Did The Presidents Cup Go Just How Europe Would Have Wanted?
Team USA won their eleventh consecutive Presidents Cup, but did the Sunday singles comeback gloss over some wider concerns?
The 2027 Ryder Cup is under a year away and we're set for an intense build-up now the Presidents Cup is in the rear-view mirror.
The USA completed a remarkable comeback on Sunday at Medinah to win the singles 9.5-2.5 and seal a 17-13 victory to give them momentum ahead of next September's big clash at Adare Manor.
US captain Brandt Snedeker told PGA Tour Sirius XM radio in the aftermath that the Americans will be a "problem" in Ireland next year, but will Luke Donald's Europeans be quietly confident after watching events unfold in Chicago?
"I think we’re all tired of this narrative that we don’t care about each other, that we don’t know how to play team golf. I think this proves it," Snedeker said.
"You don’t come back the way we did if these guys haven’t all bought into each other. This team is going to be a problem in Ireland. It’s going to be a problem.”
Snedeker admitted mistakes were made prior to Sunday's singles comeback
While it was an impressive final day comeback and it's easy to see why Snedeker thinks Furyk's Team USA will be a problem for Europe next year, some might argue the final day singles papered over the cracks and put an end to any possible inquest after a difficult first three days for the home team.
A loss might have forced a change of strategy and some honest analysis, whereas the victory could ensure the Americans arrive in Ireland next year without fully correcting what went wrong on a disastrous day two and three after leading 3-2 on Thursday night.
In fact, it was eerily similar to last year's Ryder Cup at Bethpage, where the Americans won 8.5-3.5 to 'only' lose 15-13 and avoid a truly humiliating defeat after being outclassed over the first two days.
Snedeker's Americans, despite holding a significant advantage over the Internationals on paper, trailed 7.5-10.5 heading into the final day, with the captain admitting he made mistakes in setting his team up.
He also claimed he is "tired of hearing how we can't play team golf," but the doubles sessions once again showed the Americans have work to do.
In particular, the foursomes results will cause concern for Furyk ahead of Adare Manor.
That's because since winning the foursomes 6-3 over the Internationals at Quail Hollow in 2022, the US has lost the alternate shot format heavily in every cup since.
USA's recent foursomes struggle
- 2023 Ryder Cup: Lost 7-1
- 2024 Presidents Cup: Lost 6-3
- 2025 Ryder Cup: Lost 6-2
- 2026 Presidents Cup: Lost 7-2
In fact, the Americans have been swept three times in foursomes sessions since the 2023 Ryder Cup, losing 4-0 on day one at Marco Simone and twice 5-0 against the Internationals this year and in 2024.
Since 2023, they are 8-26 in the foursomes...which will be music to Luke Donald's ears.
Donald will certainly have concern in the singles, though, as the Americans have not lost a singles session in any Ryder or Presidents Cup since Le Golf National in 2018, when they went down 7.5-4.5.
Luke Donald's Europeans will pose a sterner test to the USA in Ireland next year
They dominated the Internationals 9.5-2.5 at Medinah after beating Europe 8.5-3.5 at Bethpage two years ago, with the team's individual strengths showing up on both occasions.
The Europeans will argue Team USA were trailing in each instance and therefore had nothing to lose, and both times they were buoyed on by the increasingly partisan home crowds.
On away soil in the most recent Ryder Cups they went 6-6 in Rome and lost in Paris so it could well be a different scenario when they don't have the home crowd cheering them on.
Despite a worrying foursomes trend, an away crowd to deal with and a much stronger opposition awaiting them in Ireland, there are plenty of positives for the Americans to take across the pond.
Scottie Scheffler won three points from four matches to dispell the myth that the World No.1 can't play team golf, and Snedeker's Jackson Koivun pick looks to have been a masterstroke.
The former World No.1 amateur, who won in just his third PGA Tour start, looks set to only improve after completing his Presidents Cup debut as the only American to go undefeated.
Jackson Koviun looks set to star on many future USA teams
In 12 months' time he should be an even fiercer prospect, and Furyk will hope to put the first three days of the 2026 Presidents Cup, and the first two of last year's Ryder Cup, behind them.
Saying that, though, the Americans have plenty of work to do with their partnerships and this past weekend's events in Chicago will have only given Luke Donald and his team extra confidence.
His team is far better than Geoff Ogilvy's on paper and a home crowd means his 12 men could well be favorites despite welcoming a US team stacked with the world's best players once again.
While the Americans have struggled in the doubles sessions and lack obvious partnerships, Donald already knows the teams of Rahm/Hatton, Fleetwood/McIlroy and likely a couple more will be ready to go once again.
The 2026 Presidents Cup was a win for Team USA on paper, but did it paper over cracks? We'll find out in a year's time.
