Presidents Cup news: Scottie Scheffler bunker shot seals Team USA Day 1 lead

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Scottie Scheffler gave Team USA the kind of shot it needed to close a tense opening day at the Presidents Cup.

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With Scheffler's four-ball match alongside his best friend Sam Burns hanging in the balance, the world No. 1 produced a superb bunker shot that helped the Americans finish Thursday with a 3–2 lead over the International Team at Medinah Country Club.

Scheffler and Burns faced Min Woo Lee and Sungjae Im in the first match of the day. Their contest remained close deep into the round, making Scheffler's touch from the sand all the more valuable. Team USA had been pushed throughout the opening session, and its biggest star delivered when there was little room for error.

A 3–2 lead offers breathing room, but Thursday made clear that the International Team will not let the Americans cruise through the weekend. Each opening-day match was worth one point, and the visitors kept the overall score tight despite playing in front of a U.S. crowd.

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Japan's duo of Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Hisatsune played very well against what was supposed to be a great duo of Cam Young and Xander Schauffele. That was not the case, as Matsuyama and Hisatsune won by three strokes. Si Woo Kim and Tom Kim defeated Patrick Cantlay and Chris Gotterup easily as well, giving the International squad two points.

The other two points earned by the Americans came easily, with Wyndham Clark and Collin Morikawa dominating Adam Scott and Ryan Fox, and Justin Thomas and Jackson Koivun earning the first point of the opening round by crushing Corey Conners and Nico Echavarria.

One match, one point for Presidents Cup rookie Jackson Koivun 🇺🇸

Him & JT put the first point on the board for the US squad with a 4&3 win over Corey Conners & Nico. pic.twitter.com/3QA3M3InGQ

— Fore Play (@ForePlayPod) September 24, 2026

Here is the schedule for Day 2 on Friday. Friday's slate will feature five foursomes (alternate shot) matches, followed by four fourballs, and four foursomes in a double-session Saturday. Sunday will conclude with 12 singles matches.

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Match 1 – 2:05 p.m. ET
Match 2 – 2:19 p.m. ET
Match 3 – 2:33 p.m. ET
Match 4 – 2:47 p.m. ET
Match 5 – 3:01 p.m. ET

Stay tuned for the groupings.

This story will be updated.

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