Presidents Cup: Woods, Haas, Allenby and Baddeley Are the Final Picks

As expected Tiger Woods was the first pick for the US team, and Bill Haas joined him, while Robert Allenby was the first pick for the International team and Aaron Baddeley was the second.

Team captains Fred Couples and Greg Norman announced their picks at a conference call today that lasted just over half-an-hour. The selected players were all in the call and were able to make their comments on the selections as well as a Q&A session.

Right away, Couples announced Woods as his first selection, saying he was "very excited about that pick." As for his second pick of Haas, he said that, "Billy for the last two years has played a great golf, and he went out and get it, that's why he is my second pick."

Woods started by saying "Thanks to Fred. I am honored to be selected and looking forward to be part of the team and playing." 

For his part Haas' response to being selected was that he was "Honored to be on the team. It's a very special thing for me, that I set as a goal at the beginning of the year and made it."

That meant PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley was left out.

There is still a chance for Keegan Bradley to make the team, but that would come at a steep price, since it would mean that the US top ranked player, Steve Stricker would be out.

Stricker was having an MRI today on his weak left arm and he may opt out of playing have surgery on it soon. 

Norman announced Allenby first and said, "Robert is a great team player, with lots of tenacity and great in the locker room. It was an automatic pick for me."

For the second pick, Norman said, "It was a tough choice". He had been deciding between Baddeley and John Senden. That he had also considered Carmelo Villegas, Vijay Singh and Louis Oouishuizen.

Norman said that prior to the Tour Championship he "put Baddeley and Senden on notice that the one who would do the best would be picked" and as a result, Baddeley is in the team.

It was an interesting contrast of approaches by the captains since Norman said he "Wanted to see how they performed under pressure." Meanwhile Couples said that he "let the guys go out and play, they knew what was at stake."

Baddeley said of the pressure put on him that he "put it out of his mind and go out and play. I knew Greg was watching closely." 

Both Woods and Allenby have prior experience in the Presidents Cup, and it will be the first time for Haas and Baddeley.

Woods has been on every US team since 1998, and Allenby has played for the International Team in the Presidents Cup in 1994, 1996, 2000, 2003 and 2009.

Woods answered a question about his health and readiness for the Cup by saying, "Things are going great, been practicing hard. Something I haven't done all summer."

He added, "Training sessions are great, my strength and explosiveness are back, just looking to get his feel back. Looking forward to playing next week."

That might mean something; he was not able to do any of that in advanced to his past two tournaments at Firestone and the PGA Championship.

We'll be able to see just how ready Woods really is, as he will come back to action next week at the Frys.com in San Martin, California. 

The Presidents Cup is in its ninth edition, and will be starting on November 7 at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia.

- Carlos Torres