What Would The International Presidents Cup Team Look Like If LIV Golfers Could Play?

The Presidents Cup has a few differences to the Ryder Cup, and one major way it's weaker is the absence of LIV Golf players from the line-ups - especially the International Team.

Formats are also slightly different between the two competitions and the Presidents Cup is also a lot more one-sided - with Team USA winning 13 of the 15 editions of the event.

And Geoff Ogilvy's International squad has undoubtedly been weakened by the fact no LIV Golf stars are allowed to play in the Presidents Cup - due to the event being put on by the PGA Tour.

LIV Golf player are still suspended from PGA Tour events, and sadly for the Presidents Cup that means a host of star International names not being allowed in the line-up.

So while Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton could play in the Ryder Cup, DeChambeau and some big-name Australians, South Americans and South Africans are missing from Medinah.

USA captain Brandt Snedeker would obviously have liked DeChambeau in his team, but he has plenty of cover and there's not too many other Americans on LIV who would get a look-in.

For the International Team, though, there are Major winners having to watch on from afar who Ogilvy would've loved to have had in his side as most of the big names missing the Presidents Cup would be international stars.

Presidents Cup 2026 International Team

We can't rerally use world ranking or FedExCup ranking to judge which LIV players would get in, but it's obvious from looking at Ogilvy's side for Medinah that there are areas he could strengthen.

The top six or seven would all most likely make the team regardless of LIV players being allowed in or not, but the tail of the side could certainly be strengthened by some players out in the wilderness.

Which LIV players would make the Presidents Cup?

There's a few players who would be in the mix from LIV Golf but two you'd have to think would be automatic selections would be Cameron Smith and Joaquin Niemann.

All things being equal they'd qualify, depending on the system in place of course, but if you're Ogilvy you'd be mad not to include former Open champion Smith - his putting prowess would always be handy in team matchplay competition.

Niemann may not have translated his prolific LIV wins into the Majors, but he's an elite ball striker who'd be a dream to play with in foursomes or four balls.

Both men made their debuts in 2019 but have just that one Presidents Cup appearance each - recent results may have been different had they both been in the teams.

If we're talking the ability to go low, then Lucas Herbert would be right up there in Ogilvy's thinking, with his fellow Australian tying the Major record with his 62 at The Open at Royal Birkdale this year.

Herbert followed it up by shooting 61 on the way to winning the title at LIV Golf UK just a week later - and with that birdie making ability he'd be dangerous in matchplay around Medinah.

Byeong Hun An has played in two previous Presidents Cups and looking at the current list you could make a case for him getting in ahead of anyone from the bottom up to Sungjae Im, which would be a bit of a coin toss.

If you're looking for experience then Louis Oosthuizen, Marc Leishman and Branden Grace offer that in spades.

In terms of young guns then Elvis Smylie is the next young star coming out of Australia, and he's already won on LIV.

And from the Latin American contingent - if Joaquin Niemann needed playing partners then Abraham Ancer and Carlos Ortiz would both be on the shortlist.

Ancer proved to be a top matchplayer in his one and only Presidents Cup as he won 3.5 points from his five matches - including defeating USA's star team of Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele.

International team with LIV players

So who would make the final team? A lot would depend on hypothetical qualifying of course, but trying to pick the strongest 12 players you can't argue with the top of Ogilvy's selections for Medinah this week.

I'll take Sungjae Im over Byeong Hun An but the rest of my preferred 12 would come from LIV - starting with the no-brainers of Smith and Niemann, who most people would have in their sides.

I'm confident in the experience already in the team so I'd leave out the likes of Oosthuizen and Leishman and instead include in-form Herbert after his impressive showing at the Open.

Ancer showed his form for matchplay in his Presidents Cup debut so he'd have to get in, and my final spot would be a pick between young gun Smylie and Ancer's fellow Mexican Ortiz.

Preference would just about go to Ortiz right now, with an away Presidents Cup probably coming just a bit too early for Smylie.

And looking at what a team the International could put out, it's clear that the visitors at Medinah this week have been hampered much more by the LIV ban than the USA this week.