Presidents Cup breakdown: Ranking all 24 players in Montreal

The 15th edition of the Presidents Cup tees off Thursday with the International team hosting the United States at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Canada.

International captain Mike Weir's team again enters as the underdog, as the Americans hold a massive 12-1-1 edge in the event's history.

Weir and American Captain Jim Furyk's squads are both made up of six automatic qualifiers and six picks for a total of 24 players in the field. Here's how they rank from 1-24 - with a mild surprise leading the way.

1. Xander Schauffele

Original World Golf Record (OWGR): No. 2
Team record: 10-6-1

The week of a team golf tournament featuring the Americans means it's officially cigar season for Schauffele. He finally got his major breakthrough with wins at the PGA Championship and The Open this season, but he's been a menace for the national team for years. The 30-year-old rolled up a 10-6-1 record over his Presidents and Ryder Cup appearances and figures to once again partner with Patrick Cantlay to run it up on the International team.

2. Scottie Scheffler

OWGR: No. 1
Team record: 2-5-4

Turns out the best way to slow down Scheffler is to put him on a team with the other best golfers in the world. While he's proven virtually unbeatable on the PGA TOUR, Scheffler's disappointing 2-5-4 mark in team play leaves plenty to be desired. Perhaps most baffling in that stretch is his 0-3-1 record in the 2022 Presidents Cup - an event the Americans won comfortably. Scheffler was winless in three matches with good friend Sam Burns, which may factor into Captain Furyk's partnership planning.

3. Hideki Matsuyama

OWGR: No. 7
Team record: 7-10-5

Yet again, the unquestioned top dog on the International team is Hideki Matsuyama. The Japanese superstar is the highest-ranked player on the host team and comes to Montreal in excellent form. According to Data Golf, Matsuyama is the fourth-ranked player in the world in strokes gained over the past three months, a run that includes a win in Memphis, a bronze medal in the Olympics, and a ninth-place showing in the FedEx Cup.

4. Collin Morikawa

OWGR: No. 4
Team record: 6-4-1

Morikawa burst onto the scene in 2021, his first Ryder Cup, going a perfect 3-0-0 alongside Dustin Johnson. Without the veteran in his corner, Morikawa has posted a 3-4-1 record while representing the United States. This year is as good a time as ever to show he can fly on his own: He's ranked 5th in the world by Data Golf in true strokes gained over the last six months.

5. Patrick Cantlay

OWGR: No. 9
Team record: 11-5-1

While plenty of his incredible team record boils down to being propped up by his partnership with Schauffele, Cantlay showed he's a killer in match play with his remarkably clutch performance at last year's Ryder Cup in Italy. Expect him to form the event's strongest duo yet again with his good friend. Whether he wears a hat or not might be the thing to watch on the first tee Thursday.

6. Adam Scott

OWGR: No. 17
Team record: 18-25-6

Of the 15 runs of the Presidents Cup (including this week's event), Adam Scott has now officially been involved 11 times. The Australian superstar's remarkable longevity has been on full display this season - Data Golf's strokes gained statistic ranks Scott as the fifth-best player in the world over the past three months. Scott even has playing experience at Royal Montreal from the 2007 Presidents Cup, which he lost in a Saturday four-ball match to Captain Furyk and Tiger Woods.

7. Sungjae Im

OWGR: No. 20
Team record: 5-3-2

Sungjae Im has quietly become a beast for the International team in the Presidents Cup. The Korean led the team in points in his first start in 2019 and finished second at Quail Hollow in 2022. He's also had five different partners over those matches, highlighting his ability to mesh with various players. He comes to Montreal flashing his usual consistency, boasting six top-12 finishes in his last eight events.

8. Sahith Theegala

OWGR: No. 11
Team record: Rookie

It might be good, it might be bad, but it certainly won't be boring for Sahith Theegala in Montreal. The Presidents Cup rookie has the game to both get into - and get out of - trouble on any golf course in the world. Put that volatility in a match-play setting with a minimal penalty for taking chances, and it's must-see television.

9. Sam Burns

OWGR: No. 18
Team record: 1-5-2

Sam Burns' dismal record in team events proves how misleading match-play statistics can be. He performed strongly at the last Presidents Cup but was held back by Scheffler's struggles - an extremely unlikely occurrence. He's likely to pair with Scheffler again, and the situation has never been better for the two friends to flip the script on their team history.

10. Tony Finau

OWGR: No. 21
Team record: 6-5-3

Tony Finau has both the game and the personality to mesh with just about anybody in team events - proven by his record of just five losses in 14 team-event matches over his career. Finau was a perfect 2-0 with Max Homa at the 2022 Presidents Cup, and the two will likely go again to become arguably the most likable pairing on the U.S. team.

11. Russell Henley

OWGR: No. 14
Team record: Rookie

Only three players at this event have gained more strokes over the past 12 months than Russell Henley: Scheffler, Schauffele and Morikawa. While Henley gets significantly less attention than just about anybody in this field, there's no denying the Georgia alum earned his place to make his Presidents Cup debut.

12. Wyndham Clark

OWGR: No. 6
Team record: 1-1-1

When he's on his game, there are very few players better than Wyndham Clark. The current World No. 6 had a win and three other top-three finishes in signature events on the PGA TOUR this year. He also missed the cut in three of four majors with a 56th-place showing at The Open his only weekend result. If Wyndham plays well in Montreal, he'll be a problem for the International team. If bad Wyndham shows up, he'll be a problem for the American team.

