Im Sung-jae will compete at the 2026 Presidents Cup as a captain's pick.
International team captain Geoff Ogilvy officially announced six captain's picks, including Im, according to Golfweek and other major golf media outlets Wednesday. The 2026 Presidents Cup will be held over four days from Sept. 24 to Sept. 27 (local time) at Medinah Country Club in Illinois.
Im ranked ninth on the International team points list, falling just short of automatic qualification, but earned strong backing from Ogilvy to represent the International team for the fourth consecutive time. Im has now appeared at the Presidents Cup in 2019, 2022, 2024 and 2026 — beginning with his debut at Royal Melbourne in Australia and continuing through Charlotte and Montreal.
Im has compiled a 6-2-7 record across his Presidents Cup career. His precise tee shots, sharp iron play and steady composure — qualities that have defined his match-play performances — are expected to be assets again at this away event.
Ogilvy's picks blended seasoned veterans with explosive young talent. Joining Im are Corey Conners and Nick Taylor of Canada, Nico Echavarria of Colombia, Ryo Hisatsune of Japan and Christiaan Bezuidenhout of South Africa.
With Kim Si-woo (ranked first) and Kim Ju-hyung (ranked fifth) having already secured automatic berths, Im's addition gives the International team three Korean players as core members. Kim Si-woo, selected automatically as the top points earner, has cemented his status as the team's ace, while Kim Ju-hyung is expected to set the tone with his trademark high energy and strength in the short game and match play.
The International team has finalized its 12-man roster, combining automatic qualifiers — including Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, Adam Scott, Min Woo Lee of Australia and Ryan Fox of New Zealand — with the six captain's picks.
The International team's biggest challenge will be snapping the United States' winning streak. The team has won just once in the event's history — at the 1998 edition in Australia — and has lost 10 consecutive times to the Americans.
The US team, captained by Brandt Snedeker, qualified Scottie Scheffler, the world's top-ranked player, along with Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark, Sam Burns, Russell Henley and Cameron Young through automatic selection. Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Chris Gotterup, Jacob Bridgeman and Jackson Koivun round out the roster as captain's picks.
sports@heraldcorp.com
