The International team has to start winning to save the Presidents Cup

Presidents Cup https://www.presidentscup.com/

The Presidents Cup is at Royal Melbourne in December of 2019 and Ernie Els will be replacing Nick Price as captain of the International Team and Tiger Woods has been named to replace Steve Stricker captain of Team USA.

Certainly these two guys get everyone's attention when they have most anything to say which will be great for this event and ensures that whomever they ask to make the trek down under will be on board. Tiger hasn't ruled out being a playing captain.

However as I have been saying for far too long, this International Team had better start winning or the Presidents Cup will cease to exist. They only have 1 win and 1 draw win in 11 events. I suggested after last years drubbing in New Jersey that players on the USA Ryder Cup team would not be allowed on the Presidents Cup squad the next year.

That of course would not be a popular decision all around, however remember the Ryder Cup would not be the mega monster it is now, without Jack Nicklaus suggesting the Great Britain & Ireland squad be changed to Team Europe to include rising star Seve Ballesteros back in 1979, to stop the bi-annual thrashing they foisted on the hopelessly out matched British guys.

Tiger and Ernie provided the most exciting finale in 2003 in South Africa when the teams were tied at 17-17 and Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus selected them to decide the match in a playoff which went 3 dramatic holes until darkness fell and Jack and Gary agreed to call it a draw with the two teams sharing the Cup.

I haven't forgot Mike Weir beating Tiger Woods at Royal Montreal in 2007, although USA won that one by 19 1/2 - 14 1/2.

Els has competed in the Presidents Cup eight times (1996, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013), tied for most by an International Team member. Woods, also an eight-time U.S. Presidents Cup Team member (1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013) and is the only player to clinch the Cup three times. Both Woods and Els served as captain’s assistants for their respective teams in 2017

For 2019 the top eight players for the International and U.S. Team standings will officially qualify following the completion of the 2019 TOUR Championship. Captains will later select four captains’ picks (at date to be determined) in the weeks to follow.

Bryan Angus
(notes from europeantour.com)