Both teams are without some star players as the United States take on the Internationals in the Presidents Cup…
Will there be another Miracle at Medinah in this Presidents Cup? Team golf returns to the famed Chicago venue, the stage for Europe’s unthinkable Ryder Cup comeback in 2012. But can the International team pull off another upset on this course against a United States team which is packed with thoroughbreds?
Well, that task is made even more difficult by virtue of away captain Geoff Ogilvy being without some of the best players available to him because he cannot select LIV Golf players in the PGA Tour-owned event.
These are the players Ogilvy and US captain Brandt Snedeker will not have at their disposal at Medinah, either because they weren’t selected or reasons beyond their control…
The United States
JJ Spaun
“The hardest thing you ever have to do is pick 12 guys,” Snedeker said as he praised Spaun for his gutsy win at the BMW PGA Championship. The likelihood is that Snedeker has too much quality in his ranks to regret his decision, but an unusually fiery Spaun was fueled by anger over his snub at Wentworth after assuming the captain would pick him.
“The hardest thing you ever have to do is pick 12 guys”
Brandt Snedeker talks through the difficult decision and how happy he was to see J.J. Spaun get the win 👏 pic.twitter.com/FbA5bpDoYj
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) September 21, 2026
Bryson DeChambeau
It is bizarre that, besides an appearance in December’s Nedbank Challenge, we still don’t know when and where we’ll see DeChambeau play competitive golf again. DeChambeau missed cuts in the opening three majors, but surely would have been picked had he been available without the ban on LIV players.
Patrick Reed
Reed has told TG he is desperate to represent the Stars and Stripes next year at Adare Manor. He will be a PGA Tour member for the first time in five years in 2027, so the chance to become ‘Captain America’ again will be in his hands.
Brooks Koepka
Koepka has seemed embarrassed by his performances since returning to the PGA Tour. After failing to qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs, he described his efforts as “pathetic”. A fire has been lit under the five-time major champion, perhaps in time for the Ryder Cup.
Internationals
Joaquin Niemann
It remains a crying shame for the Internationals that LIV golfers are prohibited from the Presidents Cup. Niemann has nine LIV wins to his name and the Chilean would have been a formidable opponent.
Lucas Herbert
Herbert has been in stellar form this season, picking up two LIV titles and finishing in a tie for sixth at The Open. He would have thrived in a team scenario. But the Australian plays on the wrong tour.
Cam Smith
We’ll never know if Ogilvy would have picked Smith had the 2022 Open champion been at his disposal. Smith has shown small signs of improvement since working with Claude Harmon III.
Jason Day
A tough season for the former world No.1, who continues to be set back by injuries. A five-time Presidents Cup player, Ogilvy would have loved to select a firing Day but had to look elsewhere.