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A18 SPORTS
Friday 8 November 2019
Els adds 2 more Presidents Cup

rookies with captain's picks

victory two weeks ago in
Japan, is expected to pick
himself. He would be the
first playing-captain since
Hale Irwin at the inaugural
Presidents Cup in 1994.
The Presidents Cup is Dec.
12-15 at Royal Melbourne
in Australia, where the In-
ternational team of players
Tiger Woods of the United States smiles during a winner's from every continent but
ceremony after winning the Zozo Championship PGA Tour at the Europe won for the only
Accordia Golf Narashino country club in Inzai, east of Tokyo, time in 1998. The United
Japan, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019. States won the last time it
Associated Press was Royal Melbourne in
The captain becomes 2011.
Els said he relied some on
a player as Tiger statistics, but he leaned just
as heavily on a long run of
Woods picks himself good golf. Unlike the Ryder
Cup, where the captain's
picks are decided two
By DOUG FERGUSON tied the PGA Tour record weeks before the matches,
AP Golf Writer with his 82nd career victory the Presidents Cup is still six
U.S. captain Tiger Woods at the Zozo Championship weeks away.
used one of his four wild- in Japan. He is No. 6 in the Im was the PGA Tour rookie
card selections on himself world ranking. of the year last season, the
Thursday and will become He also took Tony Finau, Sungjae Im of South Korea tees off during the HSBC Champions only rookie to reach the
the first playing captain in U.S. Open champion Gary golf tournament at the Sheshan International Golf Club in Tour Championship. His
the Presidents Cup since Woodland and Patrick Shanghai Friday, Nov. 1, 2019. only victory this year was at
Hale Irwin in the inaugural Reed. Associated Press the Genesis Championship
edition 25 years ago. The Presidents Cup is Dec. By DOUG FERGUSON ers by choosing two more on the Korean Tour.
The decision was hardly a 12-15 at Royal Melbourne. AP Golf Writer Presidents Cup rookies with Niemann, the first player
surprise. Ernie Els filled out his Interna- Ernie Els filled out his In- his captain's picks Wednes- from Chile to be in the
Woods is the Masters cham- tional team on Wednesday ternational team already day night. Presidents Cup, earned his
pion and two weeks ago and has six newcomers.q loaded with newcom- Els took a pair of 21-year- PGA Tour card the year he
old rookies, Joaquin Nie- turned pro. He won at the
Jeff Maggert leads Charles mann of Chile and Sungjae Greenbrier last month for
Im of South Korea, with two his first PGA Tour victory.
Schwab Cup Championship of his picks. That will give "We're really going to lean
the International team six on you," Els told Niemann
rookies as it tries to end a during a conference call.
PHOENIX (AP) — Jeff pened today,” Maggert don’t know if I’m leading streak of seven straight loss- Day was the obvious
Maggert used a hot new said. “I liked the course or Jerry’s leading, doesn’t es to the Americans. choice, even though he
putter to take the first- last year, felt like I could even matter. All I know is He also took Jason Day of failed to win for the sec-
round lead in the Charles play well here. To be hon- I’ve got to go out there Australia and Adam Had- ond time in the last three
Schwab Cup Champi- est, I got a new putter at and play a little bit better win of Canada. Day is PGA Tour seasons and has
onship, and Bernhard the Ping factory on Mon- the next three days.” playing the Presidents Cup dropped to No. 29 in the
Langer, Jerry Kelly, Retief day and as soon as I saw McCarron has not won for the fifth time, but first as world ranking. Day is 1-7-
Goosen and Colin Mont- it, I says, ‘Wow, this looks since June and has only a captain's pick. Hadwin 2 in his last two Presidents
gomerie made moves to good, I think I can make two top 10s in his last six made his debut in 2017 at Cup.
catch Scott McCarron in some putts with this.’ Lo tournaments. Liberty National, a loss so Hadwin has a pair of run-
the PGA Tour Champions’ and behold, I made a lot Coming off a playoff loss bad the Americans nearly ner-up finishes this year,
season standings. of good putts today.” to Montgomerie on Sun- clinched it before Sunday most recently in the Safe-
Maggert shot an 8-under Kelly needs a victory or day in California, Langer singles. way Open.
63 on Thursday in per- help from McCarron to closed his bogey-free Els said he was not afraid to "I'm hungry for a second
fect conditions at Phoe- take the season title. round with a birdie on the play anyone, and he had shot," said Hadwin, part
nix Country Club to take “I’m feeling pretty good par-5 18th. Langer is third no plans to hide anyone by of the International team
a one-stroke lead over right now,” Kelly said. “It’s in the standings, putting sitting them out. what was soundly beaten
Langer, with Miguel An- just a matter of staying the 62-year-old German "I'm picking guys to play, to at Liberty National in 2017.
gel Jimenez, Paul Goydos solid. I got a little tired at star in position to win his get enough points to get The rest of the International
and Steve Flesch another the end, things got a little sixth Charles Schwab Cup over the line," Els said. "And team features Hideki Mat-
shot back, and Kelly and loose and I’ve got to get title — with help from Mc- that's what the players' mis- suyama, Adam Scott, Louis
Goosen at 66 with Lee stronger as the week goes Carron and Kelly. sion is — to get enough Oosthuizen and Marc Leish-
Janzen and Scott Parel. on.” McCarron, the points “You can’t win it the first points to get the cup back." man, along with Presidents
Maggert entered the leader the last 20 weeks, day, but you can lose it,” U.S. captain Tiger Woods Cup rookies Abraham An-
season finale 34th in the was tied for 22nd in the Langer said. “So, I’m hap- makes his four picks Thurs- cer of Mexico, Li Haotong
standings, just three spots 34-man field after a 69. py with where I am.” day. Woods, the Masters of China, Cameron Smith
from failing to qualify. “Means nothing right Montgomerie, fourth in champion who captured of Australia and C.T. Pan of
“I have no idea what hap- now,” McCarron said. “I the standings, had a 67.q his 82nd career PGA Tour Taiwan. q