Presidents Cup notebook: Jet lag, practice groups and more
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MELBOURNE, Australia – Tiger Woods and his U.S. Team are dealing with jet lag after 26 hours of travel from the Bahamas. But the first-time captain doesn’t expect it to be an issue once the competition starts Thursday at the Presidents Cup.
“We’re still feeling it,” Woods said early Tuesday, less than 24 hours after his team’s arrival from the Hero World Challenge, where 11 of his 12 players were in the field. “I mean, I know I am. We’ll hit that wall sometime this afternoon and got to push through it …
“I think by tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon, we should all start feeling pretty good.”
Spending all day in an airplane – or as Woods called it, “a tin can” -- may have been detrimental to the Americans physically, but it did provide Woods, his assistants and their players a chance to build some camaraderie.
The layout of the chartered plane included an open area near the front in which the team could, in Woods’ words, “mingle and have fun. There was a lot of card-playing, a lot of trash-talking, a lot of needling. It was nonstop – literally nonstop for over a day.”
The Americans’ flight on Monday arrived later than scheduled, preventing the players from checking out Royal Melbourne until Tuesday. Meanwhile, at least half of the 12-man International Team managed some reconnaissance work on Monday, albeit in hot, dry conditions with a stiff wind out of the north. Six of the Internationals played last week at the Emirates Australian Open in Sydney.
The forecast for the rest of the week, though, calls for milder temperatures with a wind out of the south. Woods is not worried about his team losing a day of prep. Tuesday’s weather included rain.
“I think we actually got a fortunate break by not coming out here yesterday because of the wind,” Woods said. “The wind has totally switched from the northerlies to out of the south. This is the wind we’re going to see the rest of the week, so the guys can start prepping exactly what we are going to have to face.”
International Captain Ernie Els mostly had his players chipping and putting during their Monday practice, knowing that full shots into a wind they wouldn’t see during competition wouldn’t help.
Not that he wouldn’t mind a forecast switch at least one day. If it happens, the Internationals would have the advantage. “Hey, we’re seeing it today,” Els said during the Monday afternoon practice session.
TUESDAY PRACTICE GROUPS
Here’s the foursome grouping for each team. Make your own assumptions as to the partnerships that will be announced Wednesday at 4 p.m. local time (Tuesday midnight ET) for Thursday’s five Four-Ball matches.
Internationals – Group 1 (Marc Leishman, Abraham Ancer, Byeong Hun An, Hideki Matsuyama); Group 2 (Louis Oosthuizen, Adam Scott, Adam Hadwin, Joaquin Niemann); Group 3 (Cameron Smith, Sungjae Im, Haotong Li, C.T. Pan).
U.S. – Group 1 (Patrick Cantlay, Patrick Reed, Justin Thomas, Tiger Woods); Group 2 (Bryson DeChambeau, Tony Finau, Rickie Fowler, Xander Schauffele); Group 3 (Dustin Johnson, Matt Kuchar, Webb Simpson, Gary Woodland).
Woods, as a playing captain, was asked his approach on how he will choose his partner. Does he get first choice … or last?
“It’s team first,” said Woods, who partnered with Reed last year at the Ryder Cup. “Whatever we deem as the best possible order for our team, that’s what we’re going to run with.”
ELS READY TO KICK A--
Els was asked to describe his 20-plus years of competition with Woods, either in PGA TOUR events or at the Presidents Cup, including their famous showdown in 2003 in which the teams shared the trophy.
Els has finished runner-up to Woods five times – including two majors, the 2000 U.S. Open that Woods won by 15 shots and the 2000 Open Championship that Woods won by eight shots. Meanwhile, Woods has finished runner-up to Els twice, including the 1999 Nissan Open (now Genesis Invitational at Riviera that Woods’ Foundation hosts).
“He’s one of the best, the best of my generation,” Els said. “It was a privilege to compete against him. I know I would’ve have had a couple more events under my belt but still very proud to have played with and against Tiger – and after all these years, to be friends with him is another privilege. It’s been a long ride.”
Offering a bit more perspective, Els added, “Where the game of golf has gone in the last 25 years is just remarkable, and it could not be where it is today if it wasn’t for Tiger Woods. So with all that being said and done, you know, we’d like to kick their a---s this week at home.”
Els drew some laughs after that last comment – although not necessarily from Woods.
