Tag: Ernie Els

Presidents Cup captain Trevor Immelman is the man with the plan for International Team

Ernie Els has passed the baton to fellow South African Trevor Immelman ensuring continuity for the International side moving forward.

Melville Fuller, a former chief justice of the United States, once said, “Without continuity men would become like flies in summer.”

As far as we know, Fuller wasn’t speaking about the International Team for the Presidents Cup, but he might as well have been. On Tuesday, South African Trevor Immelman was named 2021 Presidents Cup captain for the International squad when the biennial competition is held at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte.

This was a vote for team continuity as Ernie Els passed the baton to Immelman, the 2008 Masters champion, who served as understudy at the 2019 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne. What Els did to breathe new life into the matches can’t be underscored enough. He created “a family dynamic” and gave the team “an identity,” Immelman said.

“We felt that over the years that might have been something that was missing,” he said. “It’s a pretty big hurdle to try and overcome when you have players coming from seven, eight, nine different countries, different cultures, different languages. It’s a big hurdle for us to have to overcome that particular week.”

True continuity, one could argue, would have been Els coming back for a second tour of duty. Instead he’s throwing his efforts behind a bigger and more personal cause: Els for Autism, a disease his son, Ben, suffers from, and this is the best use of his time. What Els did was create a blueprint for Immelman and future captains – whether it be Canadian Mike Weir, Korea’s K.J. Choi, or Australians Geoff Ogilvy and Adam Scott.

“What he has created for our team, I think, is going to be so massive, not just in Charlotte but I’m talking about three, four, five, six Presidents Cups down the road,” Immelman said. “I think what Ernie did for our team, giving us something to build off of, we sure are hoping that that is going to be some kind of turning point for our team to where we can find a way to finally win this Cup again.”

While no one on the International Team, especially Els, was celebrating a moral victory in holding the lead entering Sunday’s singles before the U.S. rallied for a 16-14 victory at Royal Melbourne, Els and Co. believe they have put an end to a lopsided competition (the U.S. leads 11-1-1 in 13 matches). Someday, Els may be remembered as the International team’s version of Tony Jacklin, who accepted the European Ryder Cup captain’s role in 1983 and two years later became the inspirational leader of its first triumph in 28 years. That win ignited an intense rivalry.

“My relationship with Trevor goes way back and I have always had the utmost respect for him as a player and a person,” Els said. “Trevor was an invaluable member of our team and completely bought into what we were trying to do at Royal Melbourne, so it is gratifying to see him take this next step and lead the International Team.”

Els met Immelman when he was 6 or 7 and handed Immelman a golf trophy at age 12. They are the best of friends, and Immelman, who was a teammate of Els on the International side in defeat in 2005 and 2007, considered it an honor to jump back into the fold as one of Els’s lieutenants.

“When he picked me as an assistant captain, I had no designs at all or even thoughts of possibly being a captain one day. I was just so focused on trying to help him,” Immelman said. “It just sort of organically came about.”

Immelman, 40, had his playing career curtailed by injuries, but he’s still active on the PGA Tour as a TV commentator for CBS and studio analyst for Golf Channel. He plays just enough on the PGA Tour as a two-time past champion to be active and familiar with all the players. That knowledge, as well as prior experience working with Els and as captain of the Junior Presidents Cup International team in 2017, will serve him well.

The fact remains that the U.S. side likely will be loaded again — don’t forget that Brooks Koepka was sidelined — and competing at a course they play every year during the Wells Fargo Championship (and in 2017, the PGA Championship). This will be the true test for the International sides much ballyhooed blueprint, just as playing away in France in 2018 exposed holes in Team USA’s master plan for regaining supremacy in the Ryder Cup. Is Immelman the right man for the job? Time will tell, but at least it’s good to know that his father thinks so.

“He’s been a leader ever since he was a young kid,” said Johan Immelman. “He always rose to the occasion.”

That’s a trait shared with Els. Sounds like the International Team has found some continuity.

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Ernie Els earns first PGA Tour Champions title in just third appearance

In just his third start on the senior tour, Ernie Els won his first PGA Tour Champions event at the Hoag Classic.

A big win for Big Ernie.

