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South Korea to Host 2015 Presidents Cup
Woods and Scott in Presidents Cup Showdown
Internationals Sick of Losing to US
Ishikawa a Late Arrival for Internationals
American Stricker fit for Presidents Cup
Norman Expects Tiger-Scott Showdown
South Korea to Host 2015 Presidents Cup
MELBOURNE, November 16, 2011 (AFP) - The Presidents Cup will be staged in Asia for the first time when the contest goes to South Korea in 2015, PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said in Melbourne on Wednesday.
Finchem said the growth of golf throughout Asia and the presence of three South Koreans in this week's International team against defending champions United States indicates that the game will only get stronger within the region.
"We are delighted to be taking The Presidents Cup to South Korea in 2015," Finchem told reporters.
"The growth of the game in Asia is well documented, and the fact that we have three South Korean players on the International Presidents Cup Team this year illustrates the strength of golf in that country, which is only going to get stronger in the next four years.
"Each Presidents Cup has been bigger and better than the one before, and I’m confident South Korea will serve as the perfect stage for the event when it enters its 21st year."
K.J. Choi, Kim Kyung-Tae and Y.E. Yang are part of Greg Norman’s International team, marking the first time more than one South Korean is competing on the International team in the event's history.
Finchem said the golf course selection process was underway with several venues expressing an interest in hosting the 2015 event in South Korea.
He said a formal announcement of the South Korean venue was expected next year.
The Presidents Cup has only ever been held in the United States, Canada, Australia, and South Africa.
Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, will host the next event in 2013.
Woods and Scott in Presidents Cup Showdown
MELBOURNE, November 16, 2011 (AFP) - Tiger Woods will face Adam Scott in an intriguing match-up on the opening day of the Presidents Cup two weeks after a racial slur aimed at the American by the Australian's caddie.
Woods will team up with Steve Stricker for the United States while Australian Scott is playing with South Korea's K.J. Choi for the International team in the last of Thursday's six foursomes.
It means former world number one Woods will come face to face with Scott's caddie Steve Williams, who carried Woods's bags for 13 of his 14 major titles before being sacked earlier this year.
Williams earlier this month referred to Woods as a "black arsehole" during an awards dinner in Shanghai. He subsequently apologised to Woods for the comment and they shook hands.
"I think it's great for the tournament. It needed to be done," Internationals captain Greg Norman said at Wednesday's pairings announcement.
"It played out the way it played out. There wasn't any premeditation by it.
"I think at the end of the day, the guys in that last group will be the consummate professionals and go out and play the game of golf representing their International team and the US team the way they should do."
US team captain Fred Couples said the Woods-Scott face-off would be an exciting match on the opening day of the biennial teams event.
"We did not plan anything. But I think it worked out awesome for everybody involved to have Adam and Tiger play," Couples said.
"As we said all along they are still very good friends and I think it's an exciting match."
Woods, who only got into this year's Presidents Cup as the captain's pick after slipping outside the world's top 50, won four points with Stricker in the US win in 2009 in San Francisco.
The 14-time major winner, who has not won a tournament in two years and finished third at last weekend's Australian Open, was unbeaten two years ago.
In Thursday's other foursomes pairings, Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson lead off the defending champion Americans against South Africa's Ernie Els and Japanese youngster Ryo Ishikawa.
That will be followed by Bill Haas and Nick Watney against Australian Geoff Ogilvy and reigning US Masters champion Charl Schwartzel of South Africa.
American pair Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar then face Australians Aaron Baddeley and Jason Day, while Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk are paired to face South Africa's two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen of South Africa and Australian Robert Allenby.
In the day's penultimate foursome, Americans Hunter Mahan and David Toms take on South Koreans Kim Kyung-Tae and Y.E. Yang.
In foursomes each side plays one ball and players alternate hitting tee shots.
Six fourball matches will be staged on Friday ahead of five foursomes and five fourball matches on Saturday, wrapping up with 12 singles matches on Sunday's final day.
