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The 2026 Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club is upon us. On paper, it’s not exactly a fair fight. The Americans boast an average World Golf Ranking of 15 to the Internationals 50, and have won 10 straight Presidents Cups. The odds, which have the Americans as -600 favorites to retain the cup, suggest we are in for another blowout. But the venue itself, the site of the European’s wild Sunday singles comeback in the 2012 Ryder Cup, should be a good reminder to all that remarkable and unpredictable occurrences are part of team competition.
Regardless of outcome and closeness of the competition, a few responsible wagers is a great way to keep your interest throughout the weekend. Here are three of my favorite plays that I am making before the day 1 four-ball pairings are announced. All odds are via DrafKings.
Cameron Young – Top American point scorer +990
Young was one of the few bright spots at the Ryder Cup last year. As a rookie he finished with a 3-1-0 record, tied for the best on the team with Xander Schauffele. He followed that up with the best year of his career that led to him climbing all the way up to number 3 in the world. I think there is a solid chance Young plays every session, which is a critical element here. His odds of +990 on DraftKings are the 6th highest on the American team behind Sam Burns and the presumed pairings of Schauffele/Cantlay and Scheffler/Henley. That’s too high for a player of his caliber who has shown early promise in his team competition career.
Tom Kim – Top International point scorer +670
Tom Kim had a career resurgence in 2026 that was sparked by his 3rd place finish at the U.S. Open. There is a good chance he gets sent out with Si Woo Kim in both four-ball sessions, which would be one of the strongest teams the Internationals could make. Tom Kim is the emotional leader of the International team and if he gets an early win, I could see Ogilvy going back to him for every session. Even though he only has a 3-5-1 record in the Presidents Cup, at +670 he is worth a wager. If the competition goes as the experts think it will it could only take 2.5-3 points to lead the team.
Top Debutant – Jackson Koivun +305
I’m intrigued to see how Snedeker uses the 21-year-old rising star in his first team event. Koivun won a national championship with Auburn only 4 months ago and now is on a loaded American team at the Presidents Cup. Quite the rise from someone the Americans hope will be a stalwart for years to come on these teams. There is some buzz around a potential pairing with JT this week to serve as a veteran presence for Koivun. Thomas has an incredible Presidents Cup record and if the Iron Bowl duo could claim a few points, Koivun would be set up well to be the top debutant point scorer.
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