By Royal Limo Services Team
September 2, 2026 • 16–18 min read

The 2026 Presidents Cup at Medinah brings one of international golf’s biggest team competitions to the Chicago area from September 22–27, 2026, with two practice days followed by four days of match play on Medinah Country Club’s historic Course No. 3.

For spectators, the week involves more planning than simply buying a ticket. General parking is located away from the golf course, advance parking passes are required, tournament shuttles connect several locations, Metra offers another option, Saturday begins especially early, and event security rules can affect what you bring with you. Visitors arriving from outside Illinois also need to decide where to stay and how they will travel between O’Hare, Midway, downtown Chicago, suburban hotels and Medinah.

This guide covers the event from a fan’s point of view first — golf, schedule, teams, tickets, parking, public transportation, security, what to bring and how to plan your day. For spectators who prefer private transportation, a Chicago limo service can then be considered alongside the official parking, rail and rideshare options.

Quick answer: The 2026 Presidents Cup runs Tuesday, September 22 through Sunday, September 27 at Medinah Country Club’s Course No. 3. Practice days are Tuesday and Wednesday; competition runs Thursday through Sunday. General spectator parking must be purchased in advance and starts at $17 plus taxes and fees, with three remote lots connected to the tournament by complimentary shuttles. Metra service to Medinah Station and a designated spectator drop-off/pickup area at Eaglewood Resort & Spa provide additional ways to reach the event.

2026 Presidents Cup at Medinah: The Essential Details

The Presidents Cup is a biennial team competition between:

The United States Team

and

The International Team, made up of players from outside the United States and Europe.

Europe is not part of the Presidents Cup because European players compete against the United States separately in the Ryder Cup.

The 2026 edition will be the 16th Presidents Cup and will be played at:

Medinah Country Club — Course No. 3
6N001 Medinah Road
Medinah, Illinois 60157

Medinah sits roughly 25 miles west of downtown Chicago and has one of the most significant championship histories in American golf.

Why Medinah Country Club Matters

This is not simply another PGA TOUR venue.

Medinah’s Course No. 3 has hosted:

• three U.S. Opens;
• two PGA Championships;
• the 1988 U.S. Senior Open;
• the 2012 Ryder Cup;
• the 2019 BMW Championship;
• multiple Western Opens;
• and now the 2026 Presidents Cup.

When the Presidents Cup arrives, Medinah will become the only club to have hosted a U.S. Open, PGA Championship, Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup.

Golf fans may remember Medinah most vividly for the 2012 Ryder Cup, when Europe produced its famous final-day comeback known as the “Miracle at Medinah.”

Course No. 3 has changed significantly since then.

Course No. 3 Has Been Redesigned Since the Ryder Cup

Medinah’s championship course was originally designed by Tom Bendelow and underwent a major redesign led by OCM Golf, reopening in 2024.

The updated course features wider fairways, larger greens, larger-scale bunkering, more open vistas and areas of long fescue rough. The Presidents Cup lists the championship layout at approximately 7,564 yards and par 72.

The tournament is also using a specially adjusted routing intended to make Medinah’s strongest finishing holes more relevant late in matches.

Among the changes, Medinah’s member No. 5 becomes the Presidents Cup’s opening hole, while parts of the club’s traditional finishing sequence are repositioned so more matches have an opportunity to reach important holes later in the round. Tournament organizers say historically fewer than 40% of Presidents Cup matches reach the 17th hole, which helped motivate the revised routing.

How the Presidents Cup Works

Unlike a normal 72-hole stroke-play golf tournament, the Presidents Cup uses match play.

Players or teams compete directly against their opponents hole by hole.

Win a hole and you go 1 up.

Lose the next hole and the match returns to all square.

A match ends when one side leads by more holes than remain to be played.

The 2026 event features:

12 U.S. players

versus

12 International players

across 30 total matches.

Four-Ball

Two players represent each side, and all four golfers play their own ball.

The lowest score from each team counts for the hole.

Foursomes

Two teammates alternate shots using one ball.

One player hits the tee shot, the other hits the next shot, and they continue alternating.

Singles

One player faces another directly.

Sunday consists of 12 singles matches, meaning all 24 players are on the course.

The first round at Medinah has now been confirmed as five four-ball matches.

The 2026 Presidents Cup Schedule

The current official schedule is useful when deciding which day to attend and when to arrange transportation.

Tuesday, September 22 — Practice Day

Gates open: 9:00 a.m.

Both teams practice on the course.

