Captain Tiger Woods today begins the US’ bid for an eighth successive win in the Presidents Cup when he combines with Justin Thomas in the opening match of the fourballs at Royal Melbourne Golf Club.
Woods and compatriot Thomas meet Australia’s Marc Leishman and tournament debutant Joaquinn Niemann, as the US team look to put down a marker against the International team, which represent the rest of the world minus Europe.
Woods and his assistant captains conferred at length yesterday before revealing their opening pair, but the 15-time major champion said that there had been no last-minute wavering.
Photo: AFP
“I think from our side, we had a game plan — who we wanted to start out — and we were committed to putting Justin and myself out there, and that’s who we’re rolling with,” Woods told reporters. “Having my responsibility as a player, I want to get out there and play with Justin, but also as a captain, I want to see my guys play.”
Woods gave Dustin Johnson — who is on the comeback trail from a knee injury — a vote of confidence by naming the long hitter in a pairing with Gary Woodland in the last of today’s five fourball matches.
They are to meet Mexico’s debutant Abraham Ancer and major winner Louis Oosthuizen.
“More than anything with D.J. [Johnson], it’s just making sure that he recovered from the flight,” Woods said. “He’s feeling good. He’s worked out each and every day we’ve been here... He was chomping at the bit to get out there.”
US debutants Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay are to meet Canada’s Adam Hadwin and South Korea’s Im Sung-jae in the second match.
Bryson DeChambeau and Tony Finau face Presidents Cup veteran Adam Scott and South Korea’s An Byeong-hun in the third match, with Webb Simpson and Patrick Reed teaming up against Taiwan’s Pan Cheng-tsung and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama in the fourth.
Woods is the second playing captain in the 25-year history of the tournament. Hale Irwin, who led the US to victory in the inaugural edition in 1994, was the first.
Woods said that assistant captain Steve Stricker is to take over his captaincy duties while he is on the course.
The US team arrived at Royal Melbourne on Tuesday, a day later than the Internationals, after a delay in their long-haul travel from the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas.
“We wish we could have gotten here on Monday, but we were a little bit delayed,” Woods said. “I got a chance to play all of yesterday. Played a little bit today... The preparation is very simple.”
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