening tee.
Snedeker has also produced several other interesting combinations for the opening session.
Cameron Young and Xander Schauffele will play together in the second match, facing Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Hisatsune.
The third encounter will see experienced American Justin Thomas partner 21 year old Presidents Cup debutant Jackson Koivun against Canada’s Corey Conners and Colombia’s Nico Echavarria.
Snedeker explained that Thomas’ experience made him a natural partner for Koivun, who is one of three Presidents Cup rookies on the American roster.
Thomas has extensive experience in both Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup competition and will be expected to help the youngster settle quickly into the unique pressure of international team golf.
One of Thursday’s most eye catching contests comes in match four.
Wyndham Clark and Collin Morikawa will represent the United States against reigning Open champion Ryan Fox and Australian veteran Adam Scott.
Scott’s presence carries particular significance for the International Team. He has played in numerous Presidents Cups but has never been part of a winning International side, making the 2026 edition another opportunity to finally end the United States’ long period of dominance.
The final match of Thursday’s session will feature Chris Gotterup and Patrick Cantlay against South Korea’s Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim.
The United States enter the competition attempting to extend one of the most dominant records in international golf.
Team USA have won the previous 10 Presidents Cups and hold an overall record of 13 victories, one defeat and one tie since the competition began in 1994. Their only loss came at Royal Melbourne in 1998.
Snedeker’s side therefore begins the week with considerable expectation.
However, International Team captain Geoff Ogilvy has emphasised that his players are attempting to use their underdog status as motivation rather than pressure. Ryan Fox has also pointed towards Europe’s recent success in the Ryder Cup as an example of how strong team chemistry can overcome differences in individual rankings.
The format provides plenty of opportunities for momentum to change quickly.
The Presidents Cup consists of 30 points across five sessions. Thursday features five fourballs matches, followed by five foursomes contests on Friday. Saturday includes four matches in each format before all 24 players compete in singles on Sunday.
The first team to reach 15.5 points will win the Presidents Cup.
For Team USA, much of the early attention will inevitably fall on Scheffler.
As the highest profile player in the American line up, he carries significant expectations, and Snedeker has immediately placed him in the spotlight by sending him out in the opening match.
Pairing him with Burns adds another layer of interest.
The two Americans know each other’s games extremely well and have repeatedly spoken about their friendship, but Thursday presents an opportunity to finally turn that familiarity into a winning partnership on the international stage.
Their previous 0-3-1 record together means there is unfinished business, even if Burns has resisted describing it in those terms.
A strong opening performance would not only end that unwanted run but could also give the United States early momentum as they begin their pursuit of an 11th consecutive Presidents Cup victory.
For the International Team, Lee and Im will have an immediate opportunity to disrupt those plans.
And with the first tee shot at Medinah officially beginning four days of match play golf, the Scheffler Burns reunion provides an intriguing opening chapter to the 2026 Presidents Cup.
