TOUR Insider: Grading bold predictions

From catering, to early bonding, to data analysis, new International Presidents Cup captain Ernie Els is leaving no stone unturned as he looks for the secret to end U.S. dominance in the biennial team event. While there are still many months left before the International team is finalized for the Dec. 12-15 showdown at Royal Melbourne against the U.S. team, Els’ planning has long begun. Having been on the receiving end of many dominant U.S. performances at the Presidents Cup – the U.S. is 10-1-1 all time at the event – Els believes he is uniquely qualified to change the fortunes of the International team this fall. And he’s already making his presence felt – imploring prospective International team players to team up in this week’s Zurich Classic in New Orleans so he can get a feel for their play in the team environment. Of the 80 teams in New Orleans this week, 14 of them are made up of players who are both eligible for International team duty (one of those teams features Els and his assistant Trevor Immelman). There are an additional 13 players in the field who are eligible for the International team but are paired with Americans or Europeans for various reasons – like Cameron Smith, who has stayed with Jonas Blixt since they won the event in 2017. Only three of the top 13 players on the current International Presidents Cup points list (Marc Leishman, Hideki Matsuyama, Haotong Li) aren’t in New Orleans. “This event is the only one of its kind, and players that were able to play, we thought we’ll look at getting some of them paired up. It’s not exactly what’s going to be happening in December, but it’s an opportunity for the guys to get playing in this kind of format, playing foursomes and fourball in competition,â€� Els explained. “It’s also a team building week. We’re staying in the same hotel… a lot of new, new guys that haven’t really been around some of the other guys, and we want to just get them familiar with each other.â€� Familiarity has been a problem in the past. While the Australians always get on with the other Aussies and the South Africans get on with each other, there can be a cultural gap with Asian or South American nations. While the teams have always bonded by the weekend, generally they’ve already found themselves well behind on the scoreboard. There is a common line around the Presidents Cup – the U.S. Team wins the Cup but the Internationals always win the after party. If they could go back out a week later, they feel things could be different. “I don’t think there is an easy way to do it, but I think we’ve got to find a way to make that diversity our strength,â€� Immelman says. “Obviously a massive hurdle for our team has always been and will always be the fact that we’re trying to meld together so many different countries and cultures and languages. So that’s always the thing that we’ve been trying to work on.â€� Els is already micromanaging some aspects to ensure people feel comfortable. His team room catering will take in ALL cultures. While Melbourne is not known for its biltong and boerewors, you can find some if you look hard enough. For every meat pie or vegemite sandwich, it does offer decent kimchi and bulgogi, and sushi is also prevalent in parts of the city. Thai and Chinese food is scattered throughout, and with some minimal effort, you can find some poutine. If you need a burrito or some fajitas, they’ve got you covered there as well. Els will make sure everyone can stay on the diet they are accustomed to and enjoy. “There is a lot of moving parts. Culturally, religiously…â€� Els confirms. “It’s quite something when you dig into it.â€� But what of the pairings? This week, we will see Australian duo Adam Scott and Jason Day together. In the past four Presidents Cups, the pair have played just one session together for a half. This is mainly due to veteran Scott being used as a bridge to young Asian players over the years such as Ryo Ishikawa and Hideki Matsuyama. Scott was the catalyst to his pairing with Day. Els – who intends to use analytics to help create pairings – is not sold on them yet. He clearly will be if they perform in New Orleans, but Els will make the big calls if he needs to. “I think data is important. Like the modern game, I think a lot of the guys are using data. We’re going to do that,â€� Els says. “We’ll play the physical part of the game, the mental part of the game, and then the analytical side of the game, and throw that all together and see what we get, see if we can get the perfect pairing. “The mentality is I think 80 percent of the battle. If you can get the right mentality in the guys on in the team then you’re halfway there.â€� Day admitted to struggling with the mental side in the past. As a top ranked player, Day needs to produce more for his team – he needs to find a way to become a leader. Els and his teammates will tug on his ego if they can. All players would like to leave a legacy when they hang up the sticks… Day has the opportunity to become an International hero much like Ian Poulter is for Europe. One thing the U.S. dominance has provided is a chance to be part of history as an International player. A famous upset will go on the record books forever and have the stars remembered as heroes for decades to come. Australian fans will long pat Day and his teammates on the back for a win like that, perhaps more so than any major title they win. Els is also gearing up for another battle to swing some momentum towards his team. He is imploring the local Australians to create an atmosphere that is challenging for the Americans. While the U.S. team goes into a hostile environment when they hit European shores for the Ryder Cup, it has been a different story away from home in Presidents Cups. The U.S. team is so star-studded that fans in the past have been cheering for the visitors as much as the home side, given its usually the only time they’ve seen their heroes up close. Because Tiger Woods will lead the U.S. team to Melbourne, the fear remains they will be treated too well by the locals. Australia (2011) and Korea (2015) were guilty of this in the past and Els is calling on the supporters to really create something special for his team. “You want to feel like you’re going to our home turf, our Australian home turf. It’s going to be huge,â€� Els said. “We want to get the people behind their team, which is the International team. Although they’re big fans of the U.S. team, we’re going to be their home team, and we want to be regarded as that. That’ll give us a big boost, the players a big boost, when they feel they’re playing at home and not abroad.â€� The above are just some of Els’ plans. He will keep some things close to the vest and additional plans will be revealed as the team takes shape, but this week is certainly full of hints. If a few International teams are in contention down the stretch on Sunday, you won’t find a bigger smile than the one on the face of The Big Easy in The Big Easy.

