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HRGolfGuide.com


Ernie Els and Tiger Woods will captain the International and U.S. Teams, respectively, for the 2019 Presidents Cup at The Royal Melbourne Golf Course in Melbourne


BY STAFF, PGATOUR.COM


“I have no doubt that Ernie will have the International team ready to go in Melbourne, and I cannot think of a more fitting captain to carry


the tradition of goodwill


through the competition than Ernie Els,” he said. “The Sandbelt courses of Australia are some of my favorite in the world, and I’m looking forward to seeing Royal Melbourne again.”


ORLANDO, Fla. – Add the title of “captain” to Tiger Woods’ golfing resume.


On Tuesday, the PGA Tour announced that Woods and Ernie Els have accepted invitations to serve as captains for the 2019 Presidents Cup at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Victoria, Australia.


Woods will pilot the U.S. team, while Els oversees the International squad.


Last year, Woods was an assistant captain to Steve Stricker in the Presidents Cup, and he previously served as a vice-captain to Davis Love III in the 2016 Ryder Cup. Woods will reprise his role in the latter this September for American captain Jim Furyk in France.


Els succeeds Nick Price, who led the last three International teams.


Woods and Els have had many great battles during their careers, with the latter finishing second to


him seven times, twice in majors. None was more memorable than the 2003 Presidents Cup in Fancourt, South Africa. The match ended in a 17-17 deadlock.


By rule, each team placed a name in an envelope in case of a tie, and they would decide the outcome in a sudden death playoff. Not surprisingly, Woods and South African native Els were picked.


After parring the first hole, Els converted a pressure-packed 12- foot par putt on the next hole to extend the playoff. With darkness falling, Woods drained a double- breaking 15-foot par putt on the third hole, but Els matched him with a testy six-footer.


Following a lengthy debate, team captains Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player decided to share the cup.


“After working as a captain’s assistant


for Steve in 2017, I realized that I wanted to


captain the 2019 event at Royal Melbourne,” Woods said at Bay Hill Club & Lodge, where he is competing this week in the Arnold Palmer Invitational. “I’m proud to follow in the footsteps of past captains like Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Hale Irwin, Ken Venturi, Fred Couples, Jay Haas and Steve Stricker.


Woods has learned a lot from his past team experiences and believes the American side is ready for the challenge.


“The core group of players on the U.S. team have a lot of talent enthusiasm and great camaraderie,” he said. “They are easygoing and fun to be around off the course, but extremely competitive inside the ropes.”


Although the Yanks have won nine of the 11 competitions, Woods expects a fierce and friendly match. Built in 1926, Royal Melbourne is the oldest golf club in Australia.


As a player, Woods has competed in eight Presidents Cups (1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013). He is the only player to make the winning putt three times, clinching trophies in 2009, 20011 and 2013.


Woods is coming off a runner-


up finish last week at the Valspar Championship, his top showing on the PGA Tour since tying for 10th at the 2015 Wyndham Championship. Competing in only his fourth event of the year and fifth since 2017, Woods fashioned four consecutive sub-par rounds and shared second with Patrick Reed, one stroke behind winner Paul Casey.


Woods is playing in back to back tournaments for the second time this year, and has great memories at Bay Hill. In his last start here in 2013, he won for a record eighth time. Woods also won a U.S. Junior Amateur title at Bay Hill in 1991.


Woods was close to the late,


great Arnold Palmer. They met at the U.S. Junior.


“I got a chance to shake his hand


for the first time on the last hole,” Els and Woods- Continued on Page 14


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