HONOLULU – Among the list of schedule concerns for players in 2019 is an anomaly that at least one International player hopes will factor into the outcome of December’s Presidents Cup.
This year’s Presidents Cup is scheduled for Dec. 12-15 at Royal Melbourne. That’s a week after Tiger Woods annually hosts the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. Although there has been talk that the Hero World Challenge could end on Saturday – which would allow the players heading to the matches, including U.S. captain Woods, to arrive in Australia on Monday, Dec. 16 – Adam Scott sees the logistical challenges as a potential advantage for the International team.
“It’s a tricky one. Speaking as an International, it’s a slight advantage if some U.S. players are in the Bahamas the week before, and they’re arriving [on Monday],” Scott said on Wednesday at the Sony Open. “It’s a big trip, massive time change. That doesn’t mean they can’t play well, but I think it’s helpful.”
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Scott, who has played on every International Presidents Cup team since 2003, said he has made qualifying for this year’s matches a priority, and that he looks forward to ending the United States’ seven-match winning streak.
He also seemed to set the tone for this year’s matches by pointing out the need to improve team chemistry. One way to do that would be to get as many International players as possible to play the Australian Open, which will be held the week before the Presidents Cup in Sydney.
“I hope that [International captain Ernie Els] and anyone else can encourage some of the Internationals to be down in Australia early and give the tournament a boost that way,” Scott said. “I’m certainly looking for the Internationals to prepare the best they can for the Presidents Cup. If we’re serious about challenging the U.S. team, we need to not just show up this year. We need to prepare.”
Source: Internet
