Presidents Cup 2019 form guide: All United States and International Team players in full profile
Your complete form guide to the much-anticipated Presidents Cup, which returns to Royal Melbourne for the third time. Golfing guru Russell Gould rates every player as the United States takes on the world.
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Herald Sun golfing expert Russell Gould runs the rule over the elite field competing in this week’s highly anticipated Presidents Cup, which returns to Royal Melbourne for the third time.
The tournament is a series of men’s golf matches between a team representing the United States and an International Team representing the rest of the world minus Europe.
Through the 25-year journey, the world’s best players have come together to compete for team, country and the honuor of raising the Presidents Cup trophy.
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INTERNATIONALS
MARC LEISHMAN
AUSTRALIA
Age: 36
World Ranking: 27
Presidents Cups: 3
Best in 2019: 3rd, St Jude Invitational (PGA Tour playoffs)
Hot or not? The genial Victorian showed all the right signs that he’s ready for Royal Melbourne when he tied for 10th at the Australian Open.
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA
JAPAN
Age: 27
World ranking: 20
Presidents Cups: 3
Best in 2019: 3rd, BMW Championship (PGA Tour playoffs)
Hot or not? Four top 10s in his past eight events, including second behind Tiger Woods at the ZOZO Championship.
LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN
SOUTH AFRICA
Age: 37
World ranking: 24
Presidents Cups: 3
Best in 2019: 3rd, WGC HSBC Champions
Hot or not? The 2010 British Open champion has played four tournaments in a month and his runner-up finish at the Australian Open, including a final-hole eagle, was his third top-10 finish in that stretch.
ADAM SCOTT
AUSTRALIA
Age: 39
World ranking: 15
Presidents Cups: 8
Best in 2019: 2nd, Memorial Tournament
Hot or not? Missed the cut at the Australian Open despite a second-round 67 and conceded he wasn’t driving well, which can be less of an issue at Royal Melbourne.
ABRAHAM ANCER
MEXICO
Age: 28
World ranking: 38
Presidents Cups: Debut
Best in 2019: 2nd, Northern Trust Open
Hot or not? Recovered from five bogeys in his opening 15 holes as defending champion at the Australian Open with a second-round 66. Coming off top 10s in Mexico and the WGC event in China in November.
LI HAOTONG
CHINA
Age:
World ranking: 64
Presidents Cups: Debut
Best in 2019: 2nd, China Tour Championship
Hot or not? Finished second at the China Tour Championship last week on a course he’d never played. Was 43rd in European Tour’s season- ending championship in Dubai.
PAN CHENG-TSUNG (C.T. PAN)
TAIWAN
Age: 28
World ranking: 63
Presidents Cups: Debut
Best in 2019: 1st, RBC Heritage
Hot or not? Like Scott, he missed the cut at the Australian Open. His second-round 69 was not enough after a poor start.
CAMERON SMITH
AUSTRALIA
Age: 26
World ranking: 52
Presidents Cups: Debut
Best in 2019: Third at CJ Cup at Nine Bridges
Hot or not? Stepped away from helping with a family renovation to play the Australian Open, where he finished tied for 27 in his first event in a month.
IM SUNG-JAE
SOUTH KOREA
Age: 21
World ranking: 33
Presidents Cups: Debut
Best in 2019: 1st, Genesis Championship
Hot or not? Followed a third behind Tiger Woods in Japan with an 11th at the WGC HSBC Champions.
AN BYEONG-HUN
SOUTH KOREA
Age: 28
World ranking: 43
Presidents Cups: Debut
Best in 2019: 3rd, Wyndham Championship
Hot or not? Finished sixth, eighth and 14th in his past three events, the most recent the WGC HSBC Champions at the start of November.
ADAM HADWIN
CANADA
Age: 32
World ranking: 47
Presidents Cups: 1
Best in 2019: 2nd, Safeway Open
Hot or not? Two top-four finishes to start the US Tour season in September. Tied for 68th at the RSM Classic in Georgia two weeks ago.