In just his third start on the PGA Tour Champions, Ernie Els won his first senior tour event on Sunday at the Hoag Classic at Newport Beach Country Club in Newport Beach, California.

Els shot a final-round 4-under 67 thanks to birdies on the par-5 15th and 18th holes to reach 16 under.

Glen Day, Fred Couples and Robert Karlsson all finished T-2 at 14 under, followed by Scott McCarron in fifth at 13 under.

In his previous two senior tour events, Els lost in a playoff to Miguel Angel Jimenez at the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship and finished T-34 at last week’s Cologuard Classic.

Hoag Classic: Leaderboard

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Miguel Angel Jimenez beats Ernie Els, Fred Couples in playoff, wins PGA Tour Champions’ opener

Miguel Angel Jimenez won a playoff against Ernie Els and Fred Couples to claim the PGA Tour Champions’ opener in Hawaii.

What’s better than a victory cigar in Hawaii?

Miguel Angel Jimenez made a clutch 12-foot birdie putt on a second playoff hole Saturday night, taking down Ernie Els to win the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualala, the season opener for the PGA TOUR Champions.

Fred Couples made bogey and lost in the first playoff hole.

“I said to my caddie, `The winning score is going to be 15-under par and we need to hurry up and make birdie,'” said Jimenez, who went on to make clutch birdies on holes 13-15 to get into contention.

The 56-year-old now has won in each of his seven seasons on the senior tour, with nine victories total, including a previous win at Hualalai in 2015.

Leaderboard: Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai

“Played well every year here and it’s nice to have a second win,” Jimenez said.

“Disappointing, obviously,” Els said of his debut on the senior circuit. “I would have loved to got it through, but I had a couple of chances, didn’t quite get the right speed or the right line, but all good. Congrats to Miguel.”

The PGA Tour Champions tee off again Jan. 30-Feb. 1 at the Morocco Champions at Samanah Golf Club in Marrakech, Morocco.

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Presidents Cup is real winner as Ernie Els’ Internationals breathe life into event

Captivating drama descended on the Royal Melbourne stage over four days and the ending wasn’t determined until the last half hour of play.

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MELBOURNE, Australia – The Presidents Cup was on life support.

Through the first 12 editions of the biennial tussle, the Americans were the Harlem Globetrotters and the Internationals the Washington Generals. The beatings were so numerous and thorough that those in golf circles were left to hope the Internationals would put up a fight now and then.

The lopsided nature was so disheartening that there have been numerous calls for drastic changes, with some suggesting LPGA stars be included to pump in some much needed medication.

Seeing as the Internationals had yet to win the Cup this century and that the U.S. team was loaded, the general feeling heading into the 13th edition was another rout was in the offing at Royal Melbourne Golf Club.

On paper, the USA’s superiority – its dozen players ranked in the top 25 in the official world rankings and the mighty headliner Tiger Woods was leading the way as both player and captain – screamed an early KO was coming once the bell rang. Especially with seven rookies standing in the other corner from the Americans.

PRESIDENTS CUP: Special podcast | Sunday results | Photo gallery
GRADES: Captains, Royal Melbourne earn high marks

But no R.I.P. is needed for the Presidents Cup, there’s no funeral to be held.

Captivating drama descended on the immaculate Royal Melbourne stage over four days and the ending wasn’t determined until the last half hour of play. The Internationals, buoyed by boisterous galleries and inspired by the leadership of captain Ernie Els, controlled the narrative the first two days and pushed the Americans into an unfamiliar role where they had to call on some heroics to pull out victory.

Trailing 6-1 at one point, the Americans won 15 of the last 23 points available to capture the Cup for the 11th time in 13 attempts. But the Americans were on edge throughout, and their 16-14 triumph Sunday wasn’t secure until the second-to-last match when Matt Kuchar tied Louis Oosthuizen.

It was a thriller, a page turner, a life saver for the Cup.

Ernie Els celebrates with Trevor Immelman, Mike Weir, Byeong Hun An and K.J.Choi as another putt goes in for his team during Day 1 of the 2019 Presidents Cup. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

“Great strides were made, especially in our team play,” Els said. “I really felt that our team play was really the core of our team, and that never was (before). We never felt like we could play foursomes or fourball together as a team. We did that well.

