The directors managing the 2026 Presidents Cup

Leadership at Medinah

Joie Chitwood leads the 2026 Presidents Cup as Executive Director. He previously managed the Arnold Palmer Invitational and directed business functions at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Chitwood also oversaw the 75,000 seat Chicagoland Speedway and led the largest investment in International Speedway Corporation’s history with the $400 million Daytona Rising project. He previously directed the Arnold Palmer Cup, a collegiate competition. Michael Scimo acts as the 2026 Presidents Cup Chair.

Ben McGargill directs golf course operations at Medinah. He studied horticulture with an emphasis on turf management at Iowa State. He worked as a second assistant superintendent at Oakland Hills during the 2004 Ryder Cup and served as the South Course superintendent for the 2008 PGA Championship. McGargill also spent 13 years at The Club at Wynstone. He works with Ethan Haveman, the head of agronomy, and Nick Bell, the Course No. 3 superintendent. The staff of 100 employees follows a hierarchy to maintain the 59 total holes at the club.

Reconstructing the championship layout

The OCM design team, led by Geoff Ogilvy, completed a full redesign of Course No. 3 in 2024. This project began in April 2023 and resulted in a course that differs from the Tom Bendelow design. The renovation removed many trees and widened the fairways. The team also increased the size of the bunkers and the greens. These changes aim to restore the scale of the course.

The redesign changed the routing of the holes around Lake Kadijah by replacing the cross-water par-3 13th with a new 153 yard par-3 that runs parallel to the lake shore. The new 16th hole is a diagonal par-4 that requires players to hit over the water. The 17th hole is an angled par-3 that crosses the lake in the opposite direction of the old 13th. The 18th hole is 487 yards, making it 50 yards longer than the previous version. The par-4 6th hole now places the fairway directly against a straight out-of-bounds line defined by a split-rail fence. The par-5 7th hole, formerly the 10th, also runs down a long boundary line. The 2019 BMW Championship at Medinah saw Justin Thomas shoot 25 under par.

Managing the tournament conditions

The 2026 Presidents Cup takes place from September 24 to September 27. Brandt Snedeker captains the United States team, while Geoff Ogilvy leads the International team. Medinah has hosted several major events, including the 2012 Ryder Cup and the 1949, 1975, and 1990 U.S. Opens. The club also held the 1999 and 2006 PGA Championships, which Tiger Woods won. The course is located 25 miles west of downtown Chicago in DuPage County.

The staff must manage the large acreages and the hundreds of trees on the property. McGargill noted the need for specific machinery and labor to handle the new layout. The weather in the Midwest during September often assists in turf recovery. Do you think the increased bunker size will hinder aggressive play?

Patrick Cantlay observed that the course feels like a brand new course because the fairways are wider and the tree cover is lower. He expects many birdies during the first two days if the wind calms. He also noted that the course was soft due to recent rain in Chicago. The 18th hole measures 487 yards, which is 50 yards longer than the previous version. The players will begin their matches at the fifth hole to ensure they reach the swing holes of 16, 17, and 18. You should watch how the wind affects the diagonal shot on the 16th.