Tiger Woods eager for Presidents Cup berth in 2019
Former world number one Tiger Woods expressed a keen interest in playing in the 2019 Presidents Cup in Melbourne.
Woods and fellow legend Ernie Els were announced as captains for the biennial team event earlier in the year, which features Team USA against the Internationals in December.
Now, buoyed by a return to form, the 14-time major winner revealed his keenness to play. This is despite telling the media earlier this week that he would reduce his playing schedule substantially for the coming season.
“If I am part of the top eight, yes, I will play,” Woods told AAP.
“We’ll see what happens as we have to figure some of the logistical things between now and then and that’s one of the reasons I’m here.”
Last time out in 2017 at Liberty National in New Jersey, Woods was in the middle of his injury crisis and was named a non-playing assistant captain.
An all-star American contingent crushed the International team 19-11, but last time they played at Royal Melbourne in 1998 , USA lost 20.5 – 11.5. Woods featured in that Jack Nicklaus captained team and recalls their reason for a poor performance, something that he doesn’t aim to repeat.
“It was late in the year and we didn’t have the wrap-around schedule that we have now,” continued the 42-year-old.
“The guys took quite a bit of time off and quite frankly we weren’t prepared to play, and we got smoked.
“The Internationals came out ready, prepared, played, and they drummed us so my job is to make sure that the guys are prepared, they’re still playing and trying to stay fresh and competitive late in the year.”
The 2019 Presidents Cup is scheduled to tee off at Royal Melbourne on 12 December.
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