Patrick Cantlay drops a bombshell: Medinah Country Club will be an entirely new experience for the 2026 Presidents Cup. The US star warns his colleagues: anyone expecting the same greens as in 2019 will be sorely mistaken. After massive renovations, the course now features wider fairways and significantly fewer trees. And due to the Chicago rain, current conditions are so soft that Cantlay anticipates a real birdie fest for the initial days.
Medinah: A Completely New Beast
This isn't a facelift; it's major surgery! Medinah No. 3, where Cantlay last played in the 2019 BMW Championship, has undergone a complete overhaul. It now plays as a par 70 at a hefty 7,548 yards (6,901 meters). Trees? Many removed. Fairways? Widened and realigned. Greens? Enlarged and re-contoured. Bunkers? Newly constructed and seriously challenging. Co-designer Geoff Ogilvy had originally trimmed the course to play "firm," but the rain has thwarted those plans. Cantlay speculates that it will dry out by the weekend – and then it will become truly demanding!
On the Tee: Cantlay in Focus
Cantlay is, of course, ready for the first Four-Ball session today. He and his partner Chris Gotterup will face the two Kims: Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim. At the 16th Presidents Cup in 2026, Team USA Captain Brandt Snedeker and International Captain Geoff Ogilvy will lead their teams onto the green. This promises to be an opening that will immediately show us how well the teams adapt to the new Medinah. The rumor that Donald Trump is expected for the final round on Sunday is likely to significantly boost the crowd's energy.
