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all the presidents men
Some of the best players in the world will be coming to Melbourne for The Presidents Cup in November. Golf Vacations editor Jon Underwood was there the last time the Cup was held on Australian soil.
It may be more than a decade ago but I still remember the excitement when The Presidents Cup was held at Royal Melbourne in 1998.
It was the first time in a long time that such a plethora of golfing stars had gathered in Australia at any one time. For the international team, there was Greg Norman, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh and Nick Price. Captain Peter Thomson melded together a team that came from all over the world, from Japan to Fiji to Paraguay, and six players from Down Under.
The Americans were firm favourites, boasting the top four players in the world and a legendary captain in Jack Nicklaus. There was Fred Couples, Davis Love III, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods who had won his first Major the year before. Even John Howard got in on the act, the Prime Minister revelling in his role as honorary chairman.
For three days battle raged and there were some great moments of theatre. On Saturday morning, Australia’s Craig Parry chipped in from the rough on the 18th green to win a match against Woods and Couples. He was so excited he did a victory lap. No one had ever seen ‘Popeye’ move so fast.
And who could forget the heroics of Parry’s partner in that game? Japan’s Shigeki Maruyama delighted the crowd with his bubbly personality and impeccable golf game. He won all five of his matches and almost single-handedly spurred the Internationals to their groundbreaking win. The scenes of jubilation in and around the clubhouse on that rainy Sunday afternoon were unlike anything I’d seen at a golf tournament before.
“They played some of the most unbelievable golf,” said U.S. captain Nicklaus. “Wow.”
“This is the greatest thing I’ve ever done,” commented Thomson, a five-time British Open winner.
“We creamed them,” enthused Steve Elkington.
Indeed, the 20-and-a-half to 11-and-a-half ‘massacre in Melbourne’ remains one of the United States’ worst losses in the history of match play.
And now it’s back, giving Melbourne the honour of becoming the first city outside the United States to host the prestigious match play competition more than once. And a similarly stellar array of stars is likely to be on display once the teams are selected in September.
While the teams haven’t been chosen, the captains have. Fred Couples and Greg Norman return to the scene of that 1998 clash but this time in a non-playing capacity. Couples managed to steer the United States to victory in the 2009 Presidents Cup in San Francisco – the first time that two former team members had captained their respective sides.
Major winner Couples later said: “it was one of the best weeks of my life, including those I’ve competed in as a player. I’m looking forward to returning to Royal Melbourne, this time as a captain, and to have Greg Norman again as the International team captain, in his home country, is going to be great for all of us involved, for the fans and for the Presidents Cup itself.“
Announcing their return as captains, PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said: “They stepped into their roles last year with a strong passion and commitment to elevating this international competition and handled their responsibilities with ease.
“I am confident that they will once again showcase the incredible sportsmanship, leadership and camaraderie that is the hallmark of the Presidents Cup.”
No doubt Norman will also be looking for revenge. “I’ve always said that some of my best memories in golf were playing in and winning the Presidents Cup in Australia in 1998,” he said following the captaincy announcement.
“I think it will be a joy to go to my home country and a golf club that I’m a member and try to finally win the Cup back after thirteen years. It will be an honour.”
The Presidents Cup has grown in stature since the inaugural competition in 1994. It was established as a means of giving non-European players the chance to compete against America in Ryder Cup-style competition. With no prize money on offer, the event has raised more than $US13 million for charities around the world that are nominated by the players, captains and captains’ assistants.
The competition consists of 34 matches – 11 foursomes (alternate shot) and 11 four-ball (better ball) matches. There are 12 singles matches involving all players on the final Sunday. All matches are worth one point for a total of 34 points, meaning the winning team will have to accumulate no less than 17-and-a-half points to win the Presidents Cup. However, if the match is deadlocked at the end of the singles, the teams will share the trophy.
Given the quality of the players involved, it’s no surprise that the 2011 event will be beamed around the world. The Cup is projected to be broadcast in 225 countries and territories, nearly 600 million homes, and in 30 different languages
It’s unlikely The Presidents Cup will return to Australia for another decade so grab the chance now to see such an array of stars up close and personal. Whether you fly, drive or use public transport, you’ll definitely want to be part of the action at Royal Melbourne in November…it’s what memories are made of.
For more information, visit
www.pgatour.com/tournaments/presidentscup
schedule of events
• The Presidents Cup. Royal Melbourne. Nov 14 – 20.
• Monday, Nov 14: Practice rounds (course closed to public)
• Tuesday, Nov 15: Practice rounds (all day). Evening: The Presidents Cup Gala - A Taste of Nations
• Wednesday, Nov 16:
Practice rounds (am only).
Opening ceremony
• Thursday, Nov 17:
Six foursomes matches
• Friday, Nov 18:
Six four-ball matches
• Saturday, Nov 19:
Five foursomes matches (am). Five four-ball matches (pm)
• Sunday, Nov 20:
12 singles matches. Closing ceremony
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