Golf: Day vows to bring different mindset to Presidents Cup

MELBOURNE - Former world number one Jason Day is determined to bring a more positive mindset to the Presidents Cup in Melbourne this year after struggling to produce his best for the Internationals team in four consecutive losses to the United States.

The Australian has reaped only seven points from his 20 matches in the biennial team tournament and is still bothered by his 2015 performance in South Korea where he claimed only a half-point as the Internationals were pipped 15.5 - 14.5.

In line to qualify for his fifth Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne in December, Day said he needed to "pick up the slack" as a now senior member of a team looking to break a seven-tournament losing streak.

"I'm the first one to put my hand up in regards to that because unfortunately, it has to start at the top, and I've made mistakes with regards to not mentally being there," he told reporters at the Zurich Classic.

"You can obviously see my results in Korea and I wasn't mentally there unfortunately with regards to being there for the team when I needed, performing for the team.

"That was one Presidents Cup that we had a very good opportunity to win, and sometimes you have to look at leadership and ask the questions why, and for me, I made the mistake and I need to understand we've got 11 other guys on the team that are trying just as hard or trying even harder than myself, so I've got to pick the slack up, too."

Day will partner countryman Adam Scott at the PGA Tour's Zurich Classic, one of a number of prospective Internationals pairings teeing off at the team-based tournament under the watch of captain Ernie Els.

Scott is not one of the top 10-ranked Internationals players who secure an automatic berth in the team but the former Masters champion is highly likely to be a captain's pick due to his depth of experience at Royal Melbourne.

Day and Scott, who have both carried the world number one ranking and each won majors, have only been paired once in four Presidents Cups -- in 2015 when they halved a four-ball match against Phil Mickelson and Zach Johnson.

Scott hoped they would rekindle that partnership at Royal Melbourne.

"I think we’re a hell of a team," he said.

"I’ve tried to push for it to happen more often, but there are a lot of different opinions and things to happen.

"You know, you have to play as a team member and do what’s best for the team, but I would definitely push for this pairing, certainly in Australia. I think it’s very formidable."

(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Ruthless United States on brink of Presidents Cup win

JERSEY CITY, New Jersey - The International team's Presidents Cup hopes were hanging by the slimmest of threads after the United States claimed six of eight matches in a cut-throat display on Saturday to sit on the brink of a seventh successive title.

Only a one-up victory by India's Anirban Lahiri and South Korea's Kim Si-woo over Kevin Chappell and Charley Hoffman denied the United States a sweep of the afternoon four-balls to put celebrations at a breezy Liberty National on hold.


It also kept the Internationals of suffering the ultimate embarrassment of watching the trophy claimed on a Saturday for the first time.

The United States have a commanding 14-1/2 to 3-1/2 lead and need just one point from Sunday's 12 singles matches.

"We've just come up against a juggernaut of an American team that has not put a foot wrong," said International captain Nick Price. "They have had all the momentum and we've had nothing.

"There's an outside shot tomorrow and the guys all know that.

"They are going to go play for their pride, they are going to play for themselves, they are going to play for the team and they are going to play for us.

"You're not going to be able to take the spirit away out from our team, that's for sure."

Despite failing to clinch, it was another ruthless performance from the U.S., who won three of four foursomes matches and halved the other then followed up by prevailing in three of the four-ball contests.

The U.S. had looked poised to run the table on Saturday after Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed claimed a 2&1 decision over Australian Jason Day and South African Louis Oosthuizen, before Daniel Berger and Justin Thomas beat Venezuela's Jhonattan Vegas and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama 3&2.

Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka then secured a 3&2 victory over Australian Marc Leishman and South African Branden Grace before the spotlight fell on Chappell and Hoffman in the last match of the day.

With the Americans clinging to a one hole lead, Kim sent a charge through the chilled crowd when he drained a nervy seven-foot birdie putt at the 15th to leave the match all-square.

Lahiri rolled in a 16-foot birdie effort on the next hole to take the lead.

Chappell generously conceded a four-foot birdie to Lahiri at the last, handing the Internationals just their second match victory.

U.S. captain Steve Stricker sent out British Open champion Spieth and Reed first who overcame a rules blunder at the 12th that appeared to open the door for the Internationals.

With their match all-square Spieth was disqualified from completing the hole and denied an opportunity to match Day's birdie putt when Oosthuizen's eagle attempt scooted past the cup and he scooped up the ball before it had stopped.

The error allowed the Internationals to grab a one-up lead but in the end it proved only a minor setback as Spieth and Reed rallied with three birdies from the 15th to steal the point.

Spieth assured there will be no such complacency when they arrive at Liberty National on Sunday.