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POTOMAC, Md. — David Lingmerth waved his arm disgustedly to the right to warn the gallery after he blocked his tee shot on the tight par-5 10th hole at TPC Potomac. After two shots from the rough, one from a hazard and one from a bunker, he made a 6-footer for bogey to fall to 3 over for the day. He was still tied for the lead. Minutes later, he led by himself again when Daniel Summerhays bogeyed 11. It was that kind of day at the Quicken Loans National. Lingmerth steadied himself after his adventure on 10 and made an aggressive swing with a driver that came off perfectly on the short par-4 14th, leading to a two-putt birdie. The 29-year-old Swede made a sloppy bogey on 17 and managed a 3-over 73 to drop to 7 under and maintain a one-shot over Summerhays. Spencer Levin, who teed off two hours ahead of Lingmerth, was alone in third at 5 under after the best round of the day, a 65. There was little wind Saturday, and the greens were softened by a thunderstorm that caused a 90-minute delay, but TPC Potomac played as difficult as ever, showing as much bite as its storied neighbor, Congressional. Saturday ended the same way the first two rounds did — with Lingmerth atop the leaderboard. Lingmerth, who came from behind to win a Web.com Tour event at TPC Potomac in 2012, has a chance to go wire-to-wire for his second PGA TOUR victory. “I haven’t had the wire-to-wire scenario in my career, but a lot of great players have won tournaments that way and I would like to do it as well,” he said. “I’m kind of feeling like I’m up for the challenge.” Lingmerth relied on a fade to avoid trouble off the tee while starting the tournament with back-to-back rounds of 65. On Saturday, it didn’t take long for his go-to shot to abandon him. He yanked his opening tee shot into a fairway bunker, leading to bogey. It was one of four tee shots he missed to the left in the first eight holes, including a driver in the water on the narrow par-4 fourth. Still, no one managed to get ahead. Geoff Ogilvy’s putter went cold and he didn’t make a birdie in a round of 74. He was still just three shots back, along with a fellow Australian half his age, Curtis Luck, who shot 67, and South Korean Sung Kang, who shot 71. Kyle Stanley and Charles Howell III both shot 67 and were four shots back. Just 17 players were under par after three rounds. Summerhays was solid from tee to green but couldn’t get many putts to fall. His only chance to win this season came at the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide, where he led by three shots after 54 holes but shot a final-round 78 to tie for 10th. He’s earned $8.4 million in 188 career PGA TOUR starts without a victory. “I struck the ball extremely well,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of great looks, so maybe I just need to persuade that ball into the cup a little bit more.” Levin has been the PGA TOUR’s iron man this season, with little to show for it. He’s making his 25th start and has teed it up in every event he’s been eligible for, making only 10 cuts and failing to record a top-20 finish. At 176th in the FedExCup standings, he’s in danger of losing his tour card. “It was the best round I’ve had all year by far. It’s been a tough year, but the putts have been going in this week, which is obviously why I’m playing well,” Levin said. Levin, who first gained attention as a cigarette-smoking amateur at the 2004 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, has played in 232 events in his PGA TOUR career, with his best finish a runner-up in 2011. That was also the year he played in his only British Open. “I’ve had a chance and have never won, so if I don’t, it wouldn’t be anything new,” Levin said. “But I’m going to go out there with a different mindset. I’m going to try and make putts and see if I can’t do it.” Even if he doesn’t win, he could earn one of four spots available at this event for the British Open at Royal Birkdale. No player inside the top 18 going into the final round is currently eligible for golf’s next major.

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