Presidents Cup vs. Ryder Cup: How the Two Matches Differ

The Presidents Cup, underway this week at Medinah Country Club, borrows its team match-play format from the Ryder Cup but differs from its more famous counterpart in several important ways, from who is eligible to play to how a tie is resolved.

How do the rosters differ?

The Ryder Cup pits the US against Europe's best players, so stars such as Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Jon Rahm never appear at the Presidents Cup. The International team instead draws from non-European countries, fielding players like Adam Scott, Hideki Matsuyama and Ryan Fox. Both competitions use six automatic qualifying spots and six captain's picks per team, though each uses its own points system to determine the automatic qualifiers.

How does the schedule compare?

The Presidents Cup spans four days to the Ryder Cup's three, and carries 30 total matches against the Ryder Cup's 28. The first two days of the Presidents Cup each feature one session of five fourball or foursomes matches, using 10 players per team, while the Ryder Cup splits four foursomes and four fourball matches into morning and afternoon sessions on those same two days, using eight players per team each session. Saturday at the Presidents Cup adds eight more matches, and both events close with 12 singles matches on Sunday.

What happens if the match is tied?

Because the Presidents Cup has more matches, it also takes more points to win outright: 15.5 compared with the Ryder Cup's 14.5. The two events also treat a dead-even finish differently. A 15-15 tie splits the Presidents Cup, while a 14-14 tie in the Ryder Cup allows the defending champion to retain the trophy.

Why do the eligibility rules differ?

The PGA Tour runs the Presidents Cup on its own, which is why the 2026 US and International rosters include no players currently suspended by the Tour for competing on LIV Golf. The Ryder Cup, jointly administered by the PGA of America and Ryder Cup Europe, carries no such restriction; Bryson DeChambeau played for the US at the 2025 Ryder Cup while Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton played for Europe.

The Presidents Cup has more matches, more points on the line and a shorter history than the Ryder Cup, but the biggest difference is who gets to tee it up.

How does the history of the two events compare?

The Ryder Cup dates to 1927 and will mark its centenary at Adare Manor in 2027, making the 2026 Presidents Cup at Medinah only the 16th edition of a competition established in 1994. The Ryder Cup trophy was donated by English businessman Samuel Ryder, while the Presidents Cup trophy was designed by Tiffany & Co. for the event's 1994 debut. The US has dominated the Presidents Cup, winning 13 of 15 previous editions with one loss, in 1998, and one tie, in 2003. Its Ryder Cup record of 27 wins, 16 losses and two ties is far closer.