ID :
85764
Fri, 10/23/2009 - 10:28
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/85764
The shortlink copeid
US `to struggle` at next Presidents Cup
The United States won't stand a chance when the Presidents Cup returns to Royal
Melbourne in 2011, according to veteran Australian golfers Wayne Grady and Michael
Clayton.
While the US have enjoyed an iron grip on the Presidents Cup for much of its
history, winning six of eight tournaments and drawing once, they were humiliated
20.5-11.5 when the event was held at Royal Melbourne in 1998.
The US claimed their third straight Presidents Cup earlier this month in San
Francisco but Grady, an assistant captain to Peter Thompson at the 1998 and 2000
Presidents Cups, said the powerful American team were known to crumble on unfamiliar
territory.
"Americans don't travel that well at all," Grady said.
"They (the Internationals) haven't had a great record against the Americans but it
won't be long (before that changes).
"It'll be back here at Royal Melbourne and we hope for some hot northerlies and
flies again like last time.
"The Americans couldn't handle that last time."
Clayton, winner of two Victorian Opens and a Heineken Classic and now part of the
European Seniors Tour, said most American golfers simply couldn't adjust to
Australia's unique golf courses.
"The Americans were hopeless at Royal Melbourne, they had no idea how to play that
golf course," Clayton said.
"The internationals will win at Royal Melbourne in two years' time.
"It will be hard and fast again and our players know it so much better.
"Our players are used to playing in America, it's not really a home course advantage
(for the US team when it's played) in America, but in Australia it's a massive home
course advantage for us.
"The game is so homogenised now (in the US), every single week it's the same.
"The green's the same speed, the rough's the same length.
"You go to Royal Melbourne and it's a different golf course, there is no rough, the
fairways are light, the greens are hard, short grass as opposed to chipping out of
long grass, it's windy.
"(Geoff) Ogilvy, (Stuart) Appleby, (Robert) Allenby, (Aaron) Baddeley have grown up
playing that stuff, they know it like the back of their hand.
"They know those shots, the Americans don't come across it that often."
Melbourne in 2011, according to veteran Australian golfers Wayne Grady and Michael
Clayton.
While the US have enjoyed an iron grip on the Presidents Cup for much of its
history, winning six of eight tournaments and drawing once, they were humiliated
20.5-11.5 when the event was held at Royal Melbourne in 1998.
The US claimed their third straight Presidents Cup earlier this month in San
Francisco but Grady, an assistant captain to Peter Thompson at the 1998 and 2000
Presidents Cups, said the powerful American team were known to crumble on unfamiliar
territory.
"Americans don't travel that well at all," Grady said.
"They (the Internationals) haven't had a great record against the Americans but it
won't be long (before that changes).
"It'll be back here at Royal Melbourne and we hope for some hot northerlies and
flies again like last time.
"The Americans couldn't handle that last time."
Clayton, winner of two Victorian Opens and a Heineken Classic and now part of the
European Seniors Tour, said most American golfers simply couldn't adjust to
Australia's unique golf courses.
"The Americans were hopeless at Royal Melbourne, they had no idea how to play that
golf course," Clayton said.
"The internationals will win at Royal Melbourne in two years' time.
"It will be hard and fast again and our players know it so much better.
"Our players are used to playing in America, it's not really a home course advantage
(for the US team when it's played) in America, but in Australia it's a massive home
course advantage for us.
"The game is so homogenised now (in the US), every single week it's the same.
"The green's the same speed, the rough's the same length.
"You go to Royal Melbourne and it's a different golf course, there is no rough, the
fairways are light, the greens are hard, short grass as opposed to chipping out of
long grass, it's windy.
"(Geoff) Ogilvy, (Stuart) Appleby, (Robert) Allenby, (Aaron) Baddeley have grown up
playing that stuff, they know it like the back of their hand.
"They know those shots, the Americans don't come across it that often."
