Sports

Tiger placed on Presidents Cup team

SNOQUALMIE, Wash. — Fred Couples has told Tiger Woods that he decided to add him to the 12-member Presidents Cup team.

Couples took the drama out of the debate over whether Woods would be on the team, saying yesterday it’s already a done deal.

“I’ve told him that he’s going to be on the team,” Couples said just before a practice round preparing for the Boeing Classic at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge. “There is no reason for me to wait till Sept. 26 to pick Tiger. He’s the best player in the world.”

Ten players automatically qualify for the team based on points accumulated over the past two years. Couples is then given two captain’s picks to round out his squad, which will compete against a team of non-European International players at Royal Melbourne in Australia on Nov. 14-20.

Woods, who is 28th on the Presidents Cup list, had a long summer layoff because of soreness in his left knee and left Achilles’ tendon. He played in two recent tournaments, finishing 37th in the Bridgestone Invitational in early August then missing the cut the following week at the PGA Championship.

Woods wrote on his website earlier this week that he had conversations with Couples about playing on the team and that “of course, I want to be on the team” that competes in Australia.

“Is he playing well right now? No. (But) he almost won (The Masters) four months ago,” Couples said. “When you’re the best player in the world for 12 straight years and you’re not on a team, there’s something wrong.”