Presidents Cup Teams Set Overlapping Medinah Scouting Trips

The U.S. and International Presidents Cup teams will make overlapping scouting trips to Medinah No. 3 outside Chicago from Sept. 9-11, getting an early look at the renovated course roughly two months before the event.

Why are the teams scouting Medinah early?

U.S. captain Brandt Snedeker said the team wanted to experience Medinah's updated layout firsthand and build familiarity with how it might play in team formats. International captain Geoff Ogilvy has said in the past that uniting players from different countries who often meet for the first time during Presidents Cup week has been a challenge; his teams have historically needed until the middle of the week to gel as a group. Adam Scott, expected to make a record 12th International Team appearance, said the golf itself is almost secondary to the trip's real purpose: helping teammates grow comfortable with each other before the pressure of match play begins.

Who is actually going?

Neither roster is final. Snedeker and Ogilvy make their captain's picks Tuesday, and a person familiar with the U.S. plans said it is too early to confirm full team participation, though organizers are hopeful everyone attends. On the International side, players have given assurances they will show up, and Min Woo Lee said this week he plans to be there.

A mandatory scouting trip says as much about chemistry as it does about the course.

How does this compare to past team trips?

Advance scouting has become increasingly common ahead of international team events. Eleven members of Europe's 2025 Ryder Cup team flew to New York for a two-day trip to Bethpage Black before that competition, a step the U.S. side skipped until Ryder Cup week itself amid criticism afterward. Previous Presidents Cup teams have taken similar trips to Quail Hollow in 2022 and Royal Montreal in 2024.

What changed at Medinah?

Medinah No. 3 underwent a major renovation designed by Ogilvy's firm, OCM, and reopened in late 2024. The course last hosted a PGA Tour event at the 2019 BMW Championship, when Justin Thomas won at 25 under par over 72 holes on the pre-renovation layout.

Ogilvy, who co-designed the renovated course, is expected to share detailed local knowledge with his International squad once the group arrives at Medinah.