The Presidents Cup Tickets

Tournament History

The Presidents Cup, which will be played for the ninth time in 2011, was developed to give the world's best non-European players an opportunity to compete in international team match-play competition.

A biennial event played in non-Ryder Cup years, the first Presidents Cup was played September 16-18, 1994