Americans rally in singles to win the Presidents Cup for the 11th straight time

MEDINAH, Ill. (AP) — U.S. captain Brandt Snedeker won't have to second-guess the outcome of this Presidents Cup. He went from blaming himself for a three-point deficit to watching the Americans deliver the biggest Sunday rout in tournament history to win for the 11th straight time.

Outplayed over three days in team matches at Medinah, the Americans flipped two key singles matches on the back nine — one from two-time major champion Collin Morikawa, the other from 21-year-old rookie Jackson Koivun. And it was a rush of red scores at the end.

President Donald Trump was on the first tee for the start of 12 singles matches, and he kept his speech short. “It’s going to be a very interesting game of golf,” he said.

That it was, even if the outcome was all to familiar.

The Americans won nine of the 12 singles and halved the final match on the course when the Presidents Cup already was decided, adding to a 17-13 victory.

Trump, the honorary chairman of the Presidents Cup, stuck around for the trophy presentation, just like he did after another American victory at Liberty National in 2017 during his first term.

The U.S. rally wasn't on edge the way it was in 2012 when Europe stormed from a 10-6 deficit at Medinah to win the Ryder Cup. The Americans at least had a home crowd on their side, loud and boisterous all day, and over the top on one occasion.

Someone yelled in the backswing of Nico Echavarria, causing him to drop the driver as his ball sailed to the right. Scottie Scheffler barked at the fan, and after missing a birdie putt, he conceded a 30-foot par to the Colombian in a show of sportsmanship.

Scheffler went on to win. So did Cameron Young and Justin Thomas and Chris Gotterup as the deficit shrunk and soon turned into another comfortable victory.

“I told the guys last night that funny stuff happens here. Medinah has a history of funny things happening," said Snedeker, who was on that losing Ryder Cup team in 2012. “Sure enough, they went out and played their (tails) off today. I'm so damn proud of those guys.”

That group included Koivun, who just over a year ago was on the winning Walker Cup team for amateurs. Just four months ago, he helped Auburn to an NCAA golf title. And there he was Sunday, going from a 2-down deficit to a 2-up victory and hitting clutch shots on the 18th to secure a win.

“The kid is special. He’s different,” Snedeker said. “You saw that for a 21-year-old kid to stand up there and hit those last two balls like he did. Not many people like that.”

Patrick Cantlay had another moment, as he always seem to do in these events, holing a birdie putt from just inside 60 feet on the par-3 16th against hard-luck Adam Scott.

Five matches remained on the course — the Americans were 1 up in three of them, the other two were all square. All the Internationals had to do was find three points from them. The Americans simply refused to budge.

Koivun was 2 down through 10 holes to the Internationals' top performer this week, Si Woo Kim, when he won three straight holes to flip the color to American red on the board. The kid drilled his tee shot on the 18th, and twirled his iron when he knew the approach was pure. He wound up with a 2-up victory, and then it was a matter of time.

The clinching point came from Jacob Bridgeman, who was 1 down with three to play. He rolled in a 3-foot par putt for a 1-up victory over Min Woo Lee, assuring the Americans the 15 1/2 points they needed.

“It was sort of on a knife's edge all day,” Internationals captain Geoff Ogilvy said. "Some of those 1-downs that we had out there, if they’d flipped to 1-up, the numbers look really good, and who knows what momentum can give.

“But look, it’s a very difficult thing to beat the U.S. in singles in the U.S,” he said. “They’re great players, and the crowd came out for them. They get a bit of red on the board, and the noise gets loud. They started the day with a lot to do and they all played great.”

All the Internationals can do is regroup and try again at Kingston Heath in Australia is two years. Their only victory was at Royal Melbourne in 1998, and there was a tie in South Africa in 2003.

See AP’s full golf coverage here

USA teams' Collin Morikawa celebrates his win over International teams' Hideki Matsuyama, of Japan, after their Presidents Cup golf tournament final round singles match at Medinah Country Club, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Medinah, Ill. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Members of the USA team celebrate Jackson Koivun's win on the 18th green against the International team during a Presidents Cup golf tournament final round singles match at Medinah Country Club, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Medinah, Ill. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

USA teams' International teams' during a Presidents Cup golf tournament final round singles match at Medinah Country Club, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Medinah, Ill. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

International teams' Ryo Hisatsune, of Japan, reacts to missing his putt on the 13th green against the USA team during a Presidents Cup golf tournament final round singles match at Medinah Country Club, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Medinah, Ill. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

From left: USA teams' Sam Burns, Wyndham Clark and Scottie Scheffler watch plays on the 16th hole against the International team during a Presidents Cup golf tournament final round singles match at Medinah Country Club, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Medinah, Ill. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

USA teams' Jackson Koivun reacts to his birdie putt on the 12th hole against the International team during a Presidents Cup golf tournament final round singles match at Medinah Country Club, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Medinah, Ill. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson didn’t miss a beat when asked if he’d ever been part of a win when his team commits five turnovers.