Presidents Cup Pairings
MELBOURNE, November 16, 2011 (AFP) - Pairings for Thursday's foursomes matches at the United States v Internationals Presidents Cup matchplay golf tournament at Royal Melbourne:
1:05 pm (0205 GMT) Bubba Watson-Webb Simpson (USA) v Ernie Els (RSA)-Ryo Ishikawa (JPN)
1:17 pm Bill Haas-Nick Watney (USA) v Geoff Ogilvy (AUS)-Charl Schwartzel (RSA)
1:29 pm Dustin Johnson-Matt Kuchar (USA) v Aaron Baddeley (AUS)-Jason Day (AUS)
1:41 pm Phil Mickelson-Jim Furyk (USA) v Retief Goosen (RSA)-Robert Allenby (AUS)
1:53 pm Hunter Mahan-David Toms (USA) v Kim Kyung-Tae (KOR)-Y.E. Yang (KOR)
2:05 pm Tiger Woods-Steve Stricker (USA) v Adam Scott (AUS)-K.J. Choi (KOR)
Presidents Cup Factfile
MELBOURNE, November 16, 2011 (AFP) - Factfile on 2011 Presidents Cup team competition featuring the United States v Internationals that starts on Thursday:
Venue: Royal Melbourne
6,397 metres (yards)
Par: 35-36--71
Defending champions: United States (USA 19.5 Internationals 14.5 at San Francisco, 2009)
History: United States - six wins, Internationals - one win. The 2003 event ended as a tie
Format:
Thursday: Six foursomes matches
Friday: Six fourball matches
Saturday: Five foursomes, five fourball
Sunday: 12 singles matches
Scoring: One point awarded for a win, 1/2 point for a tie. Singles matches go to extra holes until a match winner is determined. If the score is deadlocked at the end of singles play, the competition is deemed a tie and the teams share the Cup.
Teams
US team - Fred Couples (captain), Jim Furyk, Bill Haas, Dustin Johnson, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Phil Mickelson, Webb Simpson, Steve Stricker, David Toms, Nick Watney, Bubba Watson, Tiger Woods.
International team - Greg Norman (captain), Robert Allenby (AUS), Aaron Baddeley (AUS), K.J. Choi (KOR), Jason Day (AUS), Ernie Els (RSA), Retief Goosen (RSA), Ryo Ishikawa (JPN), Kim Kyung-Tae (KOR), Geoff Ogilvy (AUS), Charl Schwartzel (RSA), Adam Scott (AUS), Y.E. Yang (KOR).
Internationals Sick of Losing to US
MELBOURNE, November 15, 2011 (AFP) - Captain Greg Norman said on Tuesday his International team are "sick and tired" of losing to the United States in The Presidents Cup and are desperate to notch their first win in 13 years.
The formidable US team have dominated the biennial event with six wins against just one for the Internationals, back in 1998 at this week's Royal Melbourne venue. The 2003 event finished in a tie in South Africa.
The non-European International team, featuring golfers from Australia, South Africa, Japan and South Korea, are at a disadvantage against the United States, who play the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams format in alternate years.
The American team includes nine of the world's top 20 players plus former world number one Tiger Woods, ranked 50, who shows signs of returning to form after a third-place finish at the Australian Open on Sunday.
The Internationals have four in the top 20, led by Australians Adam Scott and Jason Day. The team also includes six-time Presidents Cup campaigner Ernie Els and two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen.
"I know my guys are sick and tired of getting beaten and we've won in 1998 and that's it and with another tie and they want to win," Norman said.
"And I love to hear that kind of talk from my players because when you're an individual and you are used to winning golf tournaments and you're not winning a certain golf tournament as a team you want to band together very tightly.
"That's what I'm feeling this week with my guys, they're sick of getting beaten."
Norman believes home advantage, with weekend crowds expected to be around 30,000, will be an advantage for the Internationals as well as Australian experience of the Royal Melbourne course.
