Trump to Attend Presidents Cup, Golfers Express Pride and Patriotism

President Donald Trump is expected to attend the final round of the 2026 Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club, with Team USA golfers expressing pride in representing their nation.

Wyndham Clark, preparing for his role on the U.S. team, called the prospect of the President watching him play "pretty amazing." The PGA Tour, which organizes the Presidents Cup, invited Trump to serve as honorary chairman, a role he accepted. Sources familiar with the president's plans confirmed his expected attendance on Sunday.

The Presidents Cup pits 12 U.S. golfers against 12 players from countries outside of Europe, similar to the Ryder Cup which matches the U.S. against Europe.

Sam Burns, a multiple-time participant in team events, emphasized the importance of national unity. "Being an American, I think it’s very important that we do support our president, regardless of your political views," Burns stated. "I think if you look at our country now, it seems more divided than ever, and hopefully we can get back to the point where all Americans come together, and we’re all trying to kind of reach the same goal."

Burns added that while he has met Trump, his respect for the presidency is not tied to any specific individual. "Anyone who’s the president of this country, I respect that position, obviously," he said.

Chris Gotterup echoed the sentiment, saying, "Whoever the president is, if they care enough to come watch us play golf, that’s pretty cool." He added, "I know we’re excited, and we’re going to go try to put on a good performance for everyone."

Wyndham Clark recalled a personal interaction with Trump after winning the 2023 U.S. Open. Clark described receiving a congratulatory call from the former president as "one of the coolest calls of my life," noting Trump's detailed knowledge of his performance during the tournament.

Patrick Cantlay, who has known Trump since the 2011 Walker Cup, hopes the president's presence will energize the crowd. "I think it’d be great to have the president out, and hopefully it gets the crowd going," Cantlay said.

Xander Schauffele commented on the supportive nature of the event, joking about the Secret Service's potential concerns but ultimately stating, "It’s awesome that our president loves golf and supports USA."

For many of the players, representing Team USA is a significant honor. Jacob Bridgeman called it "the highest honor that you can get in all of golf" and expressed hope that presidential attendance would make the experience feel "even more patriotic."

Jackson Koivun highlighted the camaraderie of playing for a team, stating, "It’s always fun when you’re able to put on the red, white and blue and play on a team with guys who are fighting for the same cause."

Justin Thomas, who played college golf at Alabama, shared a lighthearted moment regarding teammate Jackson Koivun, a former Auburn player. "I’ve been playing a lot of practice rounds with an Auburn kid this week," Thomas said. "I love him to death, but I hope he has a terrible Saturday," he joked, referencing their rivalry. He concluded, "We have everybody here pulling for the USA."

Schauffele also reflected on the unifying power of international competition. "If players and people can kind of gather under one flag in a sport, it is pretty awesome," he said. "Luckily, we’re able to do that in golf."

Burns reiterated the team's focus on winning. "All of us guys that are on this squad, there’s nothing more we want to do than to go out and win and represent our country well," he said. "And that’s the plan this week."

The Presidents Cup competition begins Thursday and concludes Sunday.