Nicklaus has reliable aide in Sluman

Helen Ross
PGATour.com

Jeff Sluman needed, well, maybe a nanosecond to say yes.

"I didn't deserve it," said Sluman, who finished 14th in the standings, matter-of-factly.

U.S. Captain Jack Nicklaus wanted Sluman to be a part of the squad he's taking to South Africa in November, though. So he announced on Wednesday that the six-time PGA TOUR champion would serve as his Captain's Assistant.

Gary Player, who will guide the International Team in his home country, had selected Ian Baker-Finch as his Captain's Assistant several months ago.

Sluman has never played on a Presidents Cup or a Ryder Cup team. But the 46-year-old is one of the more respected players on the PGA TOUR, and Nicklaus felt the players on the team would feel comfortable with him.

"I told him what we try to do is find guys that may someday be chosen as captains themselves," Nicklaus said. "Jeff being a PGA champion, certainly falls in that category. ... And of course, Jeff is more current with the players today than I am, and I'll get an awful lot of help in insight into their games."

Nicklaus joked that he and Sluman would spend their time at The Links at Fancourt making sure the U.S. players had fresh towels, new spikes and plenty of sunscreen. In reality, though, Nicklaus will be making some tough decisions as he contemplates the pairings.

The Presidents Cup consists of 34 matches, all but 12 of which are contested in two-man teams in Four-Ball and Foursomes competition. Americans traditionally struggle in the Foursomes, or alternate shot, portion of the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup.

Nicklaus vividly remembers when he played with Dave Stockton in the 1971 Ryder Cup at Old Warson Country Club in St. Louis.

"I couldn't hit from the distance Stockton drove it, and he couldn't hit it out of the rough," Nicklaus remembered. "It was a team that didn't work. I want to know what the guys feel and how they feel about each other as it relates to that. I think two likes are better than two opposites, in my opinion."

Nicklaus, who was the captain in Australia the only time the U.S. lost The Presidents Cup, says he expects Sluman to be his eyes and ears during the next three months. He hopes players will talk with Sluman about pairings they think may or may not work so his Assistant Captain can rely their opinions.

"It's not a friendship deal, it's a feeling of comfort in each other's game," Sluman said. "So I think once you know that, it will help in the pairing selection. But ultimately it comes down to Jack making his decision, hopefully with some thoughts by me.

"You can't give them everything they want. It's just not going to happen. And as Jack mentioned in the meeting, the last time they were on foreign soil, they kind of got drummed and he doesn't want to go out 0 and 2, so I think they're really going to be ready to play."

At the same time, Nicklaus wants his players to enjoy South Africa. Years ago, he competed against Player in a series of exhibition matches there. Player "beat me badly," Nicklaus recalled, but he still remembers the trip fondly..

"We took my parents, my wife's parents, and we had a blast," said Nicklaus, who now co-owns a home with Player at a golf course called Leopard Creek there that the International Captain designed.

"We flew a small plane all over South Africa and went to all the game reserves. We did all kinds of things. I think the guys should experience that because it's a heck of a lot of fun."

Nicklaus stopped playing in the $1 million challenge in Sun City after the legendary tennis pro Arthur Ashe asked him not to go because of South Africa's policy of Apartheid. Once the legacy of discrimination ended and Nelson Mandela came to power, though, Nicklaus began to design golf courses there.

At a team meeting Wednesday morning, Nicklaus said he talked to the players, many of whom plan to spend some extra time in South Africa, about where the best fishing is and what game preserves to check out. He said Tiger Woods is interested in catching -- surprise -- a tiger fish.

Sluman said he's even been asked to make sure there's a satellite dish so players can watch the Ohio State-Michigan and Florida-Florida State games after Saturday's play is over. But during the competition, Nicklaus has one request.

"All I'm asking from you is four days of golf," he said. "We want them to have fun. But when it comes time to play golf, play golf, and remember you're representing the United States, and you're part of a team, and I want you to act as though you're representing your country in a proper way."