Tuesday can be a good choice for spectators who want a more relaxed introduction to Medinah and an opportunity to watch players prepare rather than compete.

Wednesday, September 23 — Practice Day

Gates open: 9:00 a.m.

Another full practice day for both teams.

Practice times are still listed as TBD.

Thursday, September 24 — Round 1

Gates open: 9:00 a.m.
Hospitality opens: 9:00 a.m.
Opening ceremonies: approximately 30 minutes before the first match
Current first-match window: 11:35 a.m.–12:47 p.m.

Thursday begins the actual competition, with five four-ball matches currently scheduled.

Friday, September 25 — Round 2

Gates open: 10:00 a.m.
Hospitality opens: 10:00 a.m.
Current match window: 1:05–2:01 p.m.

Friday uses the second team format under the Presidents Cup structure.

Saturday, September 26 — Rounds 3 and 4

This is the day that requires the most careful morning planning.

Gates open: 6:30 a.m.
Morning matches: approximately 7:02–7:56 a.m.
Afternoon matches: approximately 1:15–1:57 p.m.

Saturday includes both team formats and eight matches, split between morning and afternoon sessions.

Someone staying downtown or arriving from farther away should work backward carefully from that 6:30 a.m. gate opening.

Sunday, September 27 — Singles & Closing Ceremonies

Gates open: 9:00 a.m.
Singles begin: approximately 11:02 a.m.–1:19 p.m.
Closing ceremonies: after the final putt

All 24 players compete in head-to-head singles.

Official gate and tee times remain subject to adjustment for the final format and weather, so spectators should recheck the schedule close to their attendance date.

Who Is Playing in the 2026 Presidents Cup?

The teams are now complete.

U.S. Team

The six automatic qualifiers are:

Scottie Scheffler
Cameron Young
Wyndham Clark
Sam Burns
Russell Henley
Collin Morikawa

Captain Brandt Snedeker added six captain’s picks:

Jacob Bridgeman
Patrick Cantlay
Chris Gotterup
Jackson Koivun
Xander Schauffele
Justin Thomas

International Team

The automatic qualifiers are:

Si Woo Kim — South Korea
Ryan Fox — New Zealand
Hideki Matsuyama — Japan
Min Woo Lee — Australia
Tom Kim — South Korea
Adam Scott — Australia

Captain Geoff Ogilvy selected:

Christiaan Bezuidenhout — South Africa
Corey Conners — Canada
Nico Echavarria — Colombia
Ryo Hisatsune — Japan
Sungjae Im — South Korea
Nick Taylor — Canada

That gives the International Team representation from seven countries.

Two Captains With Very Different Connections to Medinah

The U.S. Team is led by Brandt Snedeker.

The International Team is led by Geoff Ogilvy.

Ogilvy has an unusually direct connection to the venue because his course-design firm, OCM Golf, oversaw the redesign of Course No. 3.

That means the International captain will arrive at Medinah with detailed knowledge of the course’s modern design, strategic lines and intended playing characteristics.

The Historical Balance Favors the United States

The U.S. Team has dominated the Presidents Cup historically.

Going into Medinah, the United States has won 13 of the previous 15 editions.

The International Team’s only outright victory came in 1998 at Royal Melbourne, while the 2003 event in South Africa finished in a tie.

That creates an interesting storyline for Chicago: the International Team is trying to end a very long U.S. winning streak on American soil.

Tickets and Hospitality

Tickets are currently on sale through the official Presidents Cup website.

Standard Grounds Tickets provide access to tournament grounds and public fan areas.

Hospitality offerings include options such as the Captains’ Club and International Club, although availability varies by day and some hospitality inventory has already sold out.

Because ticket availability is dynamic, use the official 2026 Presidents Cup ticket page rather than relying on an older article for pricing or availability.

General Parking Is Not at Medinah Country Club

This may be the most important transportation fact for first-time spectators.

General attendees should not drive directly to Medinah Country Club expecting public parking.

The tournament has established three remote General Parking facilities.

Parking passes currently begin at:

$17 plus taxes and fees

and must be purchased before arrival.

Parking passes are not sold on-site.

Fans should download the digital parking pass before traveling to help reduce delays when entering the lot.

Black Lot — Itasca

225 Windsor Ave.
Itasca, IL

Green Lot — Glen Ellyn

425 Fawell Blvd.
Glen Ellyn, IL

Red Lot — Schaumburg

251 N. Martingale Rd.
Schaumburg, IL

Complimentary tournament shuttles transport spectators from those facilities to the Presidents Cup West Entrance.

