The Presidents Cup is almost here, with the biennial showdown set to get underway September 22–27 at Medinah Country Club. Both 12-man squads have been confirmed. Jackson Koivun has earned his spot on the U.S. team as a captain’s pick, becoming the youngest U.S. player picked for the Presidents Cup since Jordan Spieth in 2013. Ahead of the action, the 21-year-old joined Gary Williams on 5 Clubs, where he revealed how captain Brandt Snedeker delivered the news.
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“I didn’t have his number,” Koivun told Williams about Brandt Snedeker. “When he texted me… I didn’t know who it was. I knew the calls were coming in today, but it didn’t really register in my mind cuz he sent, like, ‘Hey, Jackson, do you have any time to chat today?’ That was it, but I didn’t have the number saved because I’d never texted him before.
“He goes, ‘This is Brandt Snedeker. I was like, ‘Oh boy.’ So I called him immediately, and he let me know the good news… He goes, ‘You’re coming to Madina. And it was hard for me to believe for a couple [of] minutes. I was just shocked.”
It’s understandable why Koivun felt dumbfounded. The San Jose, California, native had just turned professional in June 2026 after spending three seasons playing college golf at Auburn University and opting to forgo his senior year. His case for a captain’s pick was further strengthened by his stunning performance at the 3M Open in July, where he defeated World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler to claim his first PGA Tour victory.
Koivun, who will make his Presidents Cup debut, may not have known it then, but the win and another top-10 finish, all in mere six starts, gave him hope that a Presidents Cup spot was within reach. Although he was still well outside the top six automatic qualifiers for the U.S. team, he believed a strong playoff run could catch captain Brandt Snedeker’s attention.
“I know I can go out there and play and win for the Presidents Cup, I just don’t think I’ve proved that yet to the captain,” Koivun said.
A deep run never materialized, however, as Koivun ended his season at the St. Jude Championship with a T24 finish. Yet, his wish ultimately came true. Meanwhile, Snedeker shared his thoughts on selecting the young man.
“I’m just so impressed by this young man,” Snedeker said. “I think he brings a lot to our team room, I think he brings a lot to us in terms of pairings, and I know what this guy’s capable of, I know what he’s gonna bring to us, and I’m excited for him to show it to the world.”
Regardless, Koivun wasn’t the only one to receive the call from the captain. Chris Gotterup, Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, and Jacob Bridgeman also got into the 12 via captain’s pick. Meanwhile, the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Cameron Young, Wyndham Clark, Sam Burns, Russell Henley, and Collin Morikawa made it through the automatic qualifier.
Meanwhile, the Americans will have to contend with a 12-man International team featuring Si Woo Kim, Hideki Matsuyama, Ryan Fox, Tom Kim, Min Woo Lee, and Adam Scott. Captain Geoff Ogilvy will lead the squad as the Internationals look to challenge the U.S. side at Medinah. The US team leads the all-time Presidents Cup series with 13 wins, while the International team has 1 win, and 1 event has ended in a tie.