Tiger is the only American with an 0-2 record in Presidents Cup
With a 7-5 lead over the International team, which two players should U.S. captain Fred Couples bench in the third round of the Presidents Cup? One perhaps should be Tiger Woods. After the first two rounds, Woods is the only American with an 0-2 record. Woods has made two birides in two rounds. But it’s hard to imagine Couples telling Tiger to cool his heels, especially considering his quick and assignment of Woods to the team.
In seven Presidents Cup and six Ryder Cup appearances, Woods has never sat out a round, so expect to see him tee it up when Saturday morning foursomes (alternate shot) get underway.
Teams that Couples should not break up are Webb Simpson-Bubba Watson and Jim Furyk-Phil Mickelson. Both duos are 2-0, demonstrating that their differing playing styles and personalities have created a nice chemistry. Another team that Couples shouldn’t mess with is Hunter Mahan and David Toms. The duo lost in the four-ball round, but in the alternate shot opening round, they dominated Y.E. Yang and K.T. Kim, 6 and 5. With alternate shot format up next, Mahan and Toms should be given another chance to play together.
Matt Kuchar has to be in the lineup tomorrow morning after claiming all five of the holes won by the U.S. in his pairing with struggling Steve Stricker. Kuchar led the duo to a 4 and 3 victory over Y.E. Yang and Robert Allenby.
There isn’t much doubt who International captain Greg Norman should bench. Koreans Yang and Kim have been ghastly. In foursomes in the opening round, they combined for one birdie in a 6 and 5 thrashing at the hands of Toms-Mahan. In the second round, Norman split them up to no avail. Kim joined Adam Scott and made just one birdie in a 2 and 1 loss to Mickelson-Furyk. Yang didn’t make a birdie or win a hole in his better-ball pairing with Robert Allenby. They lost to Kuchar-Stricker, 4 and 3.
The U.S. traditionally dominates the International team in foursomes. Couples should put his best 10 players on the course to ensure than happens again. That means sitting Woods and Stricker. But don’t count on that happening.