Depending on the lot, the official shuttle estimate is approximately 10–20 minutes.

The Designated Drop-Off and Pickup Area

The tournament has designated Eaglewood Resort & Spa at:

1401 Nordic Road, Itasca

for rideshare drop-off and pickup.

Importantly, tournament transportation guidance also says this area may be used for spectator drop-off and pickup, making it relevant for people arriving in a taxi, chauffeured car or being dropped off by friends or family.

The location is within walking distance of the Presidents Cup East Entrance.

Anyone booking private transportation should understand this distinction:

A professional chauffeur does not automatically have permission to drive through tournament security and deliver passengers to Medinah’s clubhouse door.

Event-day traffic control and credentials determine vehicle access.

Private transportation should therefore be coordinated around the officially permitted spectator drop-off/pickup location or whatever instructions tournament officials publish for that reservation category.

That is an important detail to confirm again shortly before tournament week.

Metra May Be One of the Simplest Options From Downtown Chicago

Fans staying downtown have a rail option.

Metra’s Milwaukee District West Line runs from Chicago Union Station to Medinah Station.

During tournament week from Tuesday through Sunday, complimentary transportation is planned between Medinah Station and the Presidents Cup West Entrance.

That creates a useful downtown itinerary:

Downtown hotel → Union Station → MD-W train → Medinah Station → tournament shuttle → West Entrance

For spectators who do not want to drive or arrange a vehicle for the entire trip, that is worth considering.

Always check the current Metra schedule before departure.

Pace Can Connect to the Green Parking Lot on Weekdays

Pace Routes 714 and 715 can take spectators to the College of DuPage, which functions as the tournament’s Green Lot.

From there, fans can board the complimentary tournament shuttle.

However, the current tournament transportation plan says this Pace connection is not available Saturday or Sunday.

That makes it more useful for practice days, Thursday and Friday.

Driving Yourself vs. Metra vs. Private Transportation

There is no universally best option.

Driving and General Parking Makes Sense When

You want your own vehicle available before and after the event, are comfortable using the parking shuttle and have purchased your pass in advance.

Metra Makes Sense When

You are staying near downtown Chicago, prefer rail transportation and do not need a private vehicle before or after the tournament.

Chauffeured Transportation Makes Sense When

You want a scheduled pickup from a hotel, home or airport; your group is traveling together; you are hosting clients; you want the same transportation available after the event; or your day includes additional stops before or after Medinah.

Royal’s Chicago chauffeur service can be scheduled around event-day transportation rules rather than assuming unrestricted access to the golf course.

Why Hourly Chauffeur Service Can Fit a Golf Tournament Better Than a One-Way Ride

Golf does not run on the same timetable as a concert.

Matches can end at different times.

Weather can affect play.

A guest may want dinner after leaving Medinah.

Corporate hosts may have hospitality plans before or after the competition.

Sunday’s closing ceremony takes place after the final putt rather than at a fixed clock time.

For those situations, an hourly chauffeur service can be more practical than arranging unrelated one-way rides.

An hourly arrangement can be structured around the booked itinerary, allowing the same vehicle and chauffeur to remain assigned for the agreed period.

That does not mean the vehicle can wait wherever it wants near Medinah. Event-day staging still has to follow official transportation restrictions.

It simply gives the reservation more flexibility once the permitted pickup and waiting plan is established.

Saturday Requires the Earliest Transportation Plan

Saturday deserves special attention.

With gates opening at 6:30 a.m. and the first matches beginning shortly after 7:00 a.m., anyone coming from downtown Chicago will need to depart very early.

That becomes even more important if using:

hotel → vehicle → remote parking lot → shuttle → security → course

Rather than working from the tee time, work backward from the moment you actually want to be inside Medinah.

Allow time for:

• Chicago-area traffic;
• parking-lot entry;
• shuttle boarding;
• security screening;
• walking;
• and locating the viewing area you want.

Fans using private transportation should similarly allow time between the designated drop-off location and the course entrance.

Coming From O’Hare Airport

Visitors flying into Chicago for the Presidents Cup will often use O’Hare International Airport.

Royal’s O’Hare Airport transportation service can handle arrivals from all active passenger terminals, including flight monitoring, luggage coordination and scheduled transportation to a hotel or other destination.

A visitor arriving the day before attending Medinah might use an itinerary such as:

O’Hare → Rosemont or suburban hotel → Medinah next morning

or

O’Hare → downtown Chicago → Medinah on tournament day

Which is better depends on whether the trip is built primarily around the golf tournament or around a wider Chicago visit.

