Presidents Cup will get bigger, says Nicklaus

THE biennial Presidents Cup golf match between the United States and an international team could, in years to come, become as big or even bigger than the Ryder Cup, US team captain Jack Nicklaus declared yesterday.

“The International team is drawn from a far wider section of the world than Europe which is of course where America’s opponents for the Ryder Cup come from,” said the golfing legend who won 18 Majors on the regular tour and is considered the greatest golfer of all time.

“The Ryder Cup has the tradition, but golf is increasingly becoming a global sport and the Internationals have the strength and the numbers,” Nicklaus said in the southern town of George, where the Cup will be disputed at the Fancourt Links from Thursday to Sunday.

“So the Presidents Cup is going to grow and grow. Even now it’s big and in fact, I believe the International team are favourites to beat the United States this week.

“Having said that, the Americans will be doing everything in their power to win this one. They don’t want another defeat following their loss to Europe in last year’s Ryder Cup.”

Designed by Gary Player, the Links is a spectacular par-73 layout which opened for play two years ago. It has been constructed on the site of an old airfield, with hundreds of thousands of cubic metres of earth moved to create what at least looks and feels like a genuine links, with the mandatory heather, humps and hollows and dunes all in place.

At 7,489 yards the Links is one of the longest courses in world golf. But world No 1 Tiger Woods does not believe the Presidents Cup will turn out to be a battle of the power hitters.

The majority of the 24 players involved in the biennial match got their first look at the Links yesterday, and although it is not a true links Woods declared it to be running “quick and fast” like one.

“It was interesting to see how far the guys were hitting it out there today and Kenny Perry smacked one drive which went over 400 yards,” said Woods after the first official American team practice.

“But it’s not about long hitting. You have to pick your direction, because there’s so much trouble around -- long grass of the fairways, water hazards, lots of bunkers.

“You’ve just got to get your lines and your distance right. If you can be strategic off the tee, and pretty accurate, you’ll be okay.”

Fellow American Phil Mickelson likes the course because he believes it will suit his legendary aggressive play. “There’s lot of good risk versus reward holes on this course - like five par fives and two short par fours.

“That’s what you want in matchplay like the Presidents Cup. I think we’re going to see a very exciting four days,” said Mickelson.