US Team Captain Jack Nicklaus visits Cape Town, South Africa to support 2003 Presidents Cup

Jack Nicklaus, the Captain of the United States team for The Presidents Cup, reconfirmed his commitment and excitement towards the 2003 event during a media function held over the weekend in Cape Town, South Africa.

Nicklaus' comments echoed those of the International team captain Gary Player, who, like Nicklaus has received unanimous support from leading players to travel to South Africa and The Links at Fancourt for the event in November 2003.

Nicklaus fully expects his American team will include the full complement of players that qualify for the event. Both he, and the commissioner of the PGA Tour Tim Finchem have received positive feedback from players eager to travel to South Africa.

The Presidents Cup is expected to produce some of the most fiercely contested matchplay golf in 2003. Nicklaus predicts that, as athletes who thrive on intense competition, the world's top players will relish the chance to come here and compete for their country at the highest level.

"I wouldn't see any reason why anyone on either team wouldn't want to play. Any player that has the opportunity to represent his country in a prestigious global event - and at the same time experience what South Africa has to offer - would only be missing out for himself by not coming," said the US captain. "I will also encourage my players to see as much of your beautiful country as they can, before and after the event."

The 2003 event will be the second time that Nicklaus will captain a travelling US Presidents Cup team. At Melbourne in 1998, the International team outplayed their American opponents to claim the cup for the first time. Leading US player Davis Love III approached Nicklaus after the event and pledged his support on behalf of the players to the US captain for the 2003 event.

"Davis came up to me at Doral (last year) and apologized for the attitude of the team in Melbourne. He said that only three or four players really wanted to be there, and it showed. All I want for next year's event at The Links are 12 players that really want to be there, because then the South African public will see the best golf being played," Nicklaus said.

The Links at the Fancourt Hotel & Country Club Estate hosts The 2003 Presidents Cup and Nicklaus expects the players to enjoy the unique links-like feel of the golf course. "It's totally artificial, but it doesn't look at all contrived," he says. "In fact it looks as if it's always been here. I could swear I was in Scotland at times, because the holes themselves are like holes in Scotland. I think Gary and his team have done a fantastic job here."

When asked if the course might favour either side, the Golden Bear indicated that if the wind blew, the conditions might favour the International team slightly.

Commenting on the composition of the International team, Nicklaus is aware that his players will face a very strong lineup. Combined with the perennial stars from Southern Africa and Australia, the emergence of several Asian players on PGA Tour will bolster the International team.

According the World Golf Rankings (as of 9/22/2002), 21 out of the top 25 and 40 out of the top 50 players are eligible to play in The Presidents Cup. There are 14 players in the top 50 who are eligible for International team selection, compared to 10 European players eligible for the Ryder Cup. These rankings show that a potential Presidents Cup International team is likely to be stronger than the European Ryder Cup team, who also play the Americans biennially.