Couples, Norman ready for 'great time' as Presidents Cup captains
By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.com Chief of Correspondents
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Greg Norman called Adam Scott, Vijay Singh and Ernie Els to ask them what they thought. Fred Couples, on the other hand, had a different approach.
"I wanted to wait until today," Couples said. "I'll call a few guys today so they can't say, 'We don't want you.' I don't want to call Tiger and have him say, 'Are you kidding me?'"
Of course, the laid-back Couples need not have worried.
In an exceedingly popular choice, he and Norman -- two of the most well-liked and accomplished men to ever play the game -- will captain the U.S. Team and International Team, respectively, at the 2009 Presidents Cup at Harding Park in San Francisco.
The two replace Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus, who held their posts for the last three Presidents Cups. The two World Golf Hall of Famers helped move the biennial event to the forefront of the golf consciousness and instilled a spirit of camaraderie, as well as one of competition, that continues to this day.
"It's kind of nerve-wracking to say you're following Jack Nicklaus after three years," Couples admitted. "But I think I'll do a great job, and I'll certainly have a great time."
In Couples and Norman, the Presidents Cup has its first two captains who have actually played in the event. They are both major champions, as well as former PGA TOUR players of the year and leading money winners.
Couples has a 9-5-2 record in four Presidents Cups. He is unbeaten in Singles and provided the winning point in 1996 when he beat Singh 2 and 1 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.
"Playing in it was great," Couples said. "But being captain, I think it's a great time in my life to be able to take the U.S. Team to have to San Francisco. ... And then to be going against Greg, who I played a lot of golf with and admire what he does, it's just going to be fabulous."
Norman competed in the Presidents Cup three times and owns a 7-6-1 record, including a 3-1-1 mark at Royal Melbourne in his native Australia 1998 when the International Team beat the Americans by nine points. That remains the only defeat for the U.S.
"Our careers have spanned, well, maybe 30 years, to tell you the truth, and (Freddie) you say you've respected my game; I've respected you," Norman said. "But not just by the way you played the game, Freddie, but by the way you've handled yourself on and off the golf course.
"I know we all go through our trials and tribulations when we're on a pedestal when we're having to make a putt to win on the last hole, and you're carrying the image of the game in golf, and you've done that in tremendous fashion."
Norman said he hadn't decided who his assistant captain would be. Later, though, the Aussie said he was "going to have my assistant automatically, because I'm going to be marrying my assistant," tennis great Chris Evert, who was in the audience Tuesday as the announcement was made.
Couples, on the other hand, said "I do have a player in mind, a great, great friend," as well as Michael Jordan, who was in the gallery supporting the U.S. at the Ryder Cup two years ago in Ireland, and comedian Robin Williams.
"I love Michael Jordan," Couples said. "A lot of our players know him. He's at these events, so that's why I bring his name up -- because as a team player, there's no one any better.
"And now the challenging part is when you're sitting around and you've got nothing but time. I would like a guy like Robin Williams there to keep us loose, and that's why I say that."
Couples later admitted he didn't know Williams, "so he may laugh at me. ... But I'll tell you, it is a battle in these rooms, and just to get you in the right frame of mind. I don't expect guys to sit around and listen to me at night.
"But we're going to be playing and doing things you hear, ping-pong and fighting and wrestling against each other and getting rid of some of the tenseness before the morning starts."
Davis Love III, a long-time friend and frequent partner for Couples at the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup, said the new U.S. captain "will be a lot of fun." At the same time, though, Love expects the normally laid-back Couples to be more than just a leader by example.
"He's made a couple of really passionate speeches at the last few Cups," Love said. "He's surprised a lot of people with his ability to get up and talk about what it means to win one of these." Couples, who missed most of last season with that lingering back injury, was already looking forward to competing on the PGA TOUR in 2007, Love said. "This will give him a new reason to be around and get to know some of the younger players.
"I think this came at a good time in his career," Love said. Mike Weir, the Canadian who provided the losing International Team last year with its signature moment when he beat Tiger Woods in Singles at Royal Montreal, liked both selections.
"Obviously, they're both major winners and both personalities that so many know and love and follow them, so it brings added attention to the tournament" said Weir, a four-time member of the International Team. I think they're both great personalities and for both teams I think it will be a great boost."
David Toms, who has a 2-1 record in Singles and has played on three U.S. Teams, agreed.
"Greg Norman has done a lot for golf around world," Toms said. "He put Australia on the map as far as golf concerned and he has probably done a lot for young players that we see over here now.
"Fred Couples is someone a lot of guys respect out there on the TOUR. He's been out here a long time. He's won a lot of tournaments. He's charismatic and he appeals to the fans. I think he'll do a great job. I know that I'd love to play for him as an American player.
"I think both of those guys carry on the tradition we've had the last couple of Presidents Cups where the captain is very visible person and big part of the team. I think both guys add a lot to the team."
| STANDINGS | ||
| Results | Points | |
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US TEAM | 19.5 |
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INTERNATIONAL TEAM | 14.5 |
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