Brandt Snedeker announced his final captain’s pick for the United States Presidents Cup team on Tuesday, selecting 21-year-old PGA Tour rookie Jackson Koivun. The team will compete against the International squad at Medinah Country Club near Chicago from September 24 to 27.
Koivun, who turned professional in June after a successful amateur and collegiate career, will make his debut in professional team golf. He secured a notable victory at the 3M Open in only his third professional start, finishing three shots ahead of Scottie Scheffler. His selection marks him as the second youngest player to join a U.S. Presidents Cup team, with only Jordan Spieth joining younger at age 20 in 2013.
Snedeker expressed confidence in Koivun’s potential and contribution to the team, highlighting the rookie’s capabilities and team spirit. “I’m just so impressed by this young man,” Snedeker said, emphasizing Koivun’s value in team pairings and overall performance. Koivun, who ranked 48th in the U.S. qualifying standings due to his recent tour start, was chosen over higher-ranked players such as Ben Griffin and J.J. Spaun.
Koivun joins fellow captain’s picks Chris Gotterup, Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, and Jacob Bridgeman. Gotterup, currently ranked seventh globally with five career wins—including three in 2026—is also a rookie on the Presidents Cup roster. Snedeker praised Gotterup’s work ethic and ability to perform under pressure. The six other U.S. players qualified automatically through a points system: Scheffler, Cameron Young, Wyndham Clark, Sam Burns, Russell Henley, and Collin Morikawa.
On the International side, Australian captain Geoff Ogilvy also revealed his six captain’s picks, selecting Corey Conners (Canada), Nico Echavarria (Colombia), Nick Taylor (Canada), Sungjae Im (South Korea), Ryo Hisatsune (Japan), and Christiaan Bezuidenhout (South Africa). They will supplement the six automatic qualifiers: New Zealand’s Ryan Fox, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, Australians Min Woo Lee and Adam Scott, and South Koreans Si Woo Kim and Tom Kim.
Notably absent from the International team was Australian Jason Day, a former world number one and five-time Presidents Cup participant. Despite ranking 11th in the International qualifying standings, Day was not selected in favor of lower-ranked players such as Taylor, who previously missed the 2024 Presidents Cup on home soil in Canada. Ogilvy acknowledged Taylor’s strong recent form and said he was pleased to include him this year.
Four rookies will represent the International team: Echavarria, Taylor, Hisatsune, and Fox. Adam Scott will make his record-tying 12th Presidents Cup appearance.
The United States and International teams will face off at Medinah Country Club over four days of match play, continuing the biennial event that showcases top talent from across the globe.