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2013 Presidents Cup: Can Team USA Make It Five Straight?

By Les Bailey

Oct 1, 2013; Dublin, OH, USA; Tiger Woods is surrounded by members of the U.S. Team (from left to right) Brandt Snedeker , Jordan Spieth , Steve Sticker , and Davis Love III during a photo call on the practice ground prior to the start of The Presidents Cup at Muirfield Village Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 1, 2013; Dublin, OH, USA; Tiger Woods is surrounded by members of the U.S. Team (from left to right) Brandt Snedeker , Jordan Spieth , Steve Sticker , and Davis Love III during a photo call on the practice ground prior to the start of The Presidents Cup at Muirfield Village Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 1, 2013; Dublin, OH, USA; Tiger Woods is surrounded by members of the U.S. Team (from left to right) Brandt Snedeker , Jordan Spieth , Steve Sticker , and Davis Love III during a photo call on the practice ground prior to the start of The Presidents Cup at Muirfield Village Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 1, 2013; Dublin, OH, USA; Tiger Woods is surrounded by members of the U.S. Team (from left to right) Brandt Snedeker , Jordan Spieth , Steve Sticker , and Davis Love III during a photo call on the practice ground prior to the start of The Presidents Cup at Muirfield Village Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports /

By all accounts, Team USA should be able to mail in a victory at the 2013 Presidents’s Cup, but like Chris Berman always says, “that’s why they play the game”. The 2013 lineup is packed with a lot of good old American talent, but we all witnessed what happened at Medinah last September. As action gets underway on Thursday at Muirfield Village Golf Club, every indication has Team USA making it five in a row without too much problem.

Other than the only loss at Royal Melbourne back in 1998. The only other setback in the President’s Cup was a 17-17 tie at Country Club George South Africa where Captain Jack Nicklaus talked Captain Gary Player into a tie, putting to rest, a classic battle between Tiger Woods, and Ernie Els that ran out of daylight. Jack was able to get the tie, only by promising Gary that they would both be awarded time with the Cup.

There is an obvious disparity with Team International having seven first timers, and Team USA only two, but that statistic is somewhat misleading. Keegan Bradley is listed as a President’s Cup first timer, but was part of the group that got beat on Sunday last September at the Ryder Cup. The only true rookie is Jordan Spieth, and if you give him some love for his amateur career, you will find a seasoned veteran in team competition golf.

I think Jordan Spieth is playing as well as anyone on the squad as they get started tomorrow. People were calling for maybe a Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth pairing so Tiger could mentor the youngster through this event. I propose that the pairing might find Jordan carrying Tiger to a victory.

I was a little disappointed when I read the Power Rankings at PGATour.com that Rob Bolton could only manage a 19 out of 24 players ranking for Matt Kuchar. Kucar was victorious at Dove Mountain in a snow storm, and he had a decisive victory at Muirfield Village in the Memorial. I’m not sure why there isn’t much love there. Maybe he has a problem with Matt’s 0-3-0 record in singles competition.

The captains will be announcing the pairing this afternoon, and the mystery will come to an end. Who will play with Tiger? I’m putting my money on Matt Kuchar with Tiger, and Steve Stricker with Jordan Spieth.

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