MEDINAH, IL — If the United States is going to come-from-behind to win the 2026 Presidents Cup, it will do so while playing without Scottie Scheffler for the first time in years at a major international team event.
The world's No. 1 golfer will sit out during the afternoon foursomes matches at Medinah Country Club after U.S. team captain Brandt Snedeker elected to choose eight other golfers for his four pairings on Saturday, Sept. 26. The Americans trailed the International team 8.5-5.5 to begin the final session of Day 3 at the Presidents Cup.
Holding out Scheffler is a surprise, even after he struggled during much of his morning four-ball match playing with Sam Burns once again. But it also served as further confirmation of one of a gnawing
issue facing the U.S. team this weekend and moving forward at the Ryder Cup.
Scheffler's performance in team golf has not matched what he does in tournament play on the PGA Tour.
This is the first time since the 2023 Ryder Cup that he has not played during a round at one of golf's major team match-play competitions.
Snedeker, while deliberating with 2027 U.S. Ryder Cup team captain Jim Furyk, made the decision right after Scheffler sank a birdie putt at No. 15 to even his four-ball match against Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Hisatsune on Saturday. Burns then closed it out with birdies at No. 16 and No. 17 to complete the comeback, allowing the U.S. to win the match 2&1 and the overall session.
Why U.S. sat Scottie Scheffler at Presidents Cup
Snedeker did not take questions from reporters after his selections for Saturday's foursomes. But he suggested during an interview with NBC that he chose to sit Scheffler as a way to perhaps lessen some of the pressure on his best player.
"I feel like Scottie has the weight of the world on his shoulders," Snedeker said, " ... and it's time for us to carry him."
Scheffler was the second-worst American golfer on the course at Medinah during his Saturday four-ball match based on strokes gained. He also has a terrible record in foursomes play at the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup, with a combined record of 1-7 after losing his Friday foursomes match to Canadians Nick Taylor and Corey Conners playing alongside Burns.
The U.S. is 6-24 in foursomes matches at the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup in recent years after Friday's sweep by the Internationals. Critics have suggested the Americans needed to shake things up. Giving Scheffler a break in an alternate shot format he hasn't had much success in would seem to qualify. Snedeker called it a "really tough decision."
Why sitting Scottie Scheffler is controversial
He's the No. 1 golfer in the world. Logic would suggest the U.S. should use him as many times as possible, particularly when the Americans are trying to mount a comeback. Scheffler and Burns also delivered a dramatic win in the final match of the session to give the crowd more juice heading into the afternoon.
Snedeker left himself open for criticism with this move if the U.S. doesn't also win the afternoon session and faces a steep climb ahead of Sunday's singles matches. The Americans were heavy favorites and there's considerable risk should the U.S. lose the Presidents Cup for just the second time in the event's history without using Scheffler as many times as possible.
The U.S. entered Saturday's four-ball session trailing the Internationals, 7-3, which was tied for the largest deficit the U.S. had faced at the Presidents Cup entering the weekend. The Americans' only loss in this biennial team golf event occurred in 1998 when the Internationals also led 7-3 before Saturday began.
What Scottie Scheffler said about sitting out at Presidents Cup
Scheffler was asked by NBC about the decision to not play during Saturday's afternoon foursomes session. He was diplomatic, noting he would use it as an opportunity to "get a little rest."
"Our team is a great team and I'm looking forward to going out and supporting the guys," Scheffler said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: US team benches Scottie Scheffler amid Presidents Cup comeback bid