“The people around the world will look at these guys in a different way. I think you guys have seen what can happen. If you compare our team on paper with other teams in other sports, you would have laughed us out of the building. But we gave it a hell of a go and we came mightily close to winning and upsetting one of the greatest golf teams of all time.”

In doing so, despite losing eight of 12 possible points on Sunday, the Internationals gave the Presidents Cup a pulse, for there was victory in defeat. Calls for radical changes need not be answered. There is life in this event and it will carry on until 2021, when the two meet again at Quail Hollow in Charlotte.

“I’m very optimistic about things going forward here,” said Australian Adam Scott, who has not won the Cup in 10 tries. “I’m disappointed. That’s all I can say. But I like what’s happening in the future. I can’t wait for another crack at it.”

Woods’ first crack at captaincy left him wanting for more, whether as a captain or a player or both. He relishes pressurized confrontation on the golf course and he got all he and his team could handle in the land Down Under.

“The whole team played extremely well today on a very difficult golf course against a very formidable International team,” he said. “They were up big and the guys went in and got it done. It came down to the very end. We knew that was going to happen. We were excited about our chances going into singles and we did it as a team.”

Woods, who was 3-0-0 and became the all-time leader in matches won in the event with 27, was moved to tears after his charges wrapped up victory. While some have said otherwise over the years, these team events mean something to him.

“I’ve cried in pretty much every Cup we’ve won,” he said. “I’ve been doing this a long time. Any time you have moments where you’re able to do something that is bigger than us as an individual, is so much more meaningful and so much more special.”

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Did Team International squander its last, best chance to end its Presidents Cup losing streak?

The International Team squandered an opportunity to end its Presidents Cup losing streak and the challenge may get even tougher from here.

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MELBOURNE, Australia – The eyes of Liezl Els told the result of the Presidents Cup.

The wife of Ernie wiped away fresh tears and tried to hide her disappointment behind a pair of oversized sunglasses. Only she really knows the countless hours that her husband invested as captain of Team International. The pain of a 16-14 defeat will linger because victory was there for the taking.

And it begs the question: if not this time, when will the Internationals end one of the longer losing streaks in sports – now at 21 years and counting?

The lopsided nature of the matches had some observers suggesting that it was time to scrap the biennial competition. They tried tweaking the format and having fewer points at stake to make the match close, but that made little difference in 2017, when the final score was 19-11.

What transpired this time was one of the most spirited competitions to date. Credit to Els for devising a way to neutralize the so-called American advantage. He threw himself head-long into his captaincy, and he turned over every stone in search of the slightest edge. He became convinced that the pairings mattered, and he developed a strategy using advanced analytics.

PRESIDENTS CUP: Sunday results | Photo gallery
GRADES: Captains, Royal Melbourne earn high marks
MORE: When Captain America is hurting the USA

“If you compare our team on paper with other teams in other sport, you would have laughed us out of the building,” Els said. “But we gave it a hell of a go and we came mightily close to winning and upsetting one of the greatest golf teams of all time. … It didn’t quite work out, but we came damn close.”

Els also created a new team culture that went far beyond a unifying team logo.

“Sometimes you met the guy for the first time on Tuesday afternoon of the competition,” International team assistant captain Geoff Ogilvy said. “I didn’t know K.T. Kim. By Saturday we’re great friends but it took until Saturday. We’re ahead of that curve.”

“I do believe he has created a different culture and created some continuity on this International squad,” former Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger said.

Has Els set the wheels in motion to end the U.S. domination by nearly pulling off an improbable upset? Will another loss diminish the team’s competitive spirit or ignite an intense rivalry?

International Team Captain Ernie Els gives a thumbs at the Presidents Cup. (Photo by Keyur Khamar/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)

This set up as the best chance for International victory.

Royal Melbourne was a great equalizer that took several rounds for the Americans to learn to play and their players had more experience and understanding of how to play the Australian Sandbelt style of golf. There isn’t another venue where that edge will exist.

