Mikes Presidents Cup Preview
Fri, 27 Feb 2009 01:30:41
This is one of the biggest competitions we have and as it only happens every second year, it's special that it's come to Canada. I'm just thrilled to be a part of this team and have a chance to play in front of the Canadian fans.
I've had a chance to play the course the last two days and it's in superb shape. The greens are just mint and the ball is rolling well. I think that means you'll see a lot of birdies here which is exciting. Over the first few days, Captain Gary Player has had us play with teammates who might work as partners during the foursomes and fourballs. I think we have a pretty good idea of who we're going to play with now, but the final decision, of course, rests with Gary and his assistant Ian Baker-Finch.
There's always a lot that goes into deciding who plays with whom, everything from the balls the two players use to the personalities to the style of game. But at the end of the day, I think anyone on our team would play with anyone else. We all just want to contribute and hopefully raise that cup on Sunday.
I really enjoy the team atmosphere of this event. It's something I had growing up, playing baseball and hockey. It was always fun being together with your teammates, hanging out in the locker room after the game and celebrating wins as a team. That's what makes the Presidents Cup such a great event for me personally.
I know there's been a lot of talk this week about the possibility of me playing Tiger in the singles matches on Sunday. While that would be exciting for me, Sunday is still a long way off. There's a lot of golf to be played between now and then, and I know that Gary would want whoever is playing the best to go against Tiger. I'm sure the fans might like to see that but this is a team event that we're trying to win. I've been on three teams and haven't had a victory so I'd rather make winning my first priority. Whoever I play on Sunday, I know I'll be working as hard as I can to get a point for the team.
Enjoy the golf.
Mike