"I would say probably more to the home crowd than the golf course," he said.
"These guys know how to adapt to golf courses. I think Melbourne is a great spectator town and they will come out like they did in '98 and I think it will slowly build up into the weekend where we'll have pretty good home field advantage."
Counterpart Fred Couples, who said he was in an easier situation than Norman as non-playing captain of the American team.
"It's easier for me than Greg. He has guys that come from four countries, while I've got 12 buddies.
"He's got different flags and we all have one flag and we are very proud to be here. We have older guys and we have younger guys, and I think it's a pretty unique mix."
Couples said Phil Mickelson was playing in his 17th Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup and was "very excited".
Norman and Couples are great fans of the famed composite Royal Melbourne sandbelt layout with a reputation as one of the premier courses in the world.
"Some of our players are calling it the best course they have ever played," Couples said.
"I came here in 1988 and I've played St. Andrews and Augusta and these are three of my favourite courses," he added.
Norman, who has played Royal Melbourne for 36 years, said it was a course that forced players to think.
"It starts right from the very first tee shot to the second shot to where you put it on the green," the two-time British Open champion said.
"This is not a golf course where you just get up and just smash it and say, I'm going to be fine.
"It depends on the positioning and how you play it. If you get out of position around Royal Melbourne, you can't recover.
"And if the wind gets up, which it's predicted to be on Friday, up to 25, 30 mile-an-hour winds, this place will eat your lunch."
The Presidents Cup, first played in 1994, begins on Thursday with six foursomes matches leading up to Sunday's decisive 12 singles matches.
Presidents Cup Teams
MELBOURNE, November 15, 2011 (AFP) - The United States and International teams for the ninth Presidents Cup starting at Royal Melbourne on Thursday:
US team - Fred Couples (captain), Jim Furyk, Bill Haas, Dustin Johnson, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Phil Mickelson, Webb Simpson, Steve Stricker, David Toms, Nick Watney, Bubba Watson, Tiger Woods.
International team - Greg Norman (captain), Robert Allenby (AUS), Aaron Baddeley (AUS), KJ Choi (KOR), Jason Day (AUS), Ernie Els (RSA), Retief Goosen (RSA), Ryo Ishikawa (JPN), KT Kim (KOR), Geoff Ogilvy (AUS), Charl Schwartzel (RSA), Adam Scott (AUS), YE Yang (KOR).
Ishikawa a Late Arrival for Internationals
MELBOURNE, November 15, 2011 (AFP) - Greg Norman said Tuesday that rising Japanese star Ryo Ishikawa's late arrival for this week's Presidents Cup will not distract the International team's preparations.
Ishikawa, 20, was not scheduled to arrive until late Tuesday, less than two days before the ninth Presidents Cup teams event tees off against the defending champions United States at Royal Melbourne.
Ishikawa, who had a second career hole-in-one in the final round of last weekend's Taiheiyo Masters in Japan to finish in a tie for eighth behind Hideki Matsuyama, was due to be late because of a flight delay.
His late arrival means that he missed out on a major part of the International team's bonding process on which Norman places such importance.
"Unfortunately, it is what it is. You've got to expect the unexpected," Norman told reporters.
"Obviously, we would like to have as a team everybody together and being engaged from today onwards."
Norman said he had no concerns that Ishikawa would not be right for selection in Thursday's opening foursomes against the Americans.
"The great part about Ryo is he's young. He can survive the jet lag and survive an overnight flight and get in here," he said.
"He's a good enough player, he'll have enough information coming his way tomorrow about the golf course. So I'm not concerned about it.
"Obviously, we would like to have as a team unit everybody together and being engaged from today onwards, but, hey, it is what it is, and you just adapt to it."
Ishikawa was one of Norman's two captain's picks when he played in the last 2009 Presidents Cup in San Francisco and rewarded his captain with three wins, including in the singles against Kenny Perry.
