Medinah Country Club: History Behind the 2026 Presidents Cup Host
By Staff Writer
2 min read
Key takeaways
- Medinah Country Club was founded by a group of Shriners in 1924, with Course No. 3 opening in 1928.
- The club has hosted three U.S. Opens, two PGA Championships and the 2012 Ryder Cup, known as the Miracle at Medinah.
- Once the Presidents Cup begins, Medinah becomes the only club to have hosted the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup.
- The clubhouse, built in the 1920s for about $1 million, covers 120,000 square feet.
Medinah Country Club in Illinois hosts the Presidents Cup for the first time in 2026, adding a new chapter to a course already steeped in championship history.
How did Medinah Country Club begin?
The club was founded by a group of Shriners in 1924. Scottish architect Tom Bendelow designed all three original layouts, with Course No. 3, the venue for this year's Presidents Cup, opening in 1928. The course was reworked in 1930 with help from A.W. Tillinghast after Harry Cooper shot a 63 at the 1930 Medinah Open, and it has continued evolving since, including work from Roger Packard and Rees Jones.
The clubhouse is one of golf's most distinctive, built in the 1920s at a cost of about $1 million, roughly $17 million today. It covers 120,000 square feet with Byzantine, Oriental, Louis XIV and Italian architectural influences, hand-painted mosaics, murals and a 60-foot-high domed rotunda.
What major championships has Medinah hosted?
Medinah has hosted three U.S. Opens, in 1949, 1975 and 1990, the last of which saw Hale Irwin become the event's oldest champion, beating Mike Donald in a playoff at age 45. The course has also held two PGA Championships, both won by Tiger Woods, in 1999 and 2006, and the 1988 U.S. Senior Open, won by Gary Player.
| Event | Year(s) | Notable result |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Open | 1949, 1975, 1990 | 1990: Hale Irwin, oldest champion at 45 |
| PGA Championship | 1999, 2006 | Both won by Tiger Woods |
| U.S. Senior Open | 1988 | Won by Gary Player |
| Ryder Cup | 2012 | Europe won, the "Miracle at Medinah" |
What was the Miracle at Medinah?
Medinah's best-known moment came at the 2012 Ryder Cup. Trailing 10-6 entering Sunday singles, Jose Maria Olazabal's European team stormed back to win the session 8.5-3.5, completing a 14.5-13.5 victory over Davis Love III's Americans that became known as the Miracle at Medinah.
When the Presidents Cup begins, Medinah becomes the only club to have hosted the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup.
That distinction adds to a résumé already unmatched by nearly any club in the country, and it comes as Medinah's Course No. 3 has been reshaped for this year's event under the direction of International captain Geoff Ogilvy's design team.
Medinah sits in Chicago's southwestern suburbs, about a 30-minute drive from O'Hare International Airport.
Frequently asked questions
Who designed Medinah Country Club?
Tom Bendelow designed the original three courses in the 1920s, and A.W. Tillinghast reworked Course No. 3 in 1930.
Has Medinah hosted the Ryder Cup before?
Yes. Medinah hosted the 2012 Ryder Cup, where Europe completed the comeback known as the Miracle at Medinah.
How many U.S. Opens has Medinah hosted?
Three: 1949, 1975 and 1990, the last won by Hale Irwin in a playoff.
Where is Medinah Country Club located?
It's in the southwestern suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, about 30 minutes from O'Hare International Airport.
- Medinah Country Club
- Presidents Cup
- Ryder Cup
- Miracle at Medinah
- Tom Bendelow
- Chicago golf
