How the Presidents Cup Scoring Format Works: Foursomes, Fourballs, and Saturday at Medinah
Learn how the Presidents Cup awards points, what the Internationals' 5-0 foursomes sweep did to the standings at Medinah, and why Saturday's morning fourballs and afternoon foursomes could decide the outcome.
The Presidents Cup is a team match-play event between the United States and an International squad made up of players from outside Europe. The 2026 edition, the 16th playing, is being held at Medinah Country Club's Course No. 3, a Chicago-area venue with a deep major-championship history. According to the PGA Tour, that course has also hosted the 2012 Ryder Cup, two PGA Championships, and three U.S. Opens.
A 5-0 Sweep Shakes the Standings
The Internationals arrived at Medinah looking for their first win on American soil. After Friday's foursomes, that goal feels realistic. ESPN reported that the Internationals swept the U.S. team 5-0 in the foursomes session, taking a 7-3 lead after two sessions. ESPN also noted it was the second straight time the Americans had been shut out in foursomes.
That early gap matters because the Internationals have never won the Presidents Cup except in 1998 at Royal Melbourne. Their largest previous lead after two sessions was also that year. So the current 7-3 scoreline is not just a good start; it echoes the only title they have ever captured.
How the Points Work
Each match is worth one point. The team with more points after the full slate of matches wins the trophy. With ten matches' worth of points already decided, 20 points remain in play.
The two team formats on Saturday test different skills. Foursomes is alternate shot: two partners share one ball and take turns hitting it. Fourballs is best ball: each player plays their own ball and the better score on each hole counts toward the team. Saturday's schedule offers four fourballs matches in the morning and four foursomes matches in the afternoon.
Why Saturday Could Decide Everything
Saturday is the first day with two separate sessions, meaning eight points are available instead of five. A strong day for the U.S. could halve the deficit before Sunday. A strong day for the Internationals would keep the pressure on the Americans and make their first home-soil win look likely.
PGA Tour coverage laid out the viewing options: Golf Channel carries the opening hour on Saturday, then NBC takes over for the rest of the day. Radio listeners can find coverage on PGA Tour Radio through SiriusXM, and there is a free audio stream at PGATOUR.com/liveaudio.
Medinah has seen famous comebacks before. The 2012 Ryder Cup at the same venue saw Europe rally from a four-point deficit on the final day. That history makes the 2026 Presidents Cup more intriguing: the teams are not just playing for a trophy, but testing whether the Internationals can finally finish the job on U.S. soil.