13. Tom Kim

OWGR: No. 23
Team record: 2-3-0

Tom Kim introduced himself to a wide audience in 2022 with an electric Presidents Cup debut as a 20-year-old. Kim lit up Quail Hollow with clutch approach play and some incredible putting to keep the International team within shouting distance. He won't be sneaking up on anybody this time around, but it's probably safe to bet he'll once again be the leader in wild celebrations for the hosts.

14. Corey Conners

OWGR: No. 37
Team record: 0-4-0

The 2024 Presidents Cup is Corey Conners' chance at redemption on home soil. There's no way to sugarcoat it: The Canadian was a disaster in his Presidents Cup debut two years ago. Both he and Taylor Pendrith went 0-4-0 to severely handicap the International team. But he once again enters in prime ball-striking form, ranking third in approach on the PGA TOUR this year. His team will hope his putter gets hot to flip the script on his previous struggles.

15. Jason Day

OWGR: No. 33
Team record: 5-11-4

Jason Day has failed to win a point in his last eight team matches in the Presidents Cup. It's tough to see the International team making much noise unless Day can flip those fortunes in Canada. Unfortunately for the International team, the Australian ranks ninth of the 12 members in strokes gained over the last six months.

16. Max Homa

OWGR: No. 25
Team record: 7-1-1

If these rankings were based on current form, Homa would be last by a wide margin. The 33-year-old has just one top-10 finish since the Masters and has lost strokes in four of his last six tournaments, including a missed cut two weeks ago in Napa. So why is he making the trip to Montreal? Simply put, there's been no better American in team events over the past two years than Homa. After posting a perfect 4-0-0 mark in his first Presidents Cup two years ago, Homa provided just about the only bright spot at the Ryder Cup in Italy. Despite a resounding European victory, Homa went 3-1-1 and proved he's up for the pressure of team events. Furyk will certainly hope that brings the best out in him this week.

17. Taylor Pendrith

OWGR: No. 44
Team record: 0-4-0

The other Canadian who put up a zero at the last Presidents Cup is also on the squad this time around. But Taylor Pendrith enters the event this year in significantly better form than last time around. The long-hitting 33-year-old posted both the first win of his PGA TOUR career and his first top-20 finish in a major this season. He also rose to the occasion in the playoffs to end the year an impressive 14th in the FedEx Cup standings.

18. Si Woo Kim

OWGR: No. 50
Team record: 4-3-0

Tom Kim got most of the fanfare on the International team in 2022, but it was Si Woo Kim who ended as the top point-scorer for the visitors. The 29-year-old capped the week by securing an incredible singles victory over Justin Thomas with a birdie on the 18th hole. That's the type of fire Captain Weir will need again if the International team is going to pull off the upset.

19. Keegan Bradley

OWGR: No. 13
Team record: 6-5-1

It's been a fairly insane few months for Keegan Bradley. First came the shocking announcement that he was selected to be the Ryder Cup captain for 2025. He followed that with an impressive playoff win at the BMW Championship to essentially secure his place in Montreal. Bradley has long talked about his affinity for team events and will certainly be jacked up to play in one again after a lengthy absence. His BMW Championship victory may have been a bit of a mirage, though - he has no other top-20 since Colonial in May.

20. Byeong Hun An

OWGR: No. 35
Team record: 1-2-2

Byeong Hun An is the longest player in the field on either team, averaging a whopping 317.1 yards off the tee. If he can keep his drives in play, that could be a massive edge for the International team in his matches. An won just one match in the Presidents Cup in Australia five years ago, but he's significantly raised his profile as a player leading into this year's event.

21. Brian Harman

OWGR: No. 19
Team record: 2-2-0

Harman has struggled to maintain his form after running away with the Open Championship last summer. He has just one top-10 finish since the Players Championship in March, which was a tie for 9th at the Travelers Championship in June. He also didn't perform his best in last year's Ryder Cup - his 2-2 record was largely buoyed by his partnership with Homa. Should he fail to deliver in Montreal, Captain Furyk's decision to include him despite his drop-off will be questioned.

22. Mackenzie Hughes

OWGR: No. 60
Team record: Rookie

Mackenzie Hughes is in Montreal for one reason: to make a ton of putts. Hughes was perhaps a surprise inclusion over fellow Canadians Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin, but Captain Weir clearly wanted elite putters to tackle Royal Montreal. Hughes fits that description thanks to his top-15 ranking in strokes gained: putting in four of the last five seasons. Expect a few roars from the home crowd this week when Hughes pours in a couple of bombs for birdie.

23. Min Woo Lee

OWGR: No. 40
Team record: Rookie

Min Woo Lee received a Captain's pick for the International Team to make his Presidents Cup debut. The electric Aussie certainly has the potential to make some serious noise with his length and ability to make a pile of birdies. Unfortunately, that potential hasn't often been realized this season on TOUR - Lee ranks 23rd of the event's 24 players in Data Golf's true stokes gained the past three months.

24. Christiaan Bezuidenhout

OWGR: No. 45
Team record: 1-0-1

Captain Weir wanted elite putters on the International team, and Christiaan Bezuidenhout certainly fits the bill: The South African ranks 19th this calendar year in that category on TOUR. Whether he has the rest of the game necessary to make noise is up for serious question, as he has just one top-10 finish on TOUR since April.