Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker may not have been the unbeatable duo this year that they were in the 2009 Presidents Cup, but the two most scrutinized members of the 2011 U.S. team worked together to notch the winning point last week at Royal Melbourne Golf Club.
Woods, who earned a conceded putt in his singles match with Aaron Baddeley on Sunday to capture the trophy, credited his buddy Stricker, 2009 Deutsche Bank Championship winner, with showing him the way.
“I played well [all] week. Unfortunately…I hit putts well, but they just weren’t going in,” Woods told reporters after defeating Baddeley, 4 & 3. “Today was a different deal. I for some reason felt it, and they where pouring right in there.”
The “some reason” turned out to be a bit of advice he overheard Stricker offering on the practice green.
“I was listening to some dude behind me here giving a little putting tip about releasing the blade a little bit,” said Woods, who confirmed he was referring to “Stricks.”
“Whatever he says about putting, I’m going to listen to,” said Woods, who reacted with emotion to winning his first match in more than two years. “He basically was talking about ball position and releasing the toe [of the putter]. Thought I would just try it, and it felt good, and all of a sudden I got into my natural kind of body position, and I wasn’t dragging the blade anymore. I wasn’t over releasing the blade. Just right on the line, toe was moving and it felt great.”
Thanks to the pointer from the guy who ranked second in putting on the PGA Tour this year, Woods, whose game looked solid all week but for some early-round woes with the flat stick, carded five birdies in his singles romp over Baddeley. Indeed, with all the second-guessing that accompanied U.S. captain Fred Couples’ decision to name Woods to the squad, the former No. 1 made his skipper look like a sage when he slammed his third shot out of a green-side bunker to 21 inches at the par-5 15th. He took the match when Baddeley failed to convert an eagle attempt from off the green.
Stricker, who made the team on merits, was also something of a question mark, given the herniated disk in his neck that weakened his left arm. It’s possible that even Couples had a few doubts after the embarrassing 7 & 6 defeat that Adam Scott and K.J. Choi handed the Woods-Stricker partnership on Day One. But Couples’ choice proved to be a good one after coach Steve offered some pre-round tutoring and Woods’ increasingly confident swing and new short stroke helped the Americans seal the 19-15 victory.
“Stricks gave a little lesson on the putting green,” said Woods, “and whatever he says about putting, I’m going to do.”
In defeat, Internationals captain Greg Norman stuck by his comments that PGA champ Keegan Bradley deserved Woods’ place on the opposing team. Couples, however, suggested he tapped the injury-plagued golfer with no wins in two years whom he had called the “one of the best players ever” for reasons beyond the outcome of last week’s exhibition matches.
“Certainly, I couldn’t answer how he was going to play, but this week I think he showed to himself that his swing is back and he’s healthy, and that’s more important to me,” said Couples. “Obviously, we want to win the cup, but it’s more important for me to have people realize that he can play the game.”
Indeed, while that W for Woods may not be an official victory, his PGA Tour competitors may want to take it as a wake-up call for 2012. Because if his play Down Under were any indication, Eldrick seemed to have his legs, his stroke, and his swagger back.
“Now I’ve got a week off and play Chevron [World Challenge],” Woods said about the December 1- December 4 event at Sherwood Country Club to benefit his foundation, “so really looking forward to that.”
(Emily Kay is a regular contributor to New England Golf Monthly. View all her articles here. You may also follow Kay on Twitter @golfexaminer.)
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