Also, the Americans had to travel 26 hours and suffered from jet lag, which surely contributed to its slow start. And let’s not forget, the U.S. was playing without World No. 1 Brooks Koepka, who was sidelined with injury, and with a rusty Dustin Johnson (coming of knee surgery) and Rickie Fowler. Els’s squad took advantage and jumped to a 6½-3½ lead.

But Els will be left thinking about what could have been if the Americans hadn’t flipped a few late matches. It could’ve owned a commanding 9-1 lead.

“That was probably the difference,” Els conceded. “You know, we had so much momentum. We had so much going for us, and you know, at the end there, they won that 18th hole twice and halved it. That’s almost 2½ points, and where we are, we are at 2½ points – well, 1½ points, … I felt it was a bit of a blow.”

Australia’s Adam Scott lost his singles match 2 and 1 to Xander Schauffele and looked like a man who was told his dog had been run over by a car. He’s still winless in nine Presidents Cups. No one has suffered more defeat at the hands of the Americans. All he could muster this time was to say, “I like what’s happening in the future. … I can’t wait for another crack at it.”

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But this was an opportunity lost.

In two years, when these foes meet again, the Americans will be back on home soil at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, a course most of the players have played at the Wells Fargo Championship or the 2017 PGA Championship. Koepka and Justin Thomas will be even more polished as players and young guns Collin Morikawa and Matthew Wolff likely will be in the mix for the team. Jordan Spieth may be back on top of the world.

Hopefully, Jason Day’s back will have healed and allow him to regain his form and the International side is starting to produce new blood, too. (Sungjae Im and Joaquin Niemann weren’t on the radar yet, and likely will be team members for the foreseeable future.) But there’s a chance Team USA may be an even bigger favorite.

Good luck to whomever takes the baton as International team captain in 2021. The job may leave you in tears.

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Presidents Cup grades: Captains, Royal Melbourne score high marks

Royal Melbourne gets an A+ in hosting Presidents Cup, and it’s too bad American golf fans don’t get to see action on this course each year.

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Colleges and universities across the country are in the midst of finals, and with the 2019 Presidents Cup now in the books, it’s time for Golfweek to hand out a few grades.

Royal Melbourne: A+

The course was a treat for the eyes and provided a great setting for the Presidents Cup. Alister MacKenzie’s gem featured a blend of short par 4s, challenging par 3s and devilish greens. In other words, it was perfect for match play and it’s a pity that American fans do not see the game’s best golfers play it every year.

The captains

Ernie Els: A-

The Big Easy did a great job of taking players from nine countries and five different continents, uniting them and then getting them to play as a team. He was organized, provided leadership and used analytics to create pairings that gave the Internationals a two-point lead heading into the singles. If he wants to captain again in two years, the job should be his.

Tiger Woods: B+

You could see in his smile how much winning as a captain meant to Tiger, who certainly inspired his players. Sitting out both sessions was a risky move, but the team gained ground and saved him from tough second-guessing. Benching Bryson DeChambeau for three sessions was smart, but keeping Patrick Reed and Webb Simpson in after the pair went 0-2 Thursday and Friday was a mistake.

Forward Press podcast: Presidents Cup special edition

U.S. players

Patrick Cantlay: 3-2, B+

Paired with Xander Schauffele in the first three sessions, Cantlay, playing in his first team competition since the 2011 Walker Cup, showed he’s a gamer and that we can expect him to be a fixture on United States teams for the next decade. His birdie on the 18th on Friday to beat Joaquin Niemann and Adam Hadwin was massive and his emotional response was fantastic. His singles win over Niemann was also impressive.

Bryson DeChambeau: 0-1-1, C

He may have gained about 10 pounds of muscle and 15 yards off the tee, but DeChambeau was a dud during Thursday’s opening matches and was rightly benched because Woods clearly didn’t have faith that he could turn things around. A bad shot from the fairway on 17 led to a bogey and a halved match against Adam Hadwin in a match the U.S. could have used.

Tony Finau: 0-1-3, B-

Benched after a 2-and-1 loss Thursday alongside DeChambeau, Finau redeemed himself with three halved matches to earn 1.5 points. Getting a half-point after walking to the 11th tee down by four in singles against Hideki Matsuyama showed guts.

