Taiwan’s C.T. Pan is to make Presidents Cup history when he lines up against Tiger Woods’ formidable US team in December alongside Li Haotong of China and Abraham Ancer of Mexico.
“This year has been full of dreams coming true! I’m honored to make the @PresidentsCup #IntlTeam & look forward to seeing the fans at Royal Melbourne in December!” Pan wrote on Facebook yesterday after finishing in a share of 31st at the BMW Championship in Medinah, Illinois, on Sunday.
Pan, Li and Ancer are to be Taiwan’s, China’s and Mexico’s first players at the two-yearly event, at which they are to represent the Internationals, organizers said yesterday.
Photo: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY
The three were among the top eight automatic qualifiers at the weekend deadline for the team captained by Ernie Els, who are seeking their first victory since 1998.
They join fellow newcomer Cameron Smith of Australia and the top four players in the standings — Australians Mark Leishman and Adam Scott, South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama.
Four captain’s picks are to be made at a later date.
“This is as good as I could have asked for. I’ve got guys who have played in the Presidents Cup many times previously and I’ve got guys who are rookies,” Els said.
The Internationals are to tee off at Australia’s Royal Melbourne from Dec. 12 to 15 against a US team who have a combined 11 PGA Tour victories so far this season.
World No. 1 and four-time major winner Brooks Koepka leads the pack, along with Justin Thomas — who won the BMW Open and claimed the No. 1 seed going into the FedEx Cup finale — Dustin Johnson, Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Webb Simpson, Matt Kuchar and Bryson DeChambeau.
Koepka, Johnson, Kuchar and Thomas were all members of the US team who won 19-11 in New Jersey in 2017, their seventh straight triumph. Schauffele, DeChambeau and Cantlay are to play for the first time.
“This is the core of the team. These guys have earned it,” said Woods, who has previously suggested he could be a playing captain. “You’ve got some veterans, whether it’s Webby, Kuch or Dustin, who have been part of the teams for a very long time, and we have some newcomers. We have a nice mix.”
Additional reporting by staff writer and AP
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