Presidents Cup picks: U.S. gets nod ... just barely

text size

The United States has won five of the first seven Presidents Cup and enters the 2009 event as favorites again. Three of the first four Presidents Cup were blowouts, but the last three have been tight, including the memorable tie in 2003. Here's how PGATOUR.COM's writers see the 2009 Presidents Cup playing out.
MORE PRESIDENTS CUP: U.S. Team | International Team | Captain Couples | Captain Norman | Complete coverage

STAN AWTREY, PGATOUR.COM Contributor

I'm certain to be in the minority, but I believe the International Team will win the Presidents Cup this week in San Francisco. On paper it looks like a slam dunk for the U.S., which has better players and a deeper roster. But we all know that sometimes the best team doesn't always win; just look at recent Ryder Cup results. Here are my three reasons why the Internationals will win:

1. Greg Norman is the team captain. He's smart enough and experienced enough to know which buttons to push.

2. The International Team is more rested. Other than Ernie Els, the International players who competed at THE TOUR Championship two weeks ago weren't really in the heat of the battle. Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Steve Stricker fought hard all week at East Lake and may not have much left in the tank.

3. The U.S. players grow weary of competing in a postseason team event every year. It's quite taxing, and nine of the 12 Americans were on the 2008 Ryder Cup team. The Internationals take the stage only on odd-numbered years.

CRAIG DOLCH, PGATOUR.COM Contributor

Beware the wounded golfer. That adage bears mentioning with the eighth Presidents Cup starting Friday at Harding Park in San Francisco. The Americans are heavily favored, which is why I'm taking the International Team.

Question: Which team was heavily favored in last year's Ryder Cup (the Europeans).

Which team won? (The Americans).

So we don't have to go back too far to see how fate doesn't always follow form in these hard-to-predict international team matches. I see the International Team rallying around captain Greg Norman and struggling Adam Scott, whom Norman took a gamble on by choosing with a Captain's Pick. The rest of the International Team, which includes Hall of Famer Vijay Singh and future Hall of Famers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, as well as 2009 major winners Angel Cabrera and Y.E. Yang, will give American captain Fred Couples all his team can handle.

The International Team has never won in five Cups on American soil, but they've been within three points twice. This time, Norman can raise a cup in America after a narrow victory.

MELANIE HAUSER, PGATOUR.COM Correspondent

There's no easy way to say this, other than to note that the following is going to show up on a bulletin board somewhere. Probably in the International Team room. But my words won't be the only ones. Nothing against the Internationals, mind you, but I can't sit here and tell you they're going to win the Presidents Cup. Or even come close.

Lord, Greg Norman's team is full of characters and talent. Adam Scott has woken up and Ernie Els is coming back. But Freddie Couples' squad is loaded. As in the top three in the world, plus Jim Furyk, Stewart Cink, Zach Johnson and Justin Leonard. Guys who grind you down, then finish it off. Oh, there will be some awesome matches and some serious upsets. Just not enough for this one to turn into gut-churner like the 2003 and 2005 matches. We're thinking more like a 2007 when the U.S. walked to the win, but Mike Weir 1-upped Tiger in Singles.

This week? Talk is Freddie and Greg may put Tiger up against Y.E. Yang in Singles, but wouldn't it be more fun to see Tiger vs. Geoff Ogilvy -- two of the best at match play?

MIKE McALLISTER, PGATOUR.COM Managing Editor

Making a case for the Americans is easy. They have the most players in form -- eight of the 12 guys have had at least one top-10 finish in the last four PGA TOUR starts, including the winners of the last three events in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup. They're very top-heavy with Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Steve Stricker. And they have the home-course advantage.

With that in mind, my initial thought was this could be a blowout. But now I'm not so sure. I think the International team may surprise us by making it tighter than expected, especially if Greg Norman can develop a band-of-brothers attitude in the team room. Heck, with his right arm in a sling after recent surgery, Norman even looks like he's been on the front lines.

But at the end of the day, it's hard to imagine that the Americans' firepower won't prevail. Believe it or not, I think Michael Jordan's presence may actually provide more than just superior celebrity status for the U.S. No one wants to let down Jordan -- and that includes the world's top player whose 13-11-1 Presidents Cup record could use a few more W's.

HELEN ROSS, PGATOUR.COM Chief of Correspondents

The PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup had a wild card winner but the season-long champion ended up taking the $10 million bonus. And that's sort of how I see The Presidents Cup unfolding this week at Harding Park.

I have no doubt that the International Team will pull off some upsets like Heath Slocum did at The Barclays. There is too much talent -- and experience -- on Greg Norman's squad, and team match play, particularly over 18 holes, is just too unpredictable.

To expect the International Team to beat the Americans, though, is unrealistic. The U.S. Team boasts the top three players in the world, as well as nine in the top 20. The winners of the last three Playoffs events are playing for Fred Couples, too.

The International Team doesn't come into The Presidents Cup with the same kind of momentum. The last to win on the PGA TOUR was Y.E. Yang at the PGA Championship -- but before that, you're looking at Angel Cabrera's win at the Masters in April.

Don't expect this to be a runaway for the U.S., though. Since the unprecedented tie in South Africa in 2003, the scores have been much more respectable. Look for the U.S. to take a 6-1-1 record to Royal Melbourne in 2011 -- which is the site of the International Team's only win.