Tiger Woods has spoken after Team USA turned a three-point deficit into a historic victory at Medinah Country Club. The Americans entered Sunday trailing the International Team 10.5-7.5 after three days of competition. They answered by taking 9.5 of 12 singles points on Sunday. Jacob Bridgeman clinched the trophy before the remaining matches were completed.
The 17-13 result gave the United States its 11th consecutive Presidents Cup title. It also produced the largest final-day comeback in Presidents Cup history. Woods, who captained the U.S. to victory in 2019, reacted to the finish with a brief message. His reaction came after the Americans completed a comeback that had appeared unlikely entering the final day.
Tiger Woods praised Team USA’s response
Woods posted his reaction on social media after the Americans completed their comeback. “What a comeback!” Woods wrote, congratulating Team USA on an “incredible Presidents Cup victory” and calling it a “Great team win.”
His message also highlighted how difficult the situation had become before Sunday’s singles. Woods noted that the Americans needed the matchups to go their way, and the results ultimately did so.
The reaction carried extra context because Woods remains closely tied to the Presidents Cup. He played in nine editions, served as captain in 2019, and helped the Americans recover from an early deficit at Royal Melbourne that year. His public response also came immediately after a victory that echoed the resilience of that earlier U.S. comeback.
The Americans changed the Presidents Cup on Sunday
Team USA needed eight points from 12 singles matches to reach the 15.5 points required to win. Cameron Young started the charge by beating Ryo Hisatsune 3 and 2, while Justin Thomas followed with a 5-and-3 victory over Corey Conners.
Scottie Scheffler, Chris Gotterup and Collin Morikawa then added crucial points as the Americans kept pressure on the International side. Patrick Cantlay created one of the day’s biggest moments when he holed a 57-foot putt from off the 16th green against Adam Scott.
Morikawa’s 1-up win over Hideki Matsuyama put the Americans ahead 13.5-12.5. Jackson Koivun then defeated Si Woo Kim 2 up, leaving Bridgeman in position to clinch the Cup with his match against Min Woo Lee. Xander Schauffele later added another full point, while Russell Henley halved his match to close the final score at 17-13.
Trump’s praise added another layer to the comeback
President Donald Trump attended the final day as the Presidents Cup’s honorary chairman. He addressed the players from the first tee before the singles session and later took part in the trophy presentation.
After the victory, Trump praised the American team while speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews. He called the team “unbelievable,” described the result as a “big, big win” and said those watching had witnessed a “very historic event” in sports, golf and for the country.
Snedeker also credited Trump with helping inspire the team. The captain said Trump told him he had “brought some juice” for the Americans and added that he would give Trump credit if the day turned in their favor. The comments placed Trump’s presence directly into the post-match conversation surrounding the comeback.
Woods’ Presidents Cup history makes the reaction notable
Woods’ connection to the event goes well beyond his captaincy in 2019. He represented the United States in the Presidents Cup in 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2019.
His most memorable Presidents Cup role came in 2019, when he served as a playing captain at Royal Melbourne. Woods went 3-0 as a player and selected himself as one of his captain’s picks, while the Americans overcame a 10-8 deficit entering Sunday to win 16-14.
The 2026 comeback added another chapter to Woods’ long association with the event. Team USA’s 17-13 victory improved the Americans’ all-time Presidents Cup record to 14-1-1, while the International Team remained without a victory since its lone title in 1998.
Woods’ nine Presidents Cup appearances, stretching from 1998 through 2019, along with his role as U.S. captain in 2019, show how long he has remained connected to the competition across multiple generations of players.
Fun fact: Medinah No. 3 has a particularly strong connection to Tiger Woods. He won both PGA Championships played there, taking the 1999 title by one stroke over Sergio Garcia and the 2006 championship by five strokes over Shaun Micheel.
Team USA’s comeback changed the historical record
The final-day rally surpassed the previous Presidents Cup record for a comeback entering singles. Woods’ 2019 U.S. team had previously held that mark after entering Sunday trailing 10-8 at Royal Melbourne.
This year’s Americans faced an even larger challenge, entering Sunday three points behind. The 9.5-2.5 singles advantage produced a four-point final margin and completed the largest final-day comeback in Presidents Cup history.
Bridgeman’s clinching point came in his Presidents Cup debut, while Koivun finished his first appearance undefeated. Their performances added a younger layer to a team that also relied on established stars such as Scheffler, Thomas, Morikawa, Cantlay, and Schauffele.
The International Team had led 7-3 after Friday’s foursomes and still held a three-point advantage entering Sunday, but the Americans produced wins across the lineup instead of relying on a single player to carry the comeback.
The turnaround featured balance, with nine U.S. players recording singles wins. The Americans finished Sunday singles 9-2-1, completing the 17-13 victory.
TL;DR
- Tiger Woods congratulated Team USA after its 17-13 Presidents Cup victory at Medinah.
- The Americans erased a 10.5-7.5 deficit by winning 9.5 of 12 Sunday singles points.
- Jacob Bridgeman clinched the Cup in his Presidents Cup debut against Min Woo Lee.
- Donald Trump praised the U.S. victory, while Brandt Snedeker credited his presence with inspiring the team.
- The victory gave Team USA its 11th consecutive Presidents Cup title and a 14-1-1 overall record.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
