Like Scottie Scheffler being in contention on a Sunday, it’s almost a given that the U.S. Team will lift the 2026 Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club by the end of the week.

Afterall, the U.S. is 13-1-1 all-time in the biennial competition pitting the PGA Tour’s top Americans and non-European stars against each other.

While many may think the final result is likely a given, the Presidents Cup nonetheless remains a surprisingly valuable asset for the PGA Tour and its partners.

“When we’re all said and done here, we’re on track to be the biggest Presidents Cup in our 30-year history,” 2026 Presidents Cup Executive Director Joie Chitwood said, “and I would say I think that’s expected.”

But if viewers and attendees (most likely) know who will win come Sunday, how does the Presidents Cup still hold value?

Arguably the biggest and most significant factor in the Presidents Cup’s commercial appeal is the fact that it’s a live sporting event with global appeal.

While the U.S. team boasts seven of the top-10 players in the Official World Golf Ranking including Scheffler (No. 1), Cameron Young (No. 3) and Wyndham Clark (No. 5), the International squad features the biggest names in global golf outside of the U.S. and Europe including Si Woo Kim (No. 13/South Korea), Ryan Fox (No. 24/New Zealand), Hideki Matsuyama (No. 26/Japan) and Min Woo Lee (No. 30/Australia).

LIV Golf proved there is increasing interest in pro golf around the globe, especially in locations like Australia and South Africa. LIV’s 2026 event in Adelaide was the highest-attended event in Australian golf history with more than 115,000 attendees. 

The Presidents Cup’s global footprint reinforces that, especially from a commercial perspective.

“First and foremost, it’s still an international tournament of the highest order, so it is of value, and there’s credibility in that,” a former TV sales executive told Big Swing Media. “I think the issue for the Presidents Cup is it’s constantly compared to the Ryder Cup, and the Ryder Cup is in a different league.

“From a sponsorship perspective, and certainly from just a pure media perspective, the value is significantly less than the Ryder Cup, but I wouldn’t fall asleep on it. You’re still doing close to two million viewers is my guess, and in this current marketplace, any live sports is going to be of interest.”

Approximately three-quarters of Americans (74%) watch live sports, according to research from S&P Global. Live sports—primarily the NFL—accounted for 96 of the top 100 most-watched telecasts in the U.S. in 2025.

People love live sports because of their unpredictability, which makes broadcasters and sponsors salivate, but stagnation and predictability can negatively impact viewership and interest. 

Why tune in when you know who will win, especially on a late September Sunday with a full slate of NFL games? Afterall, the phrase “any given Sunday,” stems from the entertainment juggernaut’s anyone-can-win-on-any-day mantra of unpredictability.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the Presidents Cup (yet) and the numbers reinforce it.

The final day of the 2024 Presidents Cup on NBC averaged 1.37 million viewers—down 28% from the previous U.S.-based event in 2022—but the event was still competitive heading into Sunday. 

Despite the U.S. jumping out to a 5-0 lead after Thursday fourball, the International team swept Friday foursomes to tie it at 5-5 heading into the weekend. Clearly, many potential final-round viewers knew the inevitable was bound to happen again as the U.S. led 11-7 following Saturday’s sessions.

“Greater team parity is the simplest route to a Presidents Cup tailwind that could cement its long-term relevance,” said Mike Dojc, a freelance golf journalist and host of Slinging Birdies on YouTube. “One way to inject a fresh competitive wrinkle overnight would be to make it a co-ed event with six men and six women per side. Still, even if the format stays as is, the event can get there organically over time.”

That’s what happened with the Ryder Cup, the Presidents Cup’s older and more successful big brother. 

The U.S. won 15 of the first 19 playings of the Ryder Cup between 1927 to 1971. Seeking to make matches more competitive, organizers gave Great Britain a little help, not only once, but twice, by expanding the team’s eligibility to include Ireland in 1973 and all of Europe six years later. 

The larger talent pool helped swing the pendulum of parity as Europe has gone 13-9-1 in the Ryder Cup since 1979. In fact, it’s swung so much that the Europeans are going through their own run of dominance, having won 11 of the last 15 editions.

And yet, people still tune in and attend because of the event’s history and prestige as it celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2027 at Adare Manor in Ireland. But even the Ryder Cup isn’t immune to the impacts of competitiveness—or lack thereof.

