Operation 'Shock the World': New Worldwide captain Trevor Immelman aiming to stun Group USA at Presidents Cup

"In 2019, we felt like we took an enormous step ahead from a workforce facet, from a franchise facet, so to talk.

"We slowly however certainly began attempting to construct this home and make it stable and on a agency basis as a result of we're wanting not simply to this week, however cups down the road as nicely."

Id

Delayed by a 12 months as a result of pandemic, the biennial cup sees the 2 12-man groups face off throughout 18 paired workforce matches earlier than 12 singles match-ups shut the event on Sunday. Every match is price one level, with the primary workforce to achieve 15.5 factors topped champions.

Six members of every roster are crammed with computerized qualifiers, leaving respective captains Immelman and Davis Love III to hand-pick the remaining half. The Worldwide participant pool extends to anybody exterior the USA and Europe, with this 12 months's lineup spanning South Korea (4), Canada (2), Australia (2), South Africa, Japan, Colombia, and Chile.

A enjoying member of the 2005 and 2007 squads, Immelman believed earlier teams had typically struggled for cohesion earlier than Els' management. And not using a brand or workforce colours till 2019, Els' adoption of the defend emblem and black and gold livery constructed in the direction of the bigger aim of giving the workforce an identification.

"He [Els] was the proper chief on the excellent time with sufficient pull and sway to have the ability to make some modifications and set us off on this course," Immelman mentioned.

"It's totally tough while you're pulling gamers from seven, eight, 9 totally different international locations they usually come right here representing their nation slightly than representing this one workforce. Now that we have now the defend, these gamers come right here and that is what we play for."

For Immelman, such a shift means the Worldwide workforce can now keep away from falling into the "entice" of selecting pairings for the occasions based mostly on shared nationality versus tactical match for course and opponents.

"One of many issues that we have modified over the previous few years is breaking down these cultural obstacles in order that any participant can play with some other participant on the workforce," he mentioned.

"We will see that we're large underdogs on paper and so we have to be very sensible with what we do with our pairings. There's a number of issues that go into these choices to make it possible for we are able to attempt to discover each little edge that's on the market to place ourselves and our gamers in the most effective place attainable to attempt to shock the world on the finish of the week."

Rookie prepared

Given the make-up of the 2 groups, it is tough to argue towards the underdog label. Eight members of the Worldwide Group will make their Presidents Cup debut in Charlotte, whereas Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama symbolize the one main champions within the group following Masters victories in 2013 and 2021 respectively.

Japan's Matsuyama is the very best ranked participant on the workforce at World No.17. Solely two gamers on the US workforce are ranked decrease, with 5 of the world's high 10 among the many star-studded ensemble, and World No.1 Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, Jordan Spieth, and Justin Thomas boasting seven main titles between them.

Scheffler and Morikawa are among the many six American first-time gamers, but nonetheless are available with a mixed 9 PGA Tour wins. In contrast on the Worldwide facet, fellow cup debutants Taylor Pendrith of Canada and Mito Pereira are nonetheless chasing their first Tour titles.

So how do you go about getting ready such rookies for the baptism of fireside that may be a Presidents Cup on away floor? You begin, Immelman says, "simply by loving them."

"You place your arms round them, you make them know that you simply love them and that you simply're there for them," the South African defined.

"Am I going to have the ability to say one thing to them or give them a magic capsule that can take away their nerves and anxiousness and pleasure on the primary tee? No likelihood, that's not on the market. ... (However) these guys have logged 1000's and 1000's of hours since they began this recreation, honing their expertise, getting themselves to elite stage on the PGA Tour. They've what it takes. They know precisely the best way to play this recreation and what must occur. So you actually simply inform them to belief themselves, belief the method, belief the work you have put in."

Humbled

For Immelman, nonetheless, an important recommendation to his gamers is just to benefit from the expertise, as a result of their captain shall be relishing each second.

After being sidelined by a number of accidents throughout his enjoying profession, the 42-year-old has discovered a "second profession" in broadcasting, and he is slated to turn out to be CBS Sport's lead golf analyst subsequent 12 months. Fourteen years on from pipping Tiger Woods to Masters glory, Immelman nonetheless pinches himself on the victory, his love for the sport as robust as ever.

And regardless of the outcome come Sunday, that romance will proceed, with Immelman leaving Charlotte having adopted within the footsteps of South African golfing royalty Els and Gary Participant in captaining Group Worldwide.

"It has been a loopy experience -- at occasions I can not imagine how lucky I have been," Immelman mirrored. "I really feel humbled. You check out the listing of captains which have come earlier than me for the worldwide workforce, all legends of the sport, all heroes of mine, people who I've appeared as much as all through my life.

"If you cannot get pleasure from this, I am undecided you possibly can get pleasure from something ... the golf course and the build-up is like one thing I've by no means seen earlier than in my life. It will be electrical on the market. We can not wait to be part of it."