Woods hops up for US
American team skipper predicts noisy Melbourne crowds for Presidents Cup clash
Presidents Cup captain-elect Tiger Woods is anticipating a hostile Australian crowd for his American charges at the 2019 event in Melbourne. Yesterday, 14-time major winner Woods was officially announced as the head of American team while Ernie Els will captain the Internationals at Royal Melbourne.
It will be the third time the celebrated sandbelt layout has hosted the biennial teams event, after staging the 1998 and 2011 editions.
The Americans captured their 10th title of the heavily lopsided series in New York last year in front of raucous local support.
But Woods expects Melbourne crowds to return the favour if the Internationals side is again populated by several Australian golfers.
“You could see that happening if you foresee the team being Marc [Leishman] and Jason [Day], Adam [Scott] and maybe another couple of core Aussies,” Woods said. “They’re going to support their own, right?
“The Internationals team has been very difficult to beat there.
“It’s probably the greatest sporting town; they really enjoy their sport and they come out in droves.”
Els, who played on the only victorious Internationals side at Royal Melbourne in 1998, called on fans to vocalise their support to give the event a boost in atmosphere.
“It’s a home game for us, so we would like to think that we’re going to have the majority of the support and the crowd can really get behind us a little bit more,” he said.
Els called for sweeping changes to the Presidents Cup after the Internationals lost their seventh straight title last year. His demands seemed to be met, with several tweaks to be debuted next year.
Four captain’s picks, up from two, will now join eight qualifiers when the teams are finalised after the 2019 Tour Championship.
In addition, each of the 12 players has to contest at least one match prior to the singles, as opposed to two matches.
Woods, 42, said he was eager to become the first playing captain in the 24-year history of the Cup, even asking PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan if it was allowed.
“I just wondered if that was an opportunity and he said that there’s nothing in the bylaws that say that I can’t do it,” Woods said. — AAP HOCKEY ICE HOCKEY TENNIS