Coming From Midway Airport

Midway can also work for visitors whose airline schedule or final Chicago itinerary makes MDW more convenient.

Royal’s Midway Airport limo service provides scheduled arrivals and departures, including sedans, SUVs and larger group options.

Because Midway is on the opposite side of the metropolitan area from Medinah, visitors should leave an appropriate traffic buffer rather than assuming the airport-to-tournament journey is a short transfer.

Private Aviation and Corporate Guests

The Presidents Cup is likely to attract corporate groups, hospitality guests and private aviation travelers.

Royal’s broader Chicago airport transportation also covers Chicago Executive Airport, DuPage Airport and private FBO transportation in addition to ORD and MDW.

For executives attending tournament hospitality, the transportation plan might involve:

airport/FBO → hotel → Medinah → corporate dinner → hotel

That type of itinerary is where advance planning matters more than simply ordering a ride at each stop.

Corporate Hospitality and Client Transportation

The Presidents Cup is also a major corporate hospitality event.

Businesses may be entertaining:

• customers;
• investors;
• vendors;
• senior executives;
• international guests;
• or prospective clients.

Royal’s corporate limo service supports coordinated executive transportation, multi-stop scheduling and group movements throughout Chicago and the suburbs.

For an important client day, it can be useful to build the transportation around the whole experience rather than just the tournament:

hotel pickup → Medinah → dinner → hotel

That also removes the need for guests to navigate separate parking, shuttles and return arrangements.

Groups Should Choose the Vehicle Around the Party Size

A couple attending Thursday may need nothing larger than a sedan.

Four or five guests may prefer a premium SUV.

A corporate or family group traveling together may find a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter more useful.

Royal’s Mercedes Sprinter Van Rental Chicago is designed for group transportation, sporting events, airport trips and longer-distance travel.

A Sprinter can be particularly helpful when the alternative is:

three separate vehicles + three drivers + separate arrival times + separate pickup coordination

Keeping the group together can simplify the day.

Coming From Wisconsin, Indiana or Beyond Chicago

Not everyone attending Medinah will begin in Chicago.

Fans may travel from:

• Milwaukee;
• Madison;
• Northwest Indiana;
• South Bend;
• Rockford;
• other Illinois communities;
• or neighboring Midwest markets.

For people who prefer not to drive themselves, Royal also offers long-distance chauffeur and black car service for regional and interstate itineraries.

For longer trips, the planning question becomes whether the vehicle is simply delivering the passenger or remaining part of the day’s transportation plan.

That should be decided before the reservation is made.

What to Bring — and What Not to Bring

Tournament security is important.

The PGA TOUR states that all people and items are subject to search before entering.

Fans carrying prohibited items or bags that do not comply with the tournament policy may be required to return those belongings before boarding a shuttle or entering the grounds.

The tournament also warns that a bag-check facility may not be available.

That point is especially important if you arrive by Metra or chauffeur.

If you do not have a personal vehicle sitting in a nearby parking lot, you cannot simply walk back to the trunk.

Check the current Presidents Cup prohibited-items and bag policy the night before you attend.

Mobile Phones Are Allowed — With Rules

The PGA TOUR permits mobile devices at the tournament, but spectators must follow its mobile-device policy.

Current rules include:

• devices must remain silent;
• flash photography is prohibited;
• personal photos, video and audio are allowed;
• live streaming and real-time shot-by-shot coverage are prohibited;
• phone calls are limited to designated areas;
• and spectators must not interfere with players or competition.

That means you can capture memories of the event, but this is still a professional golf competition where silence and spectator etiquette matter.

Dress for a Full Day Outside

Late September in Chicagoland can be beautiful, but conditions can vary during a long day.

A sensible tournament-day plan may include:

• comfortable walking shoes;
• layers;
• sun protection;
• weather-appropriate outerwear;
• and only items permitted under current PGA TOUR security rules.

Medinah is a large golf property. Spectators may walk significant distances throughout the day, especially if following particular matches around the course.

Check the forecast close to your attendance date rather than packing based on typical September weather.

Fan Experience Beyond the Golf

Tournament organizers are building the event around more than the matches themselves.

The 2026 Presidents Cup plans five Chicago-inspired fan zones around the property, reflecting different aspects of the city’s neighborhoods, food and culture.

The tournament buildout includes hundreds of thousands of square feet of flooring for hospitality, fan areas and operational infrastructure.

