You might wonder why all the fuss over Tiger Woods and his recent successful comeback to the world of professional golf.
The simple answer is that he fuels interest in the game amongst the population that would otherwise not give two hops of the Roo about the game.
The Australian connection to the answer is that Woods is suggesting that he and some of the top players might show up to play in the Australian Open in Sydney in 2019 as a way to get ready for the Presidents Cup competition at Royal Melbourne in December of 2019.
Woods has been named Captain for the American side in the 2019 Presidents Cup and if his influence is taken seriously, the Australian Open field could be one of the strongest in its history.
By way of side note, Woods could become just the second captain to take part in the Presidents Cup as a player.
Dates for the 2019 Australian Open have not been firmly decided, but if true to form, it will be held the week before the Presidents Cup, as it was when the team competition was held in Australia in 1998 and 2011.
According to Woods’ calculations, at strong contingent of Americans at the Australian Open is key to Presidents Cup success.
“Yeah if they want to (play the Australian Open); whatever is best for their game,” Woods told AAP.“I just want them not to be like most of our team in 1998, when the Tour Championship ended in early November and the guys didn’t play for a month.”
Only two Americans played in the 1998 Australian Open when it was held at Royal Adelaide, which may have been a decisive factor in the Internationals’ only Presidents Cup victory.
Woods may be speaking out of both sides of his mouth, however, as the biggest obstacle to the Americans playing the Australian Open is Woods’ own Hero World Challenge event, which is usually held around the same time as the Australian Open.