“Yeah,” the ninth-year player said, his eyes widening while breaking into a big laugh. “Today.”

Gardner-Johnson’s interception of Justin Herbert’s pass intended for Marquez Valdes-Scantling at the goal line punctuated a defensive-driven win by bailing out Josh Allen’s sloppiness in a 24-16 victory over the winless Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

The interception came three plays after Allen fumbled at his own 28. And it set up the quarterback capping the ensuing drive with a 1-yard touchdown to give the Bills their first lead with 7:35 left.

About four minutes later, and after the defense stopped Herbert on fourth down, James Cook scored on a 3-yard run to secure the win.

“I’m used to this. I’ve been in two Super Bowl bowls, conference championships. It ain’t nothing new,” Gardner-Johnson said.

“Teams like that, that ain’t really been to the top, they don’t how to finish,” he said, referring to LA. “And we got the playmakers over here that know how to finish. So, no disrespect. Just that’s what it is.”

Allen scored two touchdowns rushing and overcame an outing in which he also threw two interceptions. And Buffalo is 3-0 for the third straight year and fifth time in nine seasons under Allen.

The Chargers, meantime, opened with three losses for the first time since 2017, and feature a listless, sputtering offense that lacks finish under first-year offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.

Following up 26-14 losses to Arizona and Las Vegas, the Chargers managed a touchdown and three field goals despite having six drives that ended inside the Buffalo 30.

“We did not win the game. That’s painful. That hurts,” coach Jim Harbaugh said. “There was a lot of opportunity. And we’ve got to capitalize on that. We have to be better.”

Harbaugh then pushed back on the suggestion of changes being required on offense.

“I’m not singling out anybody. We win these games as a team, we lose as a team,” he said. “Not where we want to be. Only one way to correct it: Just keep chipping away.”

The Chargers have plenty to chip away at on an offense that through three games has combined for more punts (10) and committed more turnovers (six) than scored touchdowns.

The Chargers built a 10-0 lead off Buffalo’s first two turnovers in the first quarter, before being limited to two Cameron Dicker field goals. The outcome was decided after Dicker hit a 33-yarder with 1:56 left, with Buffalo recovering the ensuing onside kick.

The latest offensive dud spoiled a defensive effort in which the Chargers limited Allen to 204 yards passing and being sacked four times.

Herbert finished 20 of 34 for 226 yards with a touchdown — a 1-yard shovel pass to Keaton Mitchell — and interception, and rookie safety Genesis Smith had both interceptions.

Allen’s two touchdown runs upped his career total from scrimmage to 87 (85 rushing and two receiving) — tying Hall of Famers Thurman Thomas and Andre Reed for the team record. With six rushing TDs already, Allen joined running backs Hall of Famers Jim Brown, Marshall Faulk and LaDainian Tomlinson as the only players to score six or more in each of their first nine seasons.

Cook led Buffalo with 154 yards rushing, while losing a fumble on the opening snap. Tight end Dalton Kincaid also lost a fumble while battling for extra yards in the third quarter at the Chargers 17.

Allen acknowledged the Bills may have stolen a win, while paying full credit to Buffalo’s defense.

“Sitting there to be tied at halftime felt like a dream, to be honest,” Allen said referring to the score tied at 10. “Our defense played fantastic. It’s not a game that you expect to win, but we’ll take them any way we can get them.”

The previous time Buffalo won when committing five or more turnovers in a game came in a 37-35 victory against Indianapolis on Sept. 21, 1997.

Chargers: CB Donte Jackson was ruled out after sustaining a concussion in the first half.

Bills: CB Christian Benford went down with a toe injury late in the third quarter.

Chargers: at the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

Bills: Close three-game homestand by hosting the New England Patriots on Sunday.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson walks off the field after an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)

Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Akheem Mesidor (90) celebrates after a sack during the second half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (86) fumbles as he is hit by Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Tarheeb Still (4) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) is sacked by Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack (52) and linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu (45) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) scores on a touchdown run during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) runs up field during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)