Presidents Cup: Stars aligning for Tiger Woods to name himself playing captain

The final Presidents Cup captain’s picks are now just weeks away, and several of the top contenders might be making Tiger Woods’s job a bit easier, especially when it comes to playing for his own team.

Rickie Fowler may have just done Tiger Woods a big favor. Patrick Reed may have done the same thing. Neither has played in any of the fall 2020 PGA Tour events to date. With the announcement of the Presidents Cup captain’s picks slated for early November, time is running out for them to convince Woods that they should be on the team.

Current standings have No. 9 as Tony Finau, No. 10 as Gary Woodland, No. 11 as Rickie Fowler and No. 12 as “Captain America” Patrick Reed.  Guess who is No. 13? Actual Captain Tiger Woods.

That is not to say that any of them should or shouldn’t be on the team, but Gary Woodland and Tony Finau have played this fall. Finau finished T9 at Shriner’s, is in the field (and tied for the early lead with Woods) at the ZOZO and is currently 13th in the World Golf Rankings, meaning he will likely play the WGC HSBC event. Woodland, this year’s U.S. Open champ, was middle of the pack at Shriner’s, T3 at the CJ Cup, is in the field at ZOZO and qualifies for the WGC HSBC.

Granted, Woods is coming off his gazillionth knee repair surgery, but he certainly looked good at the MGM Challenge Japan Skins Game. His play wasn’t great, but looked good enough to participate in match play, particularly if he keeps himself in better ball and keeps himself out of alternate shot.

Woods actually looked better at the Skins Game than he did in any appearance after winning the Masters. He missed the cut at the PGA Championship, then finished T-21 at the U. S. Open, missed the cut at the British Open, withdrew from the Northern Trust, finished T37 at the BMW and had knee surgery.

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“It just kind of deteriorated over the year,” Woods said regarding his knee during the Japanese Skins Game press conference. “We were planning on doing it last year, but I went and screwed that up. I won the Tour Championship and thought I could keep it rolling.”

When he hit shots at the Skins Game, it did not look like he was hurting. His walk looked normal, although as we have all learned about Woods’ health, we never really know until he tells us, and usually, it’s long afterward.

As it stands now, Woods and his assistants may decide to pick “self” as Woods said in his first press conference as captain, something he said he didn’t really want to have to do. However, even Phil Mickelson thinks he should, according to The Jordan Times.

“I think if somebody else was the captain, 100 per cent they would pick Tiger,” he said.

However, if that happens, Phil Mickelson is just three places away from Woods on the Presidents Cup standings. So, who is to say that the new friendship between the two won’t lead to a Mickelson pick?

Mickelson says it won’t and that he doesn’t deserve a pick because he hasn’t played well. But at least he’s played. He missed the cut at Safeway, finished 61st at Shriner’s and T-31 at the CJ Cup.  He’s currently 50th in the  World Golf Rankings, which qualifies him for the WGC-HSBC. While his form may not be great for alternate shot, he is still a formidable partner in better ball. And his short game is superb. Woods could do worse.

So, whether Fowler and Reed were staying off the course on purpose or because that was their plan this fall, the fact that they haven’t played certainly gives Tiger Woods some ammunition in case he and his assistants decide to make Woods a playing captain.