Trevor Immelman is preparing for another Presidents Cup as the International Team gets set to face the United States at Medinah Country Club later this month. The South African has extensive experience in the event, having played for the Internationals in 2005 and 2007 before serving as captain in 2022.
Immelman will return to the International Team setup in 2026 as an assistant captain to Geoff Ogilvy. His latest comments come as the biennial competition approaches, with both teams preparing for four days of matches from September 24-27.
The Presidents Cup has long faced questions about its competitiveness, particularly because of the United States’ dominant record. The Internationals have won the event only once, in 1998, while the 2003 competition ended in a tie.
Trevor Immelman Calls Presidents Cup Criticism “a Little Offensive”
Trevor Immelman has pushed back against calls to change or overhaul the Presidents Cup, saying the criticism is “a little offensive” to the International Team.
Speaking on the Five Clubs Podcast, Immelman said he becomes frustrated when he sees suggestions that the competition needs a different format or should be fundamentally changed.
“Frankly, I get a little bit irritated when I read on social media or in articles about people saying that the Presidents Cup should change its format, it should do something different, it should get blown up. You know, it’s actually a little offensive to us,” Immelman said.
He stressed that the Internationals value the competition and remain motivated by the opportunity to face the United States.
“We love this event. We are passionate about this event. We love our team, we want to win this event. We love the opportunity of being able to play against the Americans, so that’s something that always kind of gets under my skin a little bit,” he added.
Immelman’s comments represent his personal view of the Presidents Cup rather than an official position from the International Team or PGA Tour. His defense comes from years of involvement in the competition as both a player and captain.
He was also an assistant captain in 2019 and 2024, giving him a long-term perspective on the Internationals’ efforts to close the gap against the Americans.
Trevor Immelman Prepares for Another Presidents Cup at Medinah
The 2026 Presidents Cup will take place at Medinah Country Club from September 24-27, with Geoff Ogilvy leading the International Team and Brandt Snedeker captaining the United States.
The Internationals enter the event looking to end a long run of American dominance. The United States has won 13 of the previous 15 Presidents Cups, with the Internationals’ only victory during that stretch coming at Royal Melbourne in 1998. The teams also tied in 2003.
Recent editions have provided encouraging moments for the International Team. At Royal Montreal in 2024, the Internationals recovered from a 5-0 deficit on the opening day by sweeping Friday’s foursomes matches. However, the United States eventually pulled away to win 18.5-11.5.
The 2026 International roster includes Hideki Matsuyama, Min Woo Lee, Tom Kim, Adam Scott, Si Woo Kim and recent Open champion Ryan Fox, alongside captain’s picks including Corey Conners, Nico Echavarria, Ryo Hisatsune, Nick Taylor, Sungjae Im, and Christiaan Bezuidenhout.
For Immelman, the focus remains on competing rather than changing the event itself. With Medinah now approaching, he will look to help Ogilvy’s team prepare for another opportunity to challenge the Americans under the existing Presidents Cup format.
Trevor Immelman Hits Back at Presidents Cup Critics Weeks Before Medinah