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By Helen Ross
PGATOUR.com Chief of Correspondents

Audio: Player, Nicklaus announce captain's picks | Video: Commissioner's preview

TULSA, Okla. -- Gary Player went with experience while Jack Nicklaus chose two rookies as the Presidents Cup captains announced the players who would complete their teams for next month's matches.

Jack Nicklaus (left) and Gary Player

Player's selection of 2003 Masters champion Mike Weir had long been the subject of speculation and was sure to delight his fellow Canadians. The seventh Presidents Cup will be played Sept. 27-30 at The Royal Montreal Golf Club.

"Mike is a terrific competitor, and I have a lot of confidence in him," Player said. "You couldn't ask for a better team player. ... And being in Canada, if we didn't have him on the team, in my opinion, it would be quite flat."

The International captain also chose Aussie Nick O'Hern, who was a member of Player's 2005 team. O'Hern was three-tenths of a point away from finishing among the 10 automatic qualifiers at the end of the PGA Championship.

Not to mention, O'Hern has beaten the No. 1 player in the world, Tiger Woods, twice at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship.

"It's a big feather in his cap to have beaten such an incredible player," Player said.

Nicklaus chose Hunter Mahan, who won the Travelers Championship in June, and Lucas Glover. Glover was 10th heading into the PGA , but was displaced by Woody Austin, who played his way onto the team with a second-place finish at Southern Hills.

The U.S. holds a 4-1-1 record in the biennial competition, but Player's International Team will go into this renewal as the favorites on paper. Eleven of the 12 players on that team are ranked among the top 27 in the world.

The Americans have three players with only one international competition under their belts, as well as the three rookies in Mahan, Glover and Austin. Nicklaus, though, is not worried.

"Obviously, we had to think about whether we wanted experience or youth," Nicklaus said. "My experience wasn't playing well. They all missed the cut at the PGA. I conferred with (assistant captain) Jeff Sluman, and we knew the only way to get experience is to get the opportunity to play.

"Why should the next time be the first time they get to play?"

Glover finished in a tie for 50th at the PGA, but came into the season's final major playing well with four top-12s and one tie for 27th. He had also contended for a Ryder Cup spot last year, but fell to 14th after the PGA and was not selected, so the Presidents Cup berth was particularly satisfying.

"Obviously, I was watching the board pretty close," Glover said. "I knew Woody would probably bump me out, so it was pretty nerve-wracking. Mr. Nicklaus called me yesterday when I was in the Atlanta airport.

"Obviously, I am very excited to play for him and for my country."

While Glover has played consistently over the past two years, Mahan has come into his own over the last few months. In addition to the win in Hartford, the 25-year-old PGA TOUR rookie had ties for eighth, sixth, fifth and 22nd in his next four starts, as well as held a share of 18th at Southern Hills.

"If there is a young player who has played better in the last six months, I don't know who it is," Nicklaus said.

"It's been a hectic summer for me," Mahan admitted. "(The Presidents Cup) wasn't in my sights a few months ago. I was playing one tournament at a time. I was the opposite of Lucas. I was outside the whole time and trying to earn my way (on the team).

"I am happy for the opportunity Mr. Nicklaus has given me."

Mike Weir will play in his fourth Presidents Cup. (Getty Images)

Weir is a veteran of three Presidents Cups. He was 20th in the standings but had played well this year -- posting ties for eighth at AT&T National and the Open Championship.

That momentum was halted, though, when he had to withdraw from the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational with a neck injury. He also missed the cut in the PGA Championship.

"It was a tough last couple of weeks," Weir said. "When I pulled a neck muscle at Firestone, that was bad timing. I knew I had been playing well the last couple of weeks.

"Now that Gary made me a selection, maybe I can relax and play some good golf over the next few weeks."

Player said he also considered Stephen Ames, who is from Trinidad & Tobago but is also a Canadian citizen. Ames went into the final round of the PGA Championship trailing the eventual winner, Tiger Woods, by three strokes, but eventually tied for 12th.

The play over the last month of Andres Romero also piqued Player's interest. Romero had a chance to win the British Open, but bogeyed his last two holes, and the 26-year-old Argentine then won in Germany the following week.

Those strong finishes vaulted Romero up the Official World Golf Ranking, and he went into the PGA Championship 10th in the International standings. Romero would have been a natural fit to partner with countryman Angel Cabrera in the Presidents Cup, but he missed the cut at Southern Hills.

"I like to pick a guy who's on the up, but he's young and he'll have many chances to play in the future," Player said.