Surprise at the 2026 Presidents Cup: World number 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler has been benched.

The United States team still must work hard to close the deficit against the International Team at the 2026 Presidents Cup. Amid this situation, captain Brandt Snedeker's decision to bench Scottie Scheffler for the Saturday afternoon Foursomes session emerged as one of the biggest talking points.

Scheffler had previously partnered Sam Burns for the Saturday morning Four-ball session. The pair defeated the Japanese duo of Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Hisatsune with a 2&1 scoreline.

Scheffler was even a central figure in the United States' fightback. On the 15th hole, the world number one Golfer sank an approximately 21-foot birdie putt that completely shifted the match momentum.

Burns then carried that momentum forward with consecutive birdies on the 16th and 17th holes to secure the victory for the American pairing.

However, immediately after that win, Scheffler was not included in the eight players Snedeker selected for the afternoon Foursomes session.

The decision drew significant surprise given Scheffler's status as the top-ranked golfer on the planet. That said, Scheffler does hold a poor historical record in Presidents Cup Foursomes format, with an official career record of 1-8-0.

Snedeker clarified that this call was not made purely based on Scheffler's on-course performance.

"Scottie carries the weight of the entire world on his shoulders leading the United States Team. Right now, we decided it is our turn to carry him for one session," Snedeker stated, as quoted by PGA Tour.

Scheffler himself raised no objections to the decision, instead choosing to support his teammates from outside the playing lines.

"We are always prepared for anything that comes. I have played an enormous amount of golf this year. I will just sit right there and cheer all the guys on," Scheffler commented.

This is also not the first time Scheffler has been rested from team competition play. He was previously benched for one session at the 2022 Presidents Cup and one session at the 2023 Ryder Cup.

Elsewhere, the International Team successfully retained their lead through the close of Saturday play. After three completed sessions, they hold an 8.5-5.5 advantage over the United States, carrying a three point buffer into Sunday's singles matches.

For the International Team, this standing creates a genuine chance to claim their first outright Presidents Cup victory since 1998.