In the history of the Presidents Cup, there's only been one tie. It came in 2003 when the Jack Nicklaus-led Americans squad equaled the Gary Player-led Internationals.
The minimum point total needed nowadays to win is 15½ and in 2026, the Internationals hold a 10½ to 7½ lead heading into Sunday singles. Do the math, and the Internationals will need to win five matches, while the U.S. will need to win eight.
But what if they end up tied 15-15? In that case, the Presidents Cup does not go to a playoff. It simply ends in a tie and both teams jointly hold the trophy.
How a Presidents Cup tie differs from the Ryder Cup
In the Ryder Cup, pitting the U.S. against Europe, there is no extra golf. But in the event of a tie, the defending champion retains the Cup.
Origins of the tie at the Presidents Cup
The concept of sharing the Cup only came about
because of a wild scene in 2003. Here's what happened, according to the PGA Tour:
Back then there were a total of 34 points up for grabs, and the U.S. and International teams wound up tied 17-17, which necessitated a playoff. U.S. Captain Jack Nicklaus selected world No. 1 Tiger Woods to represent the U.S. side; International Team Captain Gary Player chose world No. 2 Ernie Els. Woods had defeated Els earlier in the day in Singles, 4 and 3. The playoff, though, was different. With both teams living and dying with every shot in the fading light, Woods and Els traded blows and were still tied after the third playoff hole, on which Woods made a 15-footer for par and Els made a 6-footer to tie him. With darkness precluding a fourth extra hole, Nicklaus and Player huddled up and elected to call it a tie, with each side sharing the cup for the first and only time.
Presidents Cup history
The U.S. has historically dominated the Presidents Cup, amassing a 13-1-1 record since the event's inception in 1994. The Americans won the 2024 Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Canada by a score of 18½ to 11½. The International Team's only victory came in 1998.
Todd Kelly is an assistant managing editor at Golfweek.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: What happens if there's a tie at the Presidents Cup?