"Our goal is still to stay focused," said Spieth. "It's easy to get complacent with the way things are right now and it's easy to come out tomorrow lazy."

(Editing by Andrew Both)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Tiger Woods undergoes fourth back surgery

LOS ANGELES - Superstar golfer Tiger Woods announced on his website Thursday that he has undergone a fourth back surgery to alleviate pain, one that likely sidelines him at least until October.

"The surgery went well, and I'm optimistic this will relieve my back spasms and pain," said Woods, who hasn't played competitive golf since pulling out of the Dubai Desert Classic on February 3 with back spasms.

Typical recovery time after his latest procedure is about six months, the article on Woods' website said. That timeline would mean missing the remainder of this PGA Tour season and the Presidents Cup matches.

Woods first had back surgery shortly before the 2014 Masters and had two more procedures after the 2015 PGA season, following which he was sidelined for more than a year.

"When healed, I look forward to getting back to a normal life, playing with my kids, competing in professional golf and living without the pain I have been battling so long," Woods said on his website.


The announcement comes two days after Woods said his back was "progressing" as he briefly answered questions at a function in Missouri to announce a golf course being designed by his TGR Design.

The 14-time major champion hit two golf shots in front of an appreciative crowd -- the first finding the water.

Now, according to his website, Woods "will rest for several weeks, then begin therapy and treatment.

"While each procedure and case is unique, patients typically return to full activity in about six months."

The procedure performed was a minimally invasive Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion, aimed at relieving pressure on the nerve that was leading to sciatica and severe back and leg pain.

"Conservative therapy, which included rehabilitation, medications, limiting activities and injections, failed as a permanent solution and Woods opted to have surgery," the website said.

- Tiger's major chase stalled -

Injuries have helped stall the 41-year-old Woods' pursuit of Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major titles.

Woods missed the Masters this month for the third time in four years. His last major title came at the 2008 US Open, and the 2015 Masters marks the last time Woods even made the cut at a major.

Woods ended a 16-month layoff when he played the Hero World Challenge unofficial event in the Bahamas in December.

His first US PGA Tour event after 17 months was at Torrey Pines in January, where he missed the cut. He withdrew in Dubai after a first-round 77, and pulled out of the US PGA Tour event in Los Angeles in February and the Honda Classic and Arnold Palmer Invitational in March.

He even cancelled a planned press conference at the Los Angeles tournament, saying doctors had advised him to "limit all activities" as he tried to get his balky back on track.

Doctor Richard Guyer of the Center for Disc Replacement at the Texas Back Institute performed Woods' surgery and said Woods' rehabilitation would be gradual.

"After he recovers from surgery, he will gradually begin his rehabilitation until he is completely healed," Guyer said. "Once that's accomplished, his workouts will be geared to allowing him to return to competitive golf.

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source: news.abs-cbn.com

Woods named an assistant captain for 2017 Presidents Cup

Tiger Woods, who plans to make his PGA Tour return next week after more than a year on the sidelines, has been appointed as one of three vice-captains to U.S. skipper Steve Stricker for next year's Presidents Cup in New Jersey.

Woods will join Fred Couples and triumphant U.S. Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III as assistants for the biennial team competition against the Internationals to be played at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City from Sept. 28-Oct. 1.

"It's just a tremendous honour," Woods, who has paired up successfully with his longtime friend Stricker in the past at both the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup, said in a statement on Wednesday after being formally appointed.

"We've been friends for close to 20 years now, and we've been on teams together ... so for him to have the confidence in me, to be part of the crew and help him in any way I possibly can - I'm thrilled to be his assistant."

Former world number one Woods, who got his first taste as a vice-captain during last week's Ryder Cup in Minnesota where the United States beat Europe 17-11, could still play his way on to the U.S. Presidents Cup team.

"If that happens, replacing him as a captain's assistant will be a great problem for me to have," said Stricker. "But if he doesn't, I'm honoured he accepted this role for the first time in his impressive Presidents Cup career.

"Tiger has been a great team mate and friend over the years, and I know the U.S. guys will benefit from the experience and camaraderie that only Tiger can bring."

Woods, who has not played competitive golf since the Wyndham Championship in late August 2015 while recovering from multiple back surgeries, intends to make his PGA Tour comeback at next week's Safeway Open in Napa, California.

In other Presidents Cup announcements on Wednesday, Internationals captain Nick Price appointed fellow Zimbabwean Tony Johnstone, South African Ernie Els and Australian Geoff Ogilvy as his assistants.

The United States have won the Presidents Cup nine times in its 11 editions, most recently by 15-1/2 points to 14-1/2 in South Korea last year. (Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Frank Pingue)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com