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Before Jacob Bridgeman joined Russell Henley, Sam Burns and Scottie Scheffler on the 2026 U.S. Presidents Cup team, he already had a connection with them.
A shared Christian faith.
"I think probably my relationships with Russell, Sam, [and] Scottie have all kind of come from our faith, us being in this community together and all sharing the same background and the same beliefs," Bridgeman told OutKick on Tuesday.
Now, as the Americans prepare to compete at Medinah Country Club, several players say those shared beliefs have helped them grow closer. They also told OutKick what their faith means when golf becomes frustrating and bad shots start to feel a little too important.
"It gives me a lot of freedom to go out and compete and know that no matter what happens, my identity is not in the result of the match, the result of the Presidents Cup," Burns said. "It's in my faith and being a believer in Jesus."
U.S. captain Brandt Snedeker said the team's closeness extends beyond shared religious beliefs, but he has seen faith strengthen relationships among some of his players.
"It's definitely helped bond those guys for sure," Snedeker said. "They spend a lot of time together. They have Bible studies together on Tour."
"Anything these guys do off the golf course to bring them together, I'm all for it," he continued. "These guys are great human beings."
Cameron Young sees a connection, too.
"I wouldn't say it's a huge topic, but I think just when you get a group of people that generally believe in the same underlying principles you're going to have some level of connection or bond with them," Young said.
Henley said there are typically Bible studies on Tuesday nights during Tour events. He also described working through a book with someone from College Golf Fellowship, a Christian ministry serving golfers and coaches, and joining a weekly conference call.
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"So that's my community I guess when I'm on the road," Henley said.
Henley and Burns said Tuesday that the busy schedule had not yet allowed for a formal Bible study among the players this week.
For Bridgeman, those friendships also helped him deal with the pressure he put on himself when he first got on Tour. Older players helped him understand that his value isn't contingent on playing good golf.
"I think over the last few years, I've grown a lot in my understanding that I'm not measured by the number that I shoot," Bridgeman said. "Even though I shoot a 65, I'm not any better of a person than the day when I shoot a 75."
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But what does relying on faith actually look like when a round isn't going well?
OutKick put that question to Henley, who said he thinks about the day when he'll be too old to play at this level. His Christian beliefs give him a reason to look beyond his golf career.
"I don't know that I necessarily rely on my faith to play better, but I think knowing that I'm going to have a place in heaven because of what I believe and what Jesus has done for me, not anything I've done, because of what he's done, definitely gives me peace," Henley said.
"That doesn't mean I don't get nervous and frustrated and struggle with anger, but I know what I think the truth is and what I believe to be true," he said. "I think just knowing that is an encouragement."
Asked in an August OutKick interview whether golf had ever tested his faith, Burns answered, "Every day."
"You can hit really good shots and end up in bad places, or bad shots end up in good places," Burns told OutKick last month. "Sometimes it seems silly, but ultimately it's a game that teaches you a lot about life and definitely can make you realize what's most important."
Young echoed that sentiment on Tuesday, noting that while he has dedicated a large part of his life to becoming one of the best golfers in the world and cares deeply about how he plays, he tries to keep golf in perspective.
"Just from a competitive standpoint I really care about doing well," Young said. "[Golf is] not the most important thing in the world, there's things far more important, but at the same time it's my job and it's something that I've dedicated a large portion of my life to."
For Young, having a healthy family puts the frustration of a bad round of golf in perspective.
"When you don't play well, it's just not the end of the world," he said.
"My children are healthy, my family's healthy, that's where things are hard. Golf is not hard in that sense."
English (US) ·