Tiger chooses Tiger for battle Down Under
US captain to rely on help from assistants
>> NEW YORK: Tiger Woods will be a playing captain when he leads the United States against an international team in the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne in Australia next month.
Woods, who claimed his 15th major title at the Masters in April and won his 82nd PGA Tour title at the Zozo Championship in Japan two weeks ago, named himself among four captain’s picks for the 12-man team on Thursday, along with US Open champion Gary Woodland, former Masters champion Patrick Reed and world No.14 Tony Finau.
“As captain, I’m going to choose Tiger Woods as the last player on the team,” Woods said.
“He’s made ... nine Cups and he’s played in Australia twice in the Presidents Cup, so this will be his third appearance as a player. And I find it interesting talking in the third person.”
Woods will be the first playing captain in the Presidents Cup since American Hale Irwin in the inaugural edition in 1994.
The US superstar admitted in a conference call to announce his captain’s selections that piloting the team — choosing pairings and plotting strategy — and playing would be “a lot of work.”
But the decision had been widely expected since his victory at the Zozo Championship — his first outing since arthroscopic surgery two months ago to address knee trouble that had slowed him since his triumph at Augusta National.
As Woods himself said after his victory in Japan: “As a player, I got the captain’s attention.”
Woods said he would rely on help from assistant captains Steve Stricker, Fred Couples and Zach Johnson to keep the United States on track.
“It’s going to be difficult but I always knew I had three amazing assistants,” Woods said. “Two guys who have won Presidents Cup and Zach, who will be a future captain.
“Three great minds to help me when I’m playing.
“With the new rules, I just have to play one match prior to the singles,” he added. “Two matches minimum. It could be more. It’s about me understanding the guys, and understanding the golf course as well.”
Woods said his assistants had offered plenty of advice on whether to choose himself to play.
“Freddie was pretty ardent,” Woods said. “’You’re on the team, quit being stupid.’
“At the time, I haven’t even swung a club,” Woods said. “I got back to him after Japan.”
The Presidents Cup, a match play event modelled on the Ryder Cup that pits a non-European international team against the Americans, will be held from Dec 12-15 at Royal Melbourne.
That’s where the International team notched their only victory — against 10 defeats and one draw — in 1998.
Earlier, International Team leader Ernie Els opted for the experience of Jason Day and Adam Hadwin alongside rookies Im Sung-Jae and Joaquin Niemann as he made captain’s picks.
TEAMS
USA
Captain: Tiger Woods
Players: Tiger Woods, Tony Finau, Gary Woodland, Patrick Reed, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka, Matt Kuchar, Xander Schauffele, Webb Simpson, Patrick Cantlay
International
Captain: Ernie Els
Playres: Abraham Ancer (Mexico), Jason Day (Australia), Adam Hadwin, Im Sung-Jae (South Korea), Marc Leishman (Australia), Li Haotong (China), Hideki Matsuyama (Japan), Joaquin Niemann (Chile), Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa), CT Pan (Taiwan), Adam Scott (Australia), Cameron Smith (Australia)