Orlando, FL ….
No sooner had Tiger Woods been confirmed as the 2019 USA Presidents Cup captain and Rickie Fowler warmed to the thought of Woods, and if he should qualify for the team, becoming only the second playing captain of an American Presidents Cup side.
As predicated yesterday by www.golfbytourmiss.com Woods and Ernie Els were confirmed as rival President Cup captains at a news conference held here at the Bay Hill course in Orlando.
Fowler, who you would expect to qualify for the team, said it would be ‘cool’ if Woods were to compete inside the ropes for a third occasion in a Presidents Cup on the famed Royal Melbourne course in Australia, and this after having been a member of the only losing USA Presidents Cup side in 1998 on the same Melbourne ‘Sandbelt’ gem.
Ernie Els and Tiger Woods certainly have their hands full. (Photo #PresidentsCup )
“It is something we have looked forward to and that is the opportunity to play for Tiger and the way it looks we could easily have a playing captain which would be pretty cool,” said Fowler.
Woods and Els have been long-time rivals and this is the first occasion captains have been chosen who are still competing regularly on both the PGA and European Tours.
In past years, and as we saw late last year when Steve Stricker and Nick Price captained opposing Presidents Cup teams, it has been players who have been somewhat divorced from the regular tours.
Only once, and that was Hale Irwin in the inaugural 1994 Presidents Cup, has the USA Team had a playing captain.
Woods was a 2016 Hazeltine Ryder Cup vice-captain and enjoyed a similar role late last year at the Presidents Cup and 14 days ago was chosen by Jim Furyk as a 2018 Ryder Cup vice-captain but then saying he had not also ruled out competing inside the ropes in France.
Woods admitted this first captaincy apppointment has come sooner than he thought but insists it was a ‘natural progression’ in now becoming a team captain.
Woods will be just weeks short of his 44th birthday next December in heading ‘Down Under’ and smiled when asked if would consider being a playing captain
“I did not think a captaincy role would come this quickly but in hindsight it is perfect timing and a natural progression in my career,” Woods said.
“Probably the greatest misperception is that I was, I should have been one of the leaders of the team. I mean, I was just a rook (speaking of the 1997 Ryder Cup). I was just soaking it all in. I’ve been always the young guy on the team for probably three, four Cups. So that was interesting.
“Now it’s a little bit different. I’m one of the older guys.
“And as for being a playing Presidents Cup captain I would like to get to that point that if I am playing well enough where I could either make the team on points.
“But it will be a conversation I will have with my vice-captains and the team.
“Though I’ve enjoyed being twice a vice-captain under Davis (Love 111) at Hazeltine and the under ‘Strick’ (Steve Stricker) at the Presidents Cup last November.
“So, here I am as a 2019 Presidents Cup captain and now I am excited after playing in eight President Cups to be leading the team to Melbourne.”
Woods appointment as a Presidents Cup captain, and coming just a fortnight after he was named a 2018 USA Ryder vice-captain, should certainly now see him appointed as 2022 USA Ryder Cup Captain in Rome.
Stricker, as the 2017 USA Presidents Cup Captain, should have the ‘committee’ vote to lead the 2020 USA Ryder Cup side at Whistling Straits and then Woods two years later.
