US Captain Woods likely to play three times at Presidents Cup

Tiger Woods will combine his captain's duties with playing most likely three times during Presidents Cup, his deputy Fred Couples revealed on Wednesday. re has been fervent speculation leading up to biennial match-play showdown between United States and an international team led by Ernie Els about how much US superstar might contribute with clubs after awarding himself a captain's pick. Couples, who captained team in 2009, 2011 and 2013, has long championed Woods as capable of assuming dual roles and said he anticipates he will play a big part on course at Royal Melbourne.

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"I think he'll play three times," he said. "He still wants to captain this team (but) I kw he'll play three days.

"I picked him when he was like 400th in world to come down here and play," added Couples. 

"I picked him three months early and took a bunch of grief for it. He should be on every team. That's how good he is." 

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Woods is first playing captain since Hale Irwin in inaugural Presidents Cup in 1994, placing greater responsibility on Couples and his fellow vice-captains Steve Stricker and Zach Johnson. "He is a heck of a captain, which you would think, and he's a great player to be on your team. So we have both," said Couples. "When he's playing, you kw, re's t like Zach is captain. We're all captain, and it depends on where we are on course."  Presidents Cup begins Thursday with first five fourball matches. draw for first day's pairings takes place later Wednesday

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