How Players Qualify for the Presidents Cup Teams
The Presidents Cup teams — United States and International — are made up of 12 golfers per side. How are those golfers selected? What are the qualifying criteria? For both teams, it's a combination of points lists and captain's choice.
The specifics of Presidents Cup qualifying have changed multiple times over the course of the event's history. But going into the 2022 Presidents Cup, these are the criteria in use:
- Team USA: The top six golfers on the United States Presidents Cup points list automatically make the team. The team captain then fills out the roster with six captain's picks.
- Team International: The top eight golfers on the Presidents Cup International Team Points List automatically make the team. The team captain then makes four captain's picks.
How Points Are Earned for the Point Lists
Players qualify for the Presidents Cup teams by finishing high enough on the teams' respective points lists. But how do the players earn those points? Here's how:
- Team USA: The points in the American point lists are FedEx Cup points, compiled over a two-year period. But the two-year period is divided into (roughly) thirds, and weighted accordingly. Points earned in the first third are worth half; those earned in the middle are worth one (no adjustment); those earned in the most-recent third are tripled.
- Team International: For the Internationals, the points on the Presidents Cup point list are similar to, but not exactly, Official World Golf Ranking points — but only those earned in the one year leading up to the next Presidents Cup. The International side takes the OWGR points and adds a proprietary calculation that factors in field strength in order to produces its points list.
