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Pros and cons of Tiger Woods’ potential Presidents Cup picks

By David Salituro

US golfer and captain of the US Presidents Cup team Tiger Woods holds the trophy at a press conference in Melbourne on December 6, 2018, one year ahead of the 2019 edition to be held at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club. (Photo by William WEST / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE -- (Photo credit should read WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)
US golfer and captain of the US Presidents Cup team Tiger Woods holds the trophy at a press conference in Melbourne on December 6, 2018, one year ahead of the 2019 edition to be held at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club. (Photo by William WEST / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE -- (Photo credit should read WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Team USA captain Tiger Woods will make his four picks on Thursday to complete the American roster for the Presidents Cup

Tiger Woods will get the chance to play a different role at the Presidents Cup next month.

The 82-time PGA Tour winner will captain the American team against Ernie Els and the Internationals when play begins at Royal Melbourne in Australia on Dec. 12.

Step one for Woods in his captaincy comes on Thursday. Eight players have already qualified for the team based on their standings in the points race. The American team will consist of Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Matt Kuchar, Xander Schauffele, Webb Simpson, Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Cantlay.

Now it’s Woods’ job to find the four players who will fill out the roster when he makes his captain’s picks. He has five main contenders to choose from, including Gary Woodland, Tony Finau, Rickie Fowler and Patrick Reed. The other option is himself.

In most circumstances, Captain Woods selecting himself would provoke controversy. But after winning the Zozo Championship two weeks ago, the bigger question will be if he’s not on the team next month.

Each of the contenders, including Woods, brings their own strengths and weaknesses. The good news for Woods is that they are each solid players who could help the Americans keep up their domination of this event: in its 25-year history, the Internationals have only one once, in 1998. It’s Woods’ job to ensure that run continues.

Tiger Woods

Pros

Tiger Woods made a difficult decision that much easier last week in Japan. His victory at the Zozo Championship, tying Sam Snead for first on the all-time list with 82, ensured that Woods will get a free pass if he decides to pick himself for the Presidents Cup team.

At 44, Woods remains the most popular and iconic player in golf. The huge crowds that followed him around last week showed he remains a global superstar. No one brings an audience to a golf event as he can. The sight of him unleashing a long, powerful drive would be much more welcome than seeing him riding around Royal Melbourne in a golf cart for four days.

With Phil Mickelson out of the picture, Woods has far and away the most Presidents Cup experience of any of the contenders. He has eight previous appearances in this event dating back to 1998, during which he’s 24-15-1. He was also vice-captain in 2017.

His victory at the Masters in April after coming off four major back surgeries marked arguably the biggest comeback in all of sports. Even with sporadic appearances the rest of the season, he still came back from a two-month hiatus to hold the lead after all four rounds of the Zozo Championship.

“I think I certainly, as a player, got the captain’s attention,” he said last Sunday in Japan. It was a debate before that event — would Woods dare use a captain’s pick on himself — but there is no longer any doubt that Woods will become the first playing captain at the Presidents Cup since Hale Irwin in 1994.

Cons

Even if he took some of the pressure off by winning in Japan, Woods will still face plenty of scrutiny at Royal Melbourne. If he doesn’t perform well, he’ll open himself up to arguments that the captain’s pick would’ve been better used on another player. And even with all his past experience, he hasn’t played in a Presidents Cup since 2013.

But none of these drawbacks is going to keep Woods off the team. Expect him to draw his own name when he makes his picks on Thursday.

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