Tiger Woods Selected To Presidents Cup Roster

After claiming earlier this week that Tiger Woods would have to play his way onto the 12-man roster for the Presidents Cup, team captain Fred Couples has decided to use a Captain's Pick on Tiger anyways. Couples took the drama out of the debate over whether Woods would be on the team, saying Thursday it's already a done deal.

Before going out for a practice round at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge, Couples told the media:

I've told him [Tiger] that he's going to be on the team. There is no reason for me to wait till September 26 to pick Tiger. He's the best player in the world forever.

Is he playing well right now? No. (But) he almost won (The Masters) four months ago so you don't do that by playing poor golf.

In my opinion, when you're the best player in the world for 12 straight years and you're not on a team, there's something wrong. Everyone else can have their opinion, but as far as I know Jay Haas and myself are the captains and we want him on this team.

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.