Els touts Delaet for President’s Cup team

OAKVILLE — If international captain Nick Price is looking for any advice on his squad for the 2013 Presidents Cup, seven-time participant Ernie Els would be a great place to start.

And if Els — ranked fourth on the Presidents Cup points list and likely to make his eighth appearance at the match-play tournament in October — has his way, there could be a touch of Canada joining him.

Competing in his third straight Canadian Open this week, Els told the media after playing in Wednesday’s proam that he would “absolutely” like to see top-ranked Canadian Graham DeLaet play for the international side at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio.

“I think Graham has come a long way,” he said. “He’s very much in control of his game and I just sense that he’s got more belief in himself out there.”

While DeLaet has yet to win a Tour event in his career — he has two third-place finishes, one coming at the Travellers Championship in June — Els believes the Weyburn, Sask., native has the intangibles to help defeat the U.S. side.

“He’s come close a couple of times this year already and I think he’s just growing into a really steady player,” he said. “The length he has and the nice, positive attitude he has towards life and golf, I think that’s going to help him.”

DeLaet tees off at the Canadian Open on the 10th hole at 7:45 a.m. on Thursday in a group with fellow Canadian David Hearn and Australia’s Nathan Green.