The 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black averaged 3.22 million viewers on Sunday, making it the lowest-viewed final day for a U.S.-based Ryder Cup going back prior to 2000 because of Europe’s commanding 11 ½ to 4 ½ lead. A Sunday singles surge by the U.S. resulted in a peak of 5.3 million viewers between 5-5:15 p.m. ET before Europe ultimately fended off the rally to win.

Still, nothing beats live sports, which bodes well for the Presidents Cup regardless of who lifts the trophy.

“Primetime is not what it was—not even close to what it was—and the only place you can continue to build reach with passion is in sports,” the former TV sales exec said. “When you have a premier event, even if it’s not the No. 1 event, it’s still going to be of great value to the advertisers and sponsors. I think there’s value in the Presidents Cup—it’s just up against a pretty tough standard that is the Ryder Cup.”

“I think the Presidents Cup only grows. We know all of the reasons why it’s kind of lagged in value, and those aren’t going to get worse. If the Internationals win, I would be really pleased if I had a multi-year deal with the Presidents Cup because the next one in 2028 is only going to be even more valuable.”

Whether brands are banking on a Presidents Cup version of the “Miracle at Medinah” or are just bullish on golf in general, they’re lining up in record numbers to be associated with the event now in its 32nd year. 

This week’s playing features the most ever global partners for a Presidents Cup event with Rolex, Barings, Forvis Mazars and Energy Transfer in support, as well as a host of other official marketing partners and local sponsors including Genesis, Michelob Ultra, Coca-Cola, Buffalo Trace, Dobel and Zyrtec.

Founded in 1994 as a way to further promote the PGA Tour’s non-European international players dominating the game at the time including Nick Price (Zimbabwe), Greg Norman (Australia) and Ernie Els (South Africa), the Presidents Cup doesn’t just offer partners the opportunity to be associated with a global golf competition, it also comes at a cheaper price than trying to rally behind the Ryder Cup.

“In terms of the company, it’s kind of the flagship (event). In terms of our golf business, for sure,” said B.Draddy co-founder and Summit Golf Brands Creative Director Billy Draddy, whose eponymous apparel brand has been outfitting Presidents Cup golfers, captains and assistants since 2020. “Selling to the USGA for the U.S. Open is great and so is the PGA Championship, but this and the Solheim Cup are signature events where you get to see the greatest players on the planet wearing your product. 

“You can’t pay for that kind of exposure.”

For a company like Genesis, the Presidents Cup was another opportunity for the title sponsor of the Genesis Invitational and Scottish Open to further its investment in golf, which has since expanded into being named the first global Official Vehicle and Official Mobility Partner of the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions (through 2030) and the first Founding Partner of TGL.

“As Genesis continues to grow, the Presidents Cup provides an important global platform to deepen our connection with golf fans around the world,” said Tedros Mengiste, Genesis Motor North America Chief Operating Officer. “The event reaches audiences in key markets including the United States, Canada, and Korea while embodying the values of performance and excellence that are central to our brand.”

Brands are onboard and so are local host communities, seeing the value in bringing an event like the Presidents Cup to their region.

The State of Illinois awarded the PGA Tour a $1 million grant to help cover operation and equipment costs for the marquee event at Medinah. An additional $500,000 reappropriation from the Build Illinois Bond Fund was also directed toward unspecified tournament infrastructure improvements.

The investment is justified with $175 million in economic impact forecasted for the region, benefitting DuPage County, the Chicago area and State of Illinois.

It took the Ryder Cup four decades before enacting its first change for the purpose of parity and popularity. What happens with the future of the Presidents Cup is to be seen, especially in the PGA Tour’s new era of entertainment spearheaded by former NFL media executive Brian Rolapp. What happens this week may play a significant role in reevaluating the event’s value in the industry.

“The Presidents Cup is still young and because it’s not just going back and forth to Europe (like the Ryder Cup), but to places like Australia, Korea and Canada, it’s tough to build the brand globally,” a former PGA Tour exec said. “But I will say this: I think that it was launched successfully, it was launched for the right reasons, it’s a great brand and has a great shoulder behind it.

“We’re still in the teenage years of an evolving product and I think it’s established a very good foundation and very good footing. … It’s got a ton of value and will continue to have a ton of value in the future.”