Rickie Fowler: 1-0-3, B

The late addition to the team after Brooks Koepka was forced to withdraw due to injury, Fowler hit some solid iron shots and clutch putts to grab a half-point with Gary Woodland Friday. Paired with Justin Thomas, he earned 1.5 points, but he missed some makeable putts against Marc Leishman on Sunday and should have won his singles match.

Dustin Johnson: 2-2, C

D.J. is too good to ever follow up a 4-and-3 loss with 3-and-2 loss, regardless of the format. His putting was so off that he switched putters before his Sunday singles match against Haotong Li. He won Sunday, but Li was a deer in the headlights on the front nine, letting Johnson win three holes with pars.

Matt Kuchar: 0-1-3, B-

The veteran putted nicely in a 3-and-2 loss paired with Johnson on Friday before pairing with Finau for a pair of halves. He was winless in Australia, but battled back from 3 down against Louis Oosthuizen Sunday and made the Cup-clinching putt on 17.

Patrick Reed: 1-3, C-

For three days, Reed talked the talk but couldn’t walk the walk. His shovel antics after making a birdie putt on the 11th hole Friday were embarrassing and made worse after Leishman made birdie on top of him to halve the hole. Still, Reed’s me-against-the-world attitude helped him get a 4-up lead through four holes on C.T. Pan.

Xander Schauffele: 3-2, B+

Paired with Cantlay, Schauffele earned two points in two foursomes matches before taking on Adam Scott on his home turf Sunday. Schauffele got up early on the 2013 Masters champion and never let up, withstanding Scott’s late charge to win 2 and 1. He’s a stud in the making.

Webb Simpson: 1-3, C+

Playing in a tough environment paired with Reed, Simpson got off to a slow start at the Presidents Cup and never really got going until Sunday. His experience, and some timely approach shots, helped him earn a point against Byeong Hun An.

Justin Thomas: 3-1-1, A

The next leader of America’s cup teams, Thomas was everything captain Woods could have wanted. His putt on 18 Friday to win a big point was massive, and he paired with Fowler to take down Li and Leishman 3 and 2. In defeat Sunday against Cameron Smith, he battled. He’s 26, so the U.S. team is hoping for at least another decade of J.T.

Tiger Woods (The Player): 3-0, A+

Paired with Thomas, Tiger, who turns 44 on Dec. 30, was 2-0 before benching himself on Saturday. His performance in the opening singles match against Abraham Ancer was vintage Tiger. He knocked the ball down, made it climb and bent shots like Eric Clapton bends a chord on his Stratocaster. Bravo.

Gary Woodland: 1-2-1, C-

Woodland was a disappointment Thursday and Friday, failing to win a point when paired with Johnson, and he got blitzed by Sungjae Im in singles 4 and 3. Woodland and Johnson did get a point in Saturday’s foursomes, but you expect the defending U.S. Open to contribute more than just a point in four sessions.

Internationals

Byeong Hun An: 1-2-2, B-

The 28-year-old Presidents Cup rookie played with three different partners (Scott, Matsuyama and Niemann) in foursomes and fourballs before falling 2 and 1 to Simpson on Sunday. He can play, but failed to make enough birdies under pressure.

Abraham Ancer: 3-1-1, A

The breakout star for the International team, Ancer showed a deft shortgame and lethal putter to go along with nerves of steel. He wanted Tiger in singles and put up a great fight in a losing effort. Get ready to see his birdie putt on the third hole Saturday morning in Presidents Cup highlight reels for the next 100 years. Exelente senor.

Adam Hadwin: 1-1-1, C

Paired with Im on Thursday morning, Hadwin’s foursomes win over Cantlay and Schauffele was impressive, but he was benched for both sessions Saturday and halved with DeChambeau on Sunday when the International team needed a full point.

Sungjae Im: 3-1-1, A-

Ranked No. 36 in the world coming into the Presidents Cup, Im scored one of only two singles wins for the International team on Sunday by beating Woodland 4 and 3. He showed a deft touch with his wedges and made some key putts.

Marc Leishman: 1-2-2, C

Ernie Els needed a big week from the big Aussie who was playing in his fourth consecutive Presidents Cup, but he didn’t get it. A win in foursomes with Ancer was the highlight for Leishman, whose halve with Fowler in singles Sunday came after the Americans had already clinched.

