Woods contemplates extra event with Presidents Cup in mind

Thursday, 25 August 2011 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Reuters: Tiger Woods said on Monday he was considering playing in a PGA Tour Fall Series event later this year in a bid to justify his selection for the Presidents Cup team competition in November.

The former world number one is eager to take part in the Ryder Cup-style Presidents Cup in Australia from Nov. 17-20 but has been advised by United States captain Fred Couples to get more tournaments under his belt before then.

Woods failed to qualify for the PGA Tour’s elite FedExCup playoffs after missing the cut at the PGA Championship and his next scheduled event is the Nov. 10-13 Australian Open.

“I’ve had some conversations with U.S. captain Fred Couples, and we’ll see how it goes. Of course, I want to be on the team. I’m just going to keep practising and try to get better,” Woods said in a blog posted on his website.

“It’s Freddie’s call, and he can make any choice he wants. I might add another PGA Tour event to my schedule. Right now, I’m looking at my options.”

Woods has played on every U.S. Presidents Cup team since 1998 but he has been a shadow of his former dominant self since the end of 2009 while trying to rebuild his golf swing and private life following the breakup of his marriage.

His world ranking has slipped to 36th and the 14-times major champion faces the once unthinkable prospect of being ranked outside the top 50 when he next competes.

Before last week’s Senior Players Championship, Couples made his own intentions clear as to what he expected from the rusty Woods.

“He can’t just show up the week before in Australia,” Couples said. “I have made it clear that whoever I picked will be playing the Australian tournament the week before. But I need him to play more than just there.”

Woods does have plenty of options which range from teeing it up in the PGA Tour’s Fall Series, which generally attracts only the journeymen on the U.S. circuit, or perhaps heading across to the late-season events on the European Tour.

There are four events in the Fall Series and the two most likely to attract his attention are the Sept. 29-Oct. 2 Las Vegas Open, where he won his first PGA Tour title in 1996, and the Oct. 20-23 Disney Classic in his home state of Florida.

If the PGA Championship does represent his final PGA Tour appearance of the season, Woods will end his 2011 campaign in the U.S. with just two top-10s in eight starts.

His biggest problems have been injury and lack of practice. He was on the sidelines for three months while recovering from the left knee ligaments and Achilles tendon he hurt during the Masters in April, when he tied for fourth.

He missed two majors, the U.S. Open and the British Open, and that unexpected hiatus was far from ideal as he continues working with coach Sean Foley through the fourth swing change of his career.