Captain Woods retains faith in Team USA

Tiger Woods isn't ready to hand over the Presidents Cup just yet despite the Internationals establishing a commanding 4-1 lead over his USA team in Melbourne.

By Darren Walton, Australian Associated Press
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Tiger Woods maintains his team of American superstars can rebound from their diabolical start and create golf history with an eighth straight Presidents Cup triumph.

Woods and Justin Thomas were the US's only winners during Thursday's opening fourball session as the Internationals swept to an unprecedented 4-1 lead at Royal Melbourne.

No team in Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup history have ever overturned such a heavy first-day deficit.

"We're not out of it yet. It's a long week," Woods said defiantly ahead of Friday's all-important foursomes.

"I mean, we have to go earn this Cup. Just because we lost the session doesn't mean the Cup's over. There's a long way to go. A lot of points available.

"The guys will regroup and we'll come out tomorrow ready to go."

Despite their fourball flops, Woods is sticking with three of Thursday's five pairings.

The skipper will again play with Thomas following their four and three dispatch of Marc Leishman and Joaquin Niemann in Thursday's opening match.

Woods and Thomas will face Hideki Matsuyama and Byeong Hun An.

After going one down to Matsuyama and CT Pan, Webb Simpson and the maligned Patrick Reed will square off with Marc Leishman and Abraham Ancer.

Woods is also backing Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay to bounce back from a one-down loss to Adam Hadwin and Sungjae Im, with victory over Hadwin and Niemann.

Woods teamed Gary Woodland with Rickie Fowler and Dustin Johnson with Matt Kurchar for the other foursomes, which the US have traditionally dominated.

Woodland and Fowler will play Im and Cameron Smith, while Johnson and Kurchar take on Adam Scott and Louis Oosthuizen in the first match of the day.

"We're excited about getting out there tomorrow and winning some matches and turning this thing around," Woods said.

"We've got an amazing line-up going out there tomorrow and the guys are all fired up and ready to go."


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