USA Team Captain, Fred Couples along with International Team rival, Greg Norman will announce their two ‘wildcard’ picks next Tuesday, 27th September.
Couples has already ‘leaked’ news Woods will be one of his picks despite the former long-time World No. 1 having finished well down in 29th place on the qualifying table.
Peter Thomson speaks to www.golfbytourmiss.com from his rented St. Andrews house.
Thomson, a winner of five Open Championship titles, was the International Team captain when the Presidents Cup was last staged at Royal Melbourne.
Thomson’s side, and still the only victorious International Team in the history of the event, won by nine points and with Woods generally disappointing with his only highlight being defeating Norman in the Sunday Singles.
Thomson believed Woods played poorly 13 years ago in 1998 and now with the crestfallen American certain to be under intense scrutiny, Woods could be facing serious criticism if he again fails to deliver on the famed Melbourne ‘Sandbelt’ gem.
“The Tiger Woods that arrived in Melbourne back in ’98 didn’t play that well though he finished off the event well in beating Greg Norman in the Singles,” said Thomson.
“But by then the tournament really was over and the International team was assured of victory.
“Tiger seemed a bit mystified about the Royal Melbourne course and how to putt on the greens, and he just didn’t shine at all.
“I now wonder which Tiger Woods will turn up later this year.
“If he performs poorly, and less than we’ve come to expect from Tiger, then he’s in for a lot of serious criticism.
“There will be enormous pressure on his shoulders to perform and he’s going to be under intense scrutiny given he didn’t qualify automatically for the team and Freddie (Couples) seems likely to make his a ‘captain’s pick’.”
Thomson was speaking in St. Andrews, and scene of his 1955 Open Championship triumph, where he had been attending various activities associated with the ‘driving in’ of Alastair Low, the new captain of the R & A.
The 10th Presidents Cup will be held in Melbourne, Australia from November 17th to 20th.
