Ernie Els and Tiger Woods are to captain the International and US teams respectively for the 2019 Presidents Cup, which is to be held at Royal Melbourne Golf Club, Australia, next December.
While both will be first-time captains, Els and Woods are the most experienced Presidents Cup players, and were the primary figures in the 2003 event held in South Africa, where they competed in a sudden-death playoff that ultimately ended in a tie and the teams sharing the cup.
Els has competed in the Presidents Cup eight times (1996, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013), tied for most by an International team member. Woods, also an eight-time US Presidents Cup team member (1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013), holed the winning putt in 2009, 2011 and 2013 – the only player to clinch the cup three times. Both Woods and Els served as captain’s assistants for their respective teams in 2017.
“Ernie Els and Tiger Woods have each been part of the fabric of the Presidents Cup as competitors and as ambassadors to the event,” said PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan. “Ernie carries the flag for international golf as a legendary figure both on and off the golf course, while Tiger has been one of the most transcendent athletes the sport has ever seen. These two have served, and will continue to serve, as a bridge between past team members and captains who laid the foundation for the Presidents Cup and the stars of today who are embracing the hallmarks of the event – golf on a global stage, a love and passion for the game and the impact the Presidents Cup has in emerging markets and through charity.”
In addition to the announcement of the two captains, officials also unveiled minor changes to format requirements and eligibility for the 2019 Presidents Cup. Each player shall play a minimum of one match prior to the final round singles matches. This is a change from past years, where players were required to play twice during the same timeframe. Additionally, the top eight players for the International and US team standings will officially qualify following the completion of the 2019 Tour Championship. Captains will later select four captains’ picks closer to the December 2019 event.