Haotong Li: 0-2, D

After sitting out the first two sessions, Li was so nervous that he played out of turn on the second hole in Saturday’s foursomes match, forcing him to re-play his shot. He’s talented but was 4 over through 15 holes when Dustin Johnson closed him out 4 and 3 in singles.

Hideki Matsuyama: 2-1-1, C+

The Japanese star teamed with C.T. Pan to beat Reed and Simpson, twice, but blowing a 4-up lead after 10 holes against Finau in singles was deflating and felt like a loss. Sure, he won 2½ points in four sessions, but the tie on Sunday is going to sting for a long time.

Joaquin Niemann: 0-3-1, C

Expectations for the 21-year-old winner at the Greenbrier this fall were high. Maybe too high. He teamed with Byeong Hun An to come back for a halve against Finau and Kuchar, but he was outclassed by Cantlay on Sunday.

Louis Oosthuizen: 2-1-1, B-

King Louis started red hot, winning two points on Thursday and Friday, but his putting was erratic and he blew a 3-up lead against Kuchar and wound up halving the match that gave the Americans the cup.

C.T. Pan: 2-1, B+

Another Presidents Cup rookie, Pan earned two points paired with Matsuyama and then ran into a buzzsaw in the form of a motivated and hot putting Patrick Reed. Down six through seven holes, he won four of the next six to get within two before falling 4 and 2.

Adam Scott: 2-2-1, B

Playing in his ninth Presidents Cup, and on home soil, it was the perfect setting for Adam Scott, and he made some great shots and a few sweet putts, but losing to Schauffele was a blow to the International team’s hopes. Scott had to carry a big load for Els and he was good, but the Aussie needed to be great.

Cameron Smith: 1-1-1, B

A thorn in the American team’s side, Smith’s boyish looks belie his competitiveness and fire. He made big putts, worked the crowd and was one of only two singles winners on Sunday, beating Justin Thomas.

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In trusting his boys, Tiger Woods sets up thrilling comeback to win Presidents Cup

Playing captain Tiger Woods put himself in the leadoff position and delivered with a 3-and-2 victory over spirited, pesky Abraham Ancer.

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MELBOURNE, Australia – The USA’s might proved unconquerable.

Finally arriving Saturday when they won three of four points in the afternoon foursomes session, then taking full flight in Sunday’s singles action, the heavily favored Americans climbed out of a cavernous hole in the Australian Sandbelt to win the Presidents Cup.

Down 6-1 at one point on Friday and trailing 10-8 to the underdog Internationals heading into the final day at Royal Melbourne Golf Club, the Americans won eight of 12 points in singles to pull out a 16-14 victory.

In winning the singles session for the first time since 2009, the comeback victory increased the USA’s record to 11-1-1 in the series.

Playing captain Tiger Woods led by example, putting himself in the leadoff position and then delivering with a 3-and-2 victory over spirited, pesky Abraham Ancer. Then his red, white and blue charges followed suit.

Embattled Patrick Reed won in the third match out, Dustin Johnson the fourth match out. Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele and Webb Simpson provided consecutive victories. Providing key half-points were Tony Finau, Bryson DeChambeau, Matt Kuchar and Rickie Fowler.

“We did it together,” Woods said. “We came here as a team. The (assistant) captains did an amazing job of just being there for every little detail. I couldn’t have done it without all their help and all my boys. They did it.

“I trust all my 11 guys. They went out there and got the points we needed. We fought. Even the points we lost, we were making them earn every one of them, and this Cup wasn’t going to be given to us. We had to go earn it, and we did.”

They did it without world No. 1 Brooks Koepka, who was out rehabbing a knee injury. They did it after a 26-hour trek across the globe. They did it on a quirky course that challenged them on every shot.

Meanwhile, the Internationals, the youngest team in the history of the event with seven rookies, needed 5½ points Sunday to win for the first time this century. They mustered just four. They only got wins from Sungjae Im (4 and 3 over Gary Woodland) and Cameron Smith (2 and 1 over Justin Thomas) and halves from Marc Leishman, Adam Hadwin, Louis Oosthuizen and Hideki Matsuyama, who couldn’t hold on despite leading Finau 4 up at the turn.

