High praise for Ernie
INSPIRING: MARUYAMA ADAMANT THAT ELS’ LEADERSHIP IS THE KEY
Japan’s Shigeki Maruyama believes multiple major winner Ernie Els can inspire the Internationals to victory over the Americans at this week’s Presidents Cup in the same way Peter Thomson did in 1998.
Maruyama accumulated a 5-0-0 win-loss-tie record as a rookie at Royal Melbourne 21 years ago when the Internationals recorded their only victory to date in 12 editions of the biennial team contest.
South African Els will captain the team representing the rest of the world outside the United States and Europe when the Presidents Cup returns to the sandbelt course this week to take on another powerful American side.
“I think he has very strong power to lead the players. This year should be a big chance,” Maruyama said.
“There are many good players from Australia, and the Asian players should be able to catch up with the top players. I am very happy the Asian players are well represented.”
Once dominated by Australians, the Internationals team this year has a more cosmopolitan flavour with South Koreans An Byeong-hun and Im Sung-jae, China’s Li Haotong, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and CT Pan of Taiwan flying the flag for Asia.
Maruyama was one of only two Asians in the 1998 side and earned the nickname the “Smiling Assassin”
for the cheery demeanour he displayed as he put the Americans to the sword at Royal Melbourne.
Maruyama recalled that the leadership of five-times British Open champion Thomson, a non-playing captain as Els will be next week, was crucial to his fine form.
“He said ‘You can definitely do it!” Maruyama said.
“He was like a father figure. He was always very gentle and would warmly welcome me after I tried hard.
“As I was a rookie and every American player was a superstar, I was not afraid of the matches. I made up my mind, thinking it wouldn’t matter if I lost.
“So I was not afraid. The only thing in my heart was to defeat the American team.”
An Internationals team featuring seven debutants might do well to emulate Maruyama’s fearless approach this week when they face a US team led by Tiger Woods and packed with superstars of the modern game. –
– A burning desire to avenge his previous Presidents Cup nightmare will drive Adam Hadwin (above) at this week’s tournament against the mighty Americans at Royal Melbourne.
Hadwin was part of an outclassed International team handed an eight-point shellacking by the United States in New Jersey two years ago.
He eked out a half-point in partnership with Hideki Matsuyama in alternate-shot foursomes at Liberty National and lost his other two matches.
Els, however, has kept faith in the Canadian, whose accurate driving and agreeable personality helped earn one of the four captain’s picks on offer.
“After the proverbial butt-kicking we took two years ago, the only thing I’ve thought about is coming out and gaining 15-and-ahalf points,” Hadwin said in a telephone interview.
“From a perspective of being around these guys, it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. But getting drummed like we did was a bit of a slap in the face.
“How are we going to turn the tide on what has been an American beat-down on us since the Presidents Cup started?
“We need to flip the script. We need to win each individual session and if we can do that we will take home the Cup.”
Easier said than done, perhaps, but Hadwin is hopeful, even confident, that the efforts made by Els to engender a team spirit will pay dividends.
Hadwin said Els had focused all year on ensuring the Internationals will not be strangers when they arrive on tournament week.
That is no easy task given the disparate cultures and languages for a collection of players from every continent except Europe.
“I think Ernie has done a great job from the very beginning of getting us together as a large group,” Hadwin said.
“He has helped to get us on the same page, get us more familiar with each other, playing practice rounds together throughout the year, just introducing ourselves to each other because sometimes the toughest thing we have to overcome is really not knowing each other that well.”
Hadwin has won just once on the PGA Tour but has played with machine-like consistency during his five seasons on the biggest stage, racking up top-25 finishes in nearly a third of his tournaments.
His “all-around great game”, in the words of Els, should be a great recipe for match play. –