The Internationals seized a three-point lead at the 2026 Presidents Cup on Saturday after Min Woo Lee, Corey Conners, and Nick Taylor orchestrated key comebacks against the U.S. team at Medinah Country Club, setting up a high-stakes final day of 12 singles matches.
International Team Rallies at Medinah
It was only the fourth time since the matches began in 1994 that the Internationals held a lead heading into the final round. U.S. Team Captain Brandt Snedeker watched his squad twice fill the leaderboard with red numbers during the day, only to see the Internationals claw back through both morning Four-ball and afternoon Foursomes sessions.
Min Woo Lee played a central role in the turnaround. He teamed with Sungjae Im in the morning to erase a 2-down deficit against Justin Thomas and Jackson Koivun for a tie. Lee then partnered with Ryan Fox in the afternoon to overcome an early deficit and beat Sam Burns and Wyndham Clark.
Clutch Putting Secures Afternoon Momentum
The final match of Saturday delivered the loudest moment of the week when Corey Conners drained a 6-foot par putt on the 18th green. Conners and Nick Taylor rallied from 3-down after 10 holes to secure a 1-up victory over Jacob Bridgeman and Russell Henley.
International Captain Geoff Ogilvy acknowledged the psychological lift of the day’s late heroics. “Both sessions having all red on the board, down in every match, and to come back and get 1.5 points out of this morning we felt like was a little victory,” Ogilvy said.
Did you know? The Internationals last held a lead going into the final round at Royal Melbourne in 2019, before Tiger Woods led an American singles rally to secure the cup.
U.S. Sparks and Strategy Decisions
U.S. Captain Brandt Snedeker opted to sit out world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler for the afternoon session, a departure from previous team events where Scheffler played all five matches. Snedeker noted that the team needed to function collectively rather than rely on a single player.
The Americans found their most dominant pairing in Cameron Young and Chris Gotterup. The duo won the first four holes against Conners and Taylor in a morning Four-ball match, and followed it up with a 6-and-4 blowout victory over Sungjae Im and Adam Scott in the afternoon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who leads the 2026 Presidents Cup entering the final day?
The Internationals hold a three-point lead over the U.S. team heading into the final 12 singles matches.
How many times have the Internationals led going into the final round?
This marks only the fourth time since the tournament’s inception in 1994 that the International team has led after Saturday’s sessions.
Which players sat out for the Internationals on Saturday?
Nico Echavarria and Christiaan Bezuidenhout did not play in any of Saturday’s matches.
Join the Conversation
Do you think the Internationals can hold off the U.S. singles charge, or will history repeat itself? Drop a comment below and share your predictions for the final day.