“We’re just gutted,” Oosthuizen said.

“I can only give them my love,” captain Ernie Els said. “They played so hard for each other and the team. I really have to take my hat off to every one of them. There are a lot of young, young players, a lot of players that the world has never seen or heard but you will see them a lot in the future.

“We’re getting closer. Our team is not as deep as the U.S. team. All credit to the U.S. team. They have an absolute stacked team.”

Starting with Woods, who deflated Ancer and the Internationals in the leadoff match. In November, Ancer said he wanted to play Woods in singles at the Presidents Cup. Cue the saying, be careful what you wish for.

“Abe wanted it and he got it,” Woods said.

The U.S. team holds the trophy after the Americans won the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill)

In setting the tone, Woods never looked to be in danger of losing, a picture of control from his opening tee shot through his final birdie putt on the 16th hole.

“I’m familiar with being out front and having to lead the team from there,” said Woods, who sat out both of Saturday’s sessions but ended the week 3-0-0. With his three wins, Woods became the all-time leader in matches won inthe event with 26, one more than Phil Mickelson.

A few minutes after Woods enjoyed a rambunctious celebration with nearby fans, Johnson and Reed followed the captain’s lead.

Johnson never trailed against Haotong Li and won three holes in a row and four of five starting at the third en route to a 4-and-3 win.

Reed had a new caddie, his coach, Kevin Kirk, on the bag after his regular caddie, Kessler Karain, was not allowed to work after he got into an altercation with a fan the day before.

Despite hearing disparaging remarks from fans, who referenced Reed’s penalty violation in the sand at the Hero World Challenge, Reed made birdies on his first three holes and five of his first seven to assume a 6-up lead. Pan fought back to get within 2 down, but Reed won the last two holes for a 4-and-2 win.

“The past couple days were tough, and you know, today still wasn’t easy,” Reed said. “The big thing was to go out and try to get up early and try to get this thing on the right side of the board. And we did that.”

Cantlay put another full red flag on the scoreboard by dominating the back nine in a 3-and-2 victory against Joaquin Niemann. Schauffele, who won twice with Cantlay, took a 4-up lead and eventually took down the Internationals’ lion, Adam Scott, in a 2-and-1 triumph.

Then Simpson, who was 0-3-0 when teamed with Reed, guaranteed a tie for the Americans with his 2-and-1 win over Ben An.

In the second-to-last match, Kuchar provided the critical half-point by winning two of the last five holes against Oosthuizen. Fowler capped the comeback by winning two of the last four holes against Leishman.

“It was pretty awesome to play for the greatest player ever,” Kuchar said. “To have a chance to make a team captained by the greatest player ever that is also a player on the team. I can’t tell you how unique, how cool of a thing that is.

“For us, you know, to be in a hole, to come back and win this thing was such a thrill. One, to win it as a team, but to do it with Tiger Woods as our captain was just a huge thrill.”

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Presidents Cup: Day 4 singles matchups, tee times

The final-day singles matches await at the 2019 Presidents Cup. And things are set up for a heck of a conclusion.

It all comes down to this.

The final-day singles matches await at the 2019 Presidents Cup. And things are setting up for a heck of a conclusion.

The score heading into the final day is International 10, U.S. 8.

There will be 12 singles matches, as all members of each team get to compete. The golf starts at 10:02 a.m. in Melbourne on Sunday, 6:02 p.m. ET Saturday.

PRESIDENTS CUP: Photos | Scores | TV info

Here’s the lineup, as announced by U.S. Captain Tiger Woods and International Captain Ernie Els:

