Jackson Koivun’s rocket ride from Auburn to Medinah is complete. The 21-year-old joins Scheffler, Schauffele and Cantlay on a loaded U.S. roster.
Jackson Koivun didn’t need a long résumé to earn a Presidents Cup invitation. He simply made himself impossible to ignore.
The 21-year-old rookie is the shock-and-awe selection on Brandt Snedeker’s 2026 U.S. Presidents Cup roster, joining captain’s picks Chris Gotterup, Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay and Jacob Bridgeman.
They complete a 12-player American team built to overpower the International squad at Medinah Country Club.
Scottie Scheffler, Cameron Young, Wyndham Clark, Sam Burns, Russell Henley and Collin Morikawa secured the six automatic positions.
Koivun is the fascinating gamble.
Only 24 days after turning professional, the former Auburn star won the 3M Open in his third start as a pro. He closed with a 5-under 66, finished at a tournament-record 25-under 259 and beat world No. 1 Scheffler by three strokes.
He then reached the FedExCup Playoffs in just five starts, matching Tiger Woods’ record for the fewest starts needed to qualify.
That’s not development-project stuff. That’s a player kicking down the door before anybody can locate the key.
Koivun, Gotterup and Bridgeman will make their Presidents Cup debuts, but Snedeker surrounded the newcomers with proven match-play muscle.
Schauffele owns a 10-4-0 Presidents Cup record and has never lost a singles match in the event. Cantlay is also 10-4-0, with the longtime partners combining for a 4-1-0 foursomes record.
Thomas brings a 10-3-2 mark and a perfect 6-0-0 four-ball record, though he’s still chasing his first Presidents Cup singles victory.
Scheffler’s 3-5-0 career mark is strangely modest for the game’s dominant player. Morikawa is 6-2-0, while Henley went 3-1-0 during his 2024 debut.
Burns arrives with a 3-3-3 record after earning 3.5 points without a loss in Montreal.
The Americans have won 13 of 15 Presidents Cups, including 10 straight. The International Team’s only victory came in 1998, followed by a 17-17 tie in 2003.
That history makes the United States the obvious favorite at Medinah. It also creates a brutal standard: winning isn’t impressive anymore ... it’s expected.
Koivun was the risky pick. Somehow, leaving him home would’ve felt even riskier.
