What is the Presidents Cup? Who gets to feature and how does it differ from the Ryder Cup? Key questions and all you need to know ahead of the 2024 contest between the United States and the International Team, live on Sky Sports…
The Presidents Cup is a biennial team competition between the United States and the International Team, which covers the rest of the world outside of Europe, with the latest edition taking place this week at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Canada.
The four-day event starts on Thursday and is played across five sessions, with Jim Furyk captaining a strong United States team and former Masters champion Mike Weir leading the International line-up on home soil.
How does the format differ from the Ryder Cup?
Players compete in sessions of fourballs, foursomes and singles – just like Team USA does when they face Europe in the Ryder Cup – although the Presidents Cup has more matches in the opening two sessions and spreads the contest out across four days rather than three.
Foursomes sees two golfers from Team USA compete against a pair from the International Team, with team members alternating between shots and each team using one ball. Fourballs sees each player use his own ball, with the lowest score from each pair counting for the score for their side.
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The best of the action from day three of the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Italy, where Team USA were beaten by Team Europe
Five matches of one format take place on Thursday and five matches of the other on Friday, with four more matches of both fourballs and foursomes then being played across two sessions on Saturday.
Sunday sees all 24 players – 12 on each team – compete in singles matches, where every member from the USA Team plays against an International Team opponent in a head-to-head contest. A total of 30 points are available across the four days, with the team with the most points then claiming the trophy.
Why can’t LIV Golf players take part?
The Presidents Cup is run by the PGA Tour, who continue to ban LIV Golf players from competing in their events since the breakaway circuit was launched in 2022.
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Highlights from a thrilling final round of the US Open at Pinehurst No 2, where LIV Golf’s Bryson DeChambeau claimed victory ahead of Rory McIlroy
Reigning US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau cannot feature for the United States this year, with Brooks Koepka – who represented Team USA in the Ryder Cup last September via a captain’s pick – also not taking part.
Mito Pereira and Sebastian Munoz both played for the International Team two years ago but are unable to this time around since joining LIV Golf, while five of the 2019 line-up – including Joaquin Niemann and former major champions Cameron Smith and Louis Oosthuizen – also miss out.
This is different to the Ryder Cup, where players can currently represent Team Europe if they fulfil their DP World Tour membership, with American players having it confirmed by the PGA of America that they will also be eligible to feature.
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Justin Rose speaks to Sky Sports’ Jamie Weir about how he would like to see LIV golfers Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton on the 2025 Ryder Cup team.
Who will feature for Team USA?
World No 1 Scottie Scheffler headlines a star-studded line-up, having won eight times in 2024 – including The Players, The Masters, the Olympics and the Tour Championship, while two-time major champion Xander Schauffele also returns to represent Team USA.
Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay and Sahith Theegala round off the automatic qualifiers, with Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley among the captain’s picks after his surprise win at the BMW Championship in the FedExCup Playoffs.
Sam Burns, Tony Finau, Brian Harman, Russell Henley and Max Homa also feature for the United States, who have four Presidents Cup rookies in their side but eight players who feature in the Ryder Cup last autumn in Rome.
What about the International Team?
Former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama is the highest-ranked player in the International Team, where former world No 1 Adam Scott makes an 11th consecutive appearance and Jason Day also features.
Korean trio Sungjae Im, Tom Kim and Byeong Hun An complete the automatic qualification spots, while Canada’s Corey Conners, Taylor Pendrith and Mackenzie Hughes – one of two rookies – all get to feature on home soil after being named as captain’s picks.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Si Woo Kim return for the second time after being also selected by Weir and Australia’s Min Woo Lee makes his debut as the other captain’s pick, with five countries represented on the International Team.
Can the International Team claim a famous win?
Three of the last five contests have had a winning margin of three points or less, although a tie in the 2003 edition and a lone victory in 1998 are the only occasions to date where the International Team has avoided defeat.
Team USA needed a final-day fightback to see them claim a 16-14 victory in Melbourne in 2019, the last time they face an away Presidents Cup, before they extended their winning streak by beating an inexperienced International Team 17.5-12.5 two years ago.
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Highlights from day four of the 2022 Presidents Cup, held at the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Untied States have won every edition since 2005 and 12 of the previous 14 Presidents Cup, although the International Team will look to cause an upset on home soil and end their 26-year wait for victory.
Who will support the two captains?
Weir will have Ernie Els, Trevor Immelman, Geoff Ogilvy and Camilo Villegas as his vice-captains, while Furyk’s assistants Stewart Cink, Justin Leonard, Kevin Kisner & Brandt Snedeker.
Tiger Woods isn’t part of the United States backroom team this time around, having featured as a playing-captain during the last away Presidents Cup in 2019.
How can I watch the Presidents Cup on Sky Sports?
Sky Sports will show coverage from all five sessions in Canada, with over 28 hours of live action across the four tournament days alongside dedicated daily highlights and specific Presidents Cup programming.
Live PGA Tour Golf
Thursday 26th September 6:00pm
Live coverage begins at 4.30pm on Thursday and 6pm Friday, with Saturday’s double session getting under way at midday and covering both the fourballs and foursomes. The final-day singles are live from 5pm on Sunday on Sky Sports Golf and will follow the tournament to its conclusion.
Key TV times (all on Sky Sports Golf)
Thursday – 1630-2300 – Day one fourballs LIVE!
Friday – 1800-2300 – Day two foursomes LIVE!
Live PGA Tour Golf
Friday 27th September 6:00pm
Saturday – 1200-2300 – Day three fourballs and foursomes LIVE!
Sunday – 1700-2300 – Day four singles LIVE!
Where will the Presidents Cup be held in the future?
Medinah Country Club – site of Europe’s famous Ryder Cup comeback win in 2012 – will host the 2026 edition, with Kingston Heath Golf Club in Australia the venue in 2028 and Bellerive Country Club in Missouri already confirmed to site the 2030 contest.
Who will win the Presidents Cup? Watch the 2024 contest from September 26-29 live on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins on Thursday September 26 from 4.30pm on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the Presidents Cup and more with NOW.