2026 Presidents Cup: Snedeker Names Koivun Among Three Rookie Picks

By Staff Writer

September 2, 2026

3 min read

LoopGolf

Key takeaways

U.S. captain Brandt Snedeker named six captain's picks Tuesday for the 2026 Presidents Cup.
Three of the six — Chris Gotterup, Jacob Bridgeman and Jackson Koivun — will be Presidents Cup rookies.
Koivun won the 3M Open in just his third start as a pro and tied Tiger Woods' record for fewest starts to reach the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
Bridgeman led the entire PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Putting this season and won the Genesis Invitational in February.
The 16th Presidents Cup runs Sept. 24-27 at Medinah Country Club outside Chicago.

Brandt Snedeker completed the U.S. Presidents Cup roster Tuesday, adding Chris Gotterup, Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Jacob Bridgeman and Jackson Koivun as his six captain's picks. The team will defend the cup Sept. 24-27 at Medinah Country Club in Chicago.

Who are the three rookies on the U.S. team?

Gotterup, Bridgeman and Koivun will all make their Presidents Cup debuts. Gotterup finished seventh in automatic qualifying points, just outside the top six, but backed up three regular-season wins — tied for the most on tour this year — with runner-up-caliber finishes at the BMW Championship and Tour Championship. Bridgeman won the Genesis Invitational at Riviera in February, made 22 of his last 23 cuts and closed the FedEx Cup season with six straight top-30 finishes.

Koivun is the headline addition. The former Auburn standout won the PGA Tour's 3M Open in only his third start as a professional, then reached the FedEx Cup Playoffs in just five starts, matching Tiger Woods' mark for fewest starts needed. He went 3-1 at last year's Walker Cup, including a 2-0 singles record.

What do the veterans bring?

Thomas carries a combined Presidents and Ryder Cup record of 19-9-4 and has won a PGA Tour event at Medinah before, taking the 2019 BMW Championship there at 25 under par. Schauffele clinched the winning point for the U.S. at the 2022 Presidents Cup and has partnered regularly with Cantlay since 2019. Cantlay is winless in four years but needed only a runner-up finish at the BMW Championship to reach East Lake, and has built a reputation as one of the U.S. team's steadiest match-play performers.

Player	Status	2026 headline
Chris Gotterup	Rookie	3 wins, T-4 at BMW and Tour Championship
Jacob Bridgeman	Rookie	Won Genesis Invitational; led Tour in SG: Putting
Jackson Koivun	Rookie	Won 3M Open in third pro start
Justin Thomas	Veteran	19-9-4 combined Presidents/Ryder Cup record
Xander Schauffele	Veteran	Clinched winning point in 2022
Patrick Cantlay	Veteran	Runner-up at BMW Championship

"You just don't leave JT at home."

That was 2023 U.S. Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson's assessment of Thomas's value in team competition, and Snedeker's picks suggest he shares it. The International team, captained by Geoff Ogilvy, will try to end a long U.S. win streak on a course whose renovation Ogilvy's own design firm, OCM, carried out after Thomas's 2019 rout there.

Frequently asked questions

When is the 2026 Presidents Cup?

The 16th Presidents Cup is scheduled for Sept. 24-27, 2026, at Medinah Country Club near Chicago.

Who did Brandt Snedeker pick for the U.S. Presidents Cup team?

Snedeker selected Chris Gotterup, Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Jacob Bridgeman and Jackson Koivun as his six captain's picks.

Who is Jackson Koivun?

Koivun is a former Auburn amateur standout who turned pro and won the 3M Open in his third career start, then qualified for the FedEx Cup Playoffs in just five starts.

Has the Presidents Cup been played at Medinah Country Club before?

Medinah has hosted other PGA Tour events, including the 2019 BMW Championship, which Justin Thomas won at 25 under par, but this marks its first Presidents Cup.