In his first competition in 2003 announcer Dan Hicks described the Presidents Cup sudden death playoff as “Two heavy weights of golf fighting it out to win the competition,” and he was right about one thing – the two players chosen to clash heads to decide the outcome of the event were heavyweights: Tiger Woods, The #1 player in the world for the USA vs. Ernie Els the homeland hero battling before 23,000 partisan fans watching live and millions on TV — just the kind of ending the fledgling Presidents Cup needed to establish its own identity.
But it was not to be because the golf world was robbed – it was the Showdown at the OK Corral only it wasn’t ok because there wasn’t really a showdown. Captains Conciliatory, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player decided to change the rules after the combatants matched pars for three play-off holes. They said it was getting dark and there was too much pressure for any two people to shoulder, so they declared a tie. “Both Gary and I feel that both teams have won”, said Nicklaus. “What do you think this competition is all about? It’s about goodwill in international golf. It’s not about who wins and losses.”
Comments from the Surly Pro
Goodwill??? Golf is boring enough without throwing in goodwill. Who wants to watch Gandhi giving Mother Theresa a 20 footer to half the match while we all hum Kumbaya. In the game Paper/Rock/Goodwill, Everything tops Goodwill.
How do I know these things? Simple deduction: Who did Captain Fred Couples choose with a captain’s pick? Remember he could have chosen wholesome Keagan Bradley who [as we are told after every swing by TV announcers] is related to Pat Bradley a former ladies champion [much female goodwill here]; or an amateur like Patrick Cantlay who shot 60 at the Travelers Championship [much amateur goodwill here.] But Couples didn’t-- he chose Tiger Woods proving that Tiger tops Goodwill -- unless of course you count the goodwill of TV executives, advertisers and golf fans everywhere.
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