Presidents Cup 2026: Jackson Koivun handed shock Team USA debut as Brandt Snedeker, Geoff Ogilvy reveal captain's picks
Brandt Snedeker selected Jacob Bridgeman, Patrick Cantlay, Chris Gotterup, Jackson Koivun, Xander Schauffele and Justin Thomas as captain's picks for Team USA; Geoff Ogilvy's International Team chase a first Presidents Cup win on American soil, live from September 24-27 on Sky Sports Golf
Tuesday 1 September 2026 23:44, UK
Jackson Koivun has been handed a Team USA debut for this month's Presidents Cup, just months after turning professional, as former world No 1 Jason Day missed out on a spot in the International Team.
Koivun enjoyed a glittering amateur career before turning professional after the US Open in June, with the 21-year-old winning the PGA Tour's 3M Open three starts later and qualifying for the season-ending FedExCup Playoffs.
He will become the youngest American to feature at the Presidents Cup since Jordan Spieth in 2015 after being named among Brandt Snedeker's six captain's picks for this year's edition at Medinah Country Club, where Team USA chase a record-extending 11th consecutive victory in the biennial contest.
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Koivun was one of three debutants named among Snedeker's selections, revealed in a live TV show on Tuesday, with Chris Gotterup - a three-time PGA Tour winner this season - and Genesis Invitational champion Jacob Bridgeman also included.
"It's rare to see a player this young demonstrate the level of poise and confidence that Jackson has, even before turning professional," Snedeker said. "His maturity and work ethic have always stood out. He's already proven he can win on the biggest stage in golf on the PGA Tour, and I'm excited to watch him perform in his first team event."
Snedeker elected to pick experience to complete the rest of his 12-man line-up, with stalwarts Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas and Patrick Cantlay all recalled for fourth Presidents Cup appearances.
Ben Griffin and last year's US Open winner JJ Spaun were among the high-profile players to miss out for Team USA, while Gary Woodland will remain a captain's assistant despite winning the Texas Children's Houston Open in March and adding five top-10s since on the PGA Tour.
Day was the highest-ranked player in the International Team qualification rankings not to earn a captain's spot from Geoff Ogilvy, with the Australian struggling for form and fitness during a season where he failed to qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs for the first time since 2007.
Sungjae Im returns for a fourth appearance for the International Team, while Corey Conners will feature for a third time after narrowly missing out on an automatic pick.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout was handed a third consecutive appearance, with Cognizant Classic winner Nico Echavarria, Canada's Nick Taylor and Japan's Ryo Hisatsune confirmed as rookies.
"Christiaan [Bezuidenhout] has experience in this event that would have been difficult to leave on the table," Ogilvy said. "He's earned 3.5 points in five matches, including two singles victories. He knows what to expect and he delivers. That's why I've selected him."
Who had already qualified?
The United States qualification campaign ran from the start of the 2025 PGA Tour season through to the BMW Championship on August 23, with world No 1 Scottie Scheffler headlining the six automatic qualifiers.
Players Championship winner Cameron Young and US Open champion Wyndham Clark were the next two in the automatic standings, as Sam Burns, Russell Henley and Collin Morikawa - all part of last year's Ryder Cup side - also qualified automatically.
The International Team standings ran from September 8 until the Tour Championship on August 30, with players' Official World Golf Ranking Points being used to determine their six automatic spots.
Si Woo Kim topped the standings to secure his fourth appearance and Ryan Fox earned a debut by winning The Open at Royal Birkdale, with Hideki Matsuyama, Min Woo Lee, Tom Kim and Adam Scott all returning to the International Team.
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