Ishikawa is one of four Asians in the non-European International team along with South Korea's KJ Choi, KT Kim and YE Yang.
American Stricker fit for Presidents Cup
MELBOURNE, November 14, 2011 (AFP) - Top-ranked American Steve Stricker said Monday he had recovered from a neck injury and was fit to play in this week's Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne.
Stricker, 44, who won four points partnering Tiger Woods in the United States' last win over the International team in 2009, has not played since the Tour Championship in Atlanta in late September.
But after practising on Monday at this week's venue Stricker said the neck injury was not a concern.
"I feel good, tired from the travel probably more than anything," Stricker said ahead of Thursday's tee-off.
"But my body feels good, my neck is really a non-issue."
Stricker, at number five the highest ranked American in Melbourne this week, is 9-6 in his three previous Presidents Cup tournaments and said he had targeted the ninth Presidents Cup teams event as his comeback.
"I specifically took time off at home and rested it," he said.
"I've been doing some at-home treatments with a traction device and had a cortisone shot about five weeks ago. So, I was aiming for this to be the healthy part.
"This is an important event. You work all year long to try to make the team and get on the team and the last thing you want to do is get injured and not be able to play.
"So I'm really looking forward to playing, it's good to be here."
The United States have won six of the previous Presidents Cups with the International team, drawn from non-European players, winning when the event was last played at Royal Melbourne in 1998.
The 2003 edition at George, South Africa, finished in a tie.
Norman Expects Tiger-Scott Showdown
SYDNEY, November 14, 2011 (AFP) - Greg Norman says he expects a match-up between Tiger Woods and Adam Scott at the Presidents Cup, in what could be a spicy showdown after a racial slur directed at the American former world number one.
Norman, captaining the International team for a second time in the biennial clash against the United States, said it was almost inevitable that Woods and Australia's Scott would meet later this week at Royal Melbourne.
Scott's caddy Steve Williams, who carried Woods's bags for 13 of his 14 major titles before being sacked earlier this year, this month referred to Woods as a "black arsehole" during an awards dinner in Shanghai.
Williams subsequently apologised to Woods for the comment and they shook hands.
"If it happens, it happens. It is not going to be premeditated. (But) I'd expect them to meet some time from Thursday onwards," Norman said at the Australian Open on Sunday.
"I talked to Adam about it. I asked him if it worked out that way, did he have a problem with it? He said, 'Not at all. I'll play him and win a point for you'.
"It can fall out that way. He might end up playing with him every day. Who knows?"
Woods and Williams came face to face at The Lakes course in Sydney last week ahead of the Australian Open, won by Australian Greg Chalmers, with Woods third.
"I don't think it will affect either Tiger or Adam. If that happens, both of them will step up and try to win the point," Norman said.
Woods came up short again in his quest to end a two-year tournament drought behind two-time Australian Open winner Chalmers on Sunday.
The former world number one, whose barren run has left him outside the top 50 for the first time in 15 years, put himself into a winning position for the first time since the Augusta Masters last April.
But he could not overhaul Chalmers, who beat compatriot John Senden by one shot with Woods a further stroke away.
Norman said Scott had matured into a leadership role in the International team.
"He wants to win it. He has been on a couple of losing teams and he doesn't like it," he said.
"He knows he is one of the top guys in the world. He has taken that responsibility on. He has been instrumental in why since April the guys have been very enthusiastic."
Norman said he will be more assertive as non-playing captain after defeat to the United States in San Francisco two years ago.
"My captaincy will be a little different this time. It will definitely be different this coming week," Norman said.
"I am going to be more a captain instead of seeking advice and other people's opinions and trying to make everybody happy.
"At the end of the day, you've got to make the decisions. By making those firm decisions, the guys will realise that this is the captain speaking, this is what he wants us to do."
The US team retained the Cup after winning it for a sixth time in San Francisco.
The Internationals, featuring the world's best non-European players, recorded their only victory when the teams event was last held in Australia at this week's Royal Melbourne venue in 1998.