Comeback Kings! Team USA Wins the Presidents Cup for the 10th Time in a Row
Quick Summary
Team USA won the 2026 Presidents Cup golf tournament today at Medinah Country Club near Chicago, Illinois. They won for the 10th time in a row — the biggest comeback in the tournament’s history. It came down to a thrilling final day of one-on-one matches.
What Happened?
The Presidents Cup is a big team golf competition. It is held every two years. One team is made up of American golfers. The other team represents countries from around the world — but not Europe.
Things looked very tough for Team USA going into Sunday. The International Team held a 10½-to-7½ lead. That means the USA needed to win most of the 12 final matches just to catch up. Think of it like being down by three touchdowns at halftime — a very big hill to climb.
But Team USA came roaring back. Golfer Xander Schauffele set the tone by making four birdies in a row. A birdie means finishing a hole in one fewer stroke than expected — like getting extra credit on a test. His hot streak inspired the whole team.
Sam Burns finished the week without losing a single match. Russell Henley had a strong debut in the event. Then came the winning moment. Keegan Bradley earned the point that sealed the victory for the Americans when his opponent missed a putt on the final hole.
Team USA needed 15½ total points to win. They got there, making history once again.
Why Does It Matter?
The Presidents Cup has now been won by Team USA ten times in a row. That streak is one of the longest in all of team sports. The International Team had actually led for most of this week, which made Sunday’s comeback even more special.
The International Team last won the cup back in 1998 — almost 30 years ago. They came very close this year and showed they are getting stronger. Fans around the world enjoyed a truly exciting competition.
Big Words
- Presidents Cup — A golf tournament held every two years between Team USA and the best golfers from the rest of the world (except Europe)
- Birdie — Finishing a golf hole in one fewer stroke than the expected number, called “par”
- Match play — A style of golf where you try to win individual holes, not just have the lowest total score
- Singles — The final day of the Presidents Cup, when each golfer plays a one-on-one match against one opponent
- Clinching point — The one score that officially ends a competition and decides the winner
Fun Fact
Medinah Country Club, where the Presidents Cup was played, has also hosted two PGA Championships, three U.S. Opens, and the famous 2012 Ryder Cup — another big team golf event!
Think About It
Team USA was losing by three points going into the final day but still won. Can you think of another sport where a team came back from a big deficit to win? What do you think helps athletes stay confident when things look tough?
Sources
- PresidentsCup.com — Xander Schauffele leads USA to 10th straight Presidents Cup title at Medinah
- PGA Tour — Presidents Cup Day 3: Internationals take historic 10.5-7.5 lead into Sunday Singles
- ABC7 Chicago — Presidents Cup 2026 Live Updates
- Sky Sports Golf — Presidents Cup 2026: Latest scores, results, tee times, leaderboard