Tee time (local) Tee time (ET) Match
10:02 a.m. 6:02 p.m. Tiger Woods (U.S.) vs. Abraham Ancer (International)
10:13 a.m. 6:13 p.m. Tony Finau (U.S.) vs. Hideki Matsuyama (International)
10:24 a.m. 6:24 p.m. Patrick Reed (U.S.) vs. C.T. Pan (International)
10:35 a.m. 6:35 p.m. Dustin Johnson (U.S.) vs. Haotong Li (International)
11:46 a.m. 6:46 p.m. Bryson DeChambeau (U.S.) vs. Adam Hadwin (International)
11:57 a.m. 6:57 p.m. Gary Woodland (U.S.) vs. Sungjae Im (International)
12:08 p.m. 7:08 p.m. Patrick Cantlay (U.S.) vs. Joaquin Niemann (International)
12:19 p.m. 7:19 p.m. Xander Schauffele (U.S.) vs. Adam Scott (International)
12:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. Webb Simpson (U.S.) vs. Byeong-Hun An (International)
12:41 p.m. 7:41 p.m. Justin Thomas (U.S.) vs. Cameron Smith (International)
12:52 p.m. 7:52 p.m. Matt Kuchar (U.S.) vs. Louis Oosthuizen (International)
1:03 p.m. 8:03 p.m. Rickie Fowler (U.S.) vs. Marc Leishman (International)

TV info

10 a.m. local time Sunday/6 p.m. ET Saturday: Final round, singles matches.

TV: 6 p.m. – midnight ET Saturday, Golf Channel; 1 – 6 p.m. ET Sunday, NBC (replay).

Immediately following play: Closing ceremony celebration.

Fast facts

Venue: Royal Melbourne Golf Club.
Length: 7,055 yards. Par: 71.
Points needed to win: 15½.
Defending champion: United States.
Series: United States leads, 10-1-1.

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Presidents Cup: Day 3 foursomes matchups

Day 3 of the 2019 Presidents Cup continues on Saturday in Melbourne, Friday night in North America. Here are the pairings and tee times.

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Day 3 of the 2019 Presidents Cup continues on Saturday in Melbourne, Friday night in North America.

The morning wave consisted of four four-ball matches. The afternoon matches will go back to the foursomes format. As they did this morning, each team will field four pairs.

Here are the pairings, as announced by U.S. Captain Tiger Woods and International Captain Ernie Els:

Dustin Johnson, Gary Woodland (U.S.) vs. Louis Oosthuizen, Adam Scott (International)

Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler (U.S.) vs. Marc Leishman, Abraham Ancer (International)

Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay (U.S.) vs. Cameron Smith, Sungjae Im (International)

Matt Kuchar, Tony Finau (U.S.) vs. Byeong-Hun An, Joaquin Niemann (International)

That means Woods will again not play. Joining him on the sidelines will be Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Reed and Webb Simpson.

The Internationals will not play Haotong Li, Adam Hadwin and C.T. Pan.

PRESIDENTS CUP: Scores | Photos | TV info

At the conclusion of this marathon Day 3, captains Woods and Els will gather with their vice captains in the media center once again and announce selections for the final day, which features 12 singles matches on Sunday (Saturday night in North America).

Saturday, Dec. 14 in Melbourne

1 p.m./9 p.m. ET Friday: Fourth round, foursomes.

TV: 3 p.m. Friday – 2 a.m. ET Saturday, Golf Channel; 2:30 – 6 p.m. ET Saturday, NBC (replay)

Immediately following play: Captains’ pairings for Sunday’s singles matches announced.

Sunday, Dec. 15 in Melbourne

10 a.m. local time/6 p.m. ET Saturday: Final round, singles matches.

TV: 6 p.m. – midnight Saturday, Golf Channel; 1 – 6 p.m. Sunday, NBC (replay).

Immediately following play: Closing ceremony celebration.

TV, streaming information

All times are in Eastern Standard Time.

Friday

3 p.m. – 2 a.m., Golf Channel
2:30 – 6 p.m. Saturday, NBC (replay)

Saturday

6 p.m. – midnight, Golf Channel
1 – 6 p.m. Sunday, NBC (replay)

Fast facts

Dates: Dec. 12-15.
Venue: Royal Melbourne Golf Club.
Length: 7,055 yards. Par: 71.
Points needed to win: 15½.
Defending champion: United States.
Series: United States leads, 10-1-1.

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International Team uses data in Presidents Cup pairing

Golfweek’s Adam Schupak discusses how the International Team uses data at the Presidents Cup to come up with the best possible pairings.

Golfweek’s Adam Schupak discusses how the International Team uses data at the Presidents Cup to come up with the best possible pairings.