That means visitors who do not follow one match from the first tee to the final hole should still have other areas to explore throughout the day.

Practice Days Can Be an Excellent Choice

Tuesday and Wednesday often receive less attention than competition days, but they can be particularly enjoyable for certain spectators.

Practice days can offer:

• a more relaxed pace;
• opportunities to observe players preparing;
• time to understand the renovated Course No. 3;
• easier exploration of fan areas;
• and potentially less urgency around following individual matches.

Families and visitors primarily interested in experiencing Medinah may find a practice day attractive.

Competition-focused fans will naturally prefer Thursday through Sunday.

Thursday vs. Friday vs. Saturday vs. Sunday

Choose Thursday If

You want opening-day atmosphere and the first competitive matches.

Choose Friday If

You prefer a later start and another full team-format session.

Choose Saturday If

You want the most match-play action in one day.

Saturday includes both morning and afternoon sessions, but it also requires the earliest arrival.

Choose Sunday If

You want the decisive singles matches and closing ceremony.

There is no universally “best” day. The strongest choice depends on how much golf you want to see and how early you are willing to start.

A Related Event: The Junior Presidents Cup

Medinah is also hosting the Junior Presidents Cup immediately before the main event.

The junior competition brings together 12 top U.S. junior players and 12 International junior players aged 19 and under, using a special routing of Courses No. 1 and No. 2.

Current tournament information places the junior event immediately before Presidents Cup week, with the main competition beginning on Course No. 3 shortly afterward.

Golf fans following the next generation of elite players may want to watch official schedules for additional information.

Before Leaving for Medinah: A Practical Checklist

The night before your tournament day:

1. Confirm your ticket.
2. Check the latest gate and tee times.
3. Review the weather forecast.
4. Recheck the PGA TOUR bag and prohibited-items policy.
5. Download your digital parking pass if driving.
6. Verify your parking-lot address rather than driving directly to Medinah.
7. Check Metra timing if using rail.
8. Confirm the designated pickup/drop-off location if using private transportation.
9. Charge your phone.
10. Allow more time than you think you need, particularly Saturday morning.

A little preparation makes the day considerably easier.

Using AI to Plan the Presidents Cup

Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot and other AI systems can be useful for questions such as:

• What time do the gates open Saturday?
• Where should I park for the Presidents Cup?
• Can I take Metra to Medinah?
• Which airport should I use?
• What is four-ball?
• What can I bring into the tournament?
• Should my group use an SUV or Sprinter?
• How early should I leave downtown Chicago?

AI is useful for organizing a trip, but this is a live event.

Schedules, parking inventory, security procedures, weather and transportation instructions can change.

For final decisions, confirm event information through the official Presidents Cup website, Medinah Country Club, Metra when applicable, and your transportation provider.

That gives you the convenience of AI planning without treating a generated answer as a substitute for live event information.

Frequently Asked Questions About the 2026 Presidents Cup at Medinah

When is the 2026 Presidents Cup?

Tournament week runs September 22–27, 2026. Tuesday and Wednesday are practice days, with competitive matches Thursday through Sunday.

Where is the Presidents Cup being played?

At Medinah Country Club’s Course No. 3 in Medinah, Illinois, west of Chicago.

Can spectators park directly at Medinah Country Club?

General spectators should use the tournament’s designated remote parking facilities rather than driving directly to the club expecting public parking. General parking passes must be purchased in advance.

How much does Presidents Cup parking cost?

General Parking passes currently start at $17 plus taxes and fees. Pricing and availability should be verified when purchasing.

Where are the Presidents Cup parking lots?

The current General Parking locations are in Itasca, Glen Ellyn and Schaumburg, with complimentary tournament shuttles to the West Entrance.

Can I take Metra to the Presidents Cup?

Yes. The current plan uses Metra’s Milwaukee District West Line to Medinah Station, with complimentary tournament transportation between the station and West Entrance Tuesday through Sunday.

Where is the official spectator drop-off area?

The current designated rideshare and spectator drop-off/pickup location is Eaglewood Resort & Spa, 1401 Nordic Road in Itasca, near the East Entrance.

Can my limo drop me directly at Medinah’s clubhouse?

Do not assume so. Tournament traffic control and credential requirements determine vehicle access. Chauffeured transportation should use the official spectator drop-off/pickup procedure or other instructions authorized for the reservation.

What time should I arrive Saturday?

Saturday gates currently open at 6:30 a.m., and first matches begin shortly after 7:00 a.m. Build in time for travel, security and movement from the transportation area to the course.