Tiger Woods clinched The Presidents Cup for the US team with the winning point over the Internationals in the singles of the teams match play event at Royal Melbourne on Sunday. The former world number one thrashed Australian Aaron Baddeley four and three to push the defending champion Americans beyond the 17.5 points needed to claim their seventh Presidents Cup against the non-European Internationals. Woods also provided the clinching point when the Americans posted a 19.5 to 14.5 triumph over the International team at the previous event in San Francisco in 2009. The Americans split Sunday’s singles with the Internationals 6-6, finishing overall 19-15 winners. “It does feel good. I was hoping it wouldn’t come down to my point. I was hoping that Stricks (Steve Stricker) and I could take a victory lap back here,” Woods said. “But we (USA) didn’t get off to a good start early. We needed to get our point so we went out there and played really well today and put a lot of heat on Badds (Baddeley).”
Woods, who only got into the US team as the captain’s pick after taking part in just eight USPGA Tour events this year because of injuries, was praised by team captain Fred Couples. “He was ready to go this whole week. He was ready for a month,” Couples said. “A lot of people have asked why I picked him and how he was going to play. “Certainly, I couldn’t answer how he was going to play but this week I think he showed to himself that his swing is back and he’s healthy, and that’s more important to me.” The star-studded American team went into the final day’s singles leading by four points and although Greg Norman’s International team made a charge to get within two points they were too strong in the final matches.
