The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Woods deals playing card Tiger is a Ryder vice-captain but Furyk can’t ignore his return to form
Golf:
Tiger Woods has reiterated his desire to crown his year of redemption by winning a playing place in the US Ryder Cup team.
Woods is preparing to feature in the FedEx Cup play-offs at Ridgewood Country Club in New Jersey this week, having qualified for the event for the first time in five years.
It follows the 42-yearold’s spectacular return to form in the US PGA championship this month when a final round of 64 placed him second behind winner Brooks Koepka.
Woods has already been named as a vice-captain for the Ryder Cup, which is due to start in France at the end of next month, assisting captain Jim Furyk.
Woods said: “At the beginning of the year I told Jim I want to be a part of the team, not just as a vicecaptain but as a player, and I’m close to making that happen.
“It’s been a long year and one of my goals was to make that team as one of the 12 best players, and I’m training for it.”
Woods believes his battling comeback from four back surgeries which threatened his future in the sport has endeared him to a new group of fans.
In a far cry from his early, dominant days on the tour, Woods’s return has exposed his vulnerabilities and contributed to what he describes as his “different” year.
“Everyone can relate to it because they’ve all gone through it – when you get to your forties you’re feeling it,” he said.
“I’ve struggled and I’ve had some back pain, I’ve been through four surgeries and I’m trying to work back and it’s been tough and people understand that.
“I think people are more appreciative. They know I’m at the tail-end of my career. I don’t know how many years I’ve got left but I’m certain I’m not like I was when I was 22.
“At 42 it is a different ball game.” Henrik Stenson’s hopes of a fifth Ryder Cup appearance have received a setback after he was forced to withdraw from this week’s Northern Trust event on the PGA Tour.
The Swede says a recurrence of the elbow injury that forced him to pull out of the Scottish Open was to blame for this week’s withdrawal.
The 2016 Open champion, who has had four top-10s in 15 starts during an injury-disrupted 2018, will now rely on a wildcard pick from European captain Thomas Bjorn for the big event in Paris at the end of next month.
After finishing tied 20th at the Wyndham Championship on Sunday, Stenson said: “I have been trying to focus on my game and there are some things that
“I want to be in the team. I’m close to making that happen”
“Bjorn has my number. I guess I will just have to wait by the telephone”
are good and some things that need a bit more work.
“We will try to sort that out in the weeks to come.
“Obviousl y we’re a little bit out of direct quaification. Bjorn has got my number and I guess I will just have to wait by the telephone.”
Sergio Garcia, who missed out on a place in the FedEx Cup play-offs for the first time, is also left hoping for a pick from Bjorn after failing on his own merit.
The qualification process for the European team ends following next week’s Made in Denmark event.
Five of the eight players in the automatic positions for the European team – Jon Rahm, Alex Noren, Thorbjorn Olesen, Tyrrell Hatton and Tommy Fleetwood – have never played in the Ryder Cup before, which may strengthen the likelihood of Bjorn turning to Stenson or Garcia to provide some added experience.
Francesco Molinari, Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy occupy the three other qualifying spots.