THE 1998 EFFECT
The only time the Internationals have won the Presidents Cup was in 1998 when Royal Melbourne first hosted the event. Els was a player on that team, going 3-1-1 that week and beating Davis Love III in Singles, as the Internationals routed the Americans 20.5 to 11.5
Els said he has discussed that win with his current group of players, the youngest team in Presidents Cup history. Their average age is 28.9.
“I still remember that very clearly, how the guys played, the team spirit we had that week,” Els said. “How they individually stood tall.”
Woods also played that week at Royal Melbourne, his first Presidents Cup appearance. He went 2-3-0 that week and beat Greg Norman in Singles.
He said the Americans were rusty after a lengthy layoff following the TOUR Championship.
“The guys just weren’t sharp. Unfortunately, we didn’t come in as prepared as we needed to do, and the International Team was loaded and they put it on us. They flat-out outplayed us and we couldn’t respond. Our games weren’t share enough to respond, and unfortunately that led to a blowout.”
INTERNATIONAL TEAM NOTES
QUICK GEL: This year’s International Team is the most diverse in the history of the Presidents Cup – only the three Australians share the same homeland – but the gelling process has not been slowed. “We've had great chemistry in the past, but I can feel a sense of unity and everybody is kind of coming together,” said Hideki Matsuyama, the Japanese making his fourth Presidents Cup appearance.
Aussie Marc Leishman said the practice rounds by potential team members at various tournaments this year is paying off. “The younger guys feel more comfortable in the team room, and comfort is a big thing to play good golf,” Leishman said. “In the past… generally by Saturday we're really comfortable with each other. I feel like we're comfortable with each other now." …
NEW PARTNER: South African Louis Oosthuizen is guaranteed of playing with a new partner. His partners in four previous Presidents Cups – Branden Grace (5-1-1 record), Charl Schwartzel (1-3) and Jason Day (0-1) – are not on this year’s team. During Tuesday’s Foursomes practice, Oosthuizen was paired with veteran Adam Scott, but nothing is official. “The way the boys are playing, I don’t mind playing with anyone,” Oosthuizen said. “… I’m looking forward to the challenge of having someone new as a partner.” …
CALL BACK: Byeong Hun An received two calls from Captain Ernie Els recently. One was to tell him he wasn’t a captain’s pick. The other a few weeks later was to ask if he’d like to replace Jason Day, who WD due to injury. “Ernie said, ‘You can tell me to get lost but we need you on the team.’ I was like, ‘I'll go down and play,’” the Korean said.
MAKE-UP TIME: Canadian Adam Hadwin said he has unfinished business. Two years ago in his Presidents Cup debut, he was a winless 0-2-1 in the Internationals’ loss. As a captain’s pick this week, Hadwin is determined to show Els made the correct choice. “I've got some work to do. I didn't feel like I played up to my level a couple years ago in New York and obviously the team didn't go as well as we wanted either,” Hadwin said. “So there's a lot to make up for this week.”
U.S. TEAM NOTES
BUFF BRYSON: Bryson DeChambeau was on the range Tuesday and hit several shots over the netting at the far end. Asked if he does that often, DeChambeau said, “It’s starting to happen more now. I’m flying it quite a bit.” Obviously the muscle he’s packed on recently is paying dividends. …
TIGER'S TEXTS: Justin Thomas is making his third U.S. national team appearance, and second in the Presidents Cup. Tiger Woods is his third different captain. “You definitely get more texts between 1 and 4 a.m. than any captain, that’s for sure,” Thomas said. He didn’t remember getting any late-night texts from Steve Stricker prior to the 2017 Presidents Cup. “If it was, it probably from some hunting excavation,” he said. …
DOUBLE PATRICK: The Patricks could be an item this week. Patrick Cantlay and Patrick Reed have partnered at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and they were in the same group in Tuesday’s practice round. “I don’t know exactly what we’re going to do yet,” Cantlay said. “We’re still figuring it out but I’d say there’s definitely a chance. If we do play together, I’m going to really enjoy it.”
VETERAN VIEW: Webb Simpson played at Royal Melbourne the last time it hosted the Presidents Cup eight years ago. But he doesn’t anticipate needing to provide much insight to the U.S. players seeing it for the first time. “I won’t speak with the guys much on course strategy,” Simpson said. “They know what they are doing so well now.”