JOAQUIN NIEMANN
CHILE
Age: 21
World ranking: 56
Presidents Cups: Debut
Best in 2019: 1st, Greenbrier Classic
Hot or not? Won the first US PGA Tour event in September, but missed the cut last start at the Mayakoba in Mexico, which was nearly a month ago.
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US TEAM
TIGER WOODS
PLAYING CAPTAIN
Age: 43
World ranking: 7
Presidents Cups: 8
Best in 2019: 1st, Masters
Hot or not? Three rounds in the 60s to finish the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas in fourth with some tantalising putting, but on what is really a resort course.
JUSTIN THOMAS
Age: 26
World ranking: 5
Presidents Cups: 1
Best in 2019: 1st, BMW Championship (PGA Tour playoffs)
Hot or not? Outplayed his captain when paired together in the first round at the Hero and four sub-par rounds was a good hitout after a month off.
DUSTIN JOHNSON
Age: 35
World ranking: 4
Presidents Cups: 3
Best in 2019: 1st, WGC Mexico Championship
Hot or not? Hasn’t played since September after knee surgery and skipped Tiger’s tournament in the Bahamas to be ready. Wouldn’t be playing if he wasn’t right, but could be rusty.
PATRICK CANTLAY
Age: 27
World ranking: 6
Presidents Cups: Debut
Best in 2019: 1st, Memorial Tournament
Hot or not? The Presidents Cup rookie was rusty with an opening 74 in the Bahamas, his first hit since the start of October. He has never seen Royal Melbourne.
XANDER SCHAUFFELE
Age: 26
World ranking: 9
Presidents Cups: Debut
Best in 2019: 1st, Tournament of Champions
Hot or not? Got better as he got going at the Hero, opening with a 73 and closing with a 68. Was in hot form when second at the WGC event in China at the start of November.
WEBB SIMPSON
Age: 34
World ranking: 11
Presidents Cups: 2
Best in 2019: 2nd, St Jude Invitational (PGA Tour playoffs)
Hot or not? Second at Sea Island two weeks ago, then tied for 10th at the Hero. Comes to Melbourne for a second time as one of the few players with back-to-back weeks of golf.
MATT KUCHAR
Age: 41
World ranking: 23
Presidents Cups: 4
Best in 2019: 1st, Sony Open
Hot or not? Mr Consistent didn’t fire in the Bahamas with no round in the 60s. Missed the cut at Sea Island the previous week.
BRYSON DECHAMBEAU
Age: 26
World ranking: 12
Presidents Cups: Debut
Best in 2019: 1st, Dubai Desert Classic
Hot or not? Opened with a 76 at the Hero, but closed with a 68 in what was his first event for two months, having finished tied for fourth in Las Vegas in his previous start.
TONY FINAU
Age: 30
World ranking: 16
Presidents Cups: Debut
Best in 2019: 3rd, British Open
Hot or not? Alarm bells were ringing for Finau, who has never been to Australia, when he shot 79 in round one in the Bahamas, having missed the cut in Mexico before that. But he closed with a 65.
GARY WOODLAND
Age: 35
World ranking: 18
Presidents Cups: Debut
Best in 2019: 1st, US Open
Hot or not? The US Open champion is on his first US team and absolutely buzzing. Opened with a 66 at the Hero and closed with a 73. Played two tournaments in Japan before that.
RICKIE FOWLER
Age: 30
World ranking: 22
Presidents Cups: 2
Best in 2019: 1st, Phoenix Open
Hot or not? The Hero was his first event since the Tour Championship in August. He was OK but, again, it was on a resort-style course. Has more Australian experience than most of his teammates.
PATRICK REED
Age: 29
World ranking: 17
Presidents Cups: 2
Best in 2019: 1st, Northern Trust Open
Hot or not? Did he cheat in the bunker in the Bahamas when he moved sand behind his ball not once, but twice? Finished third there but could be affected by the fallout.
Originally published as Presidents Cup 2019 form guide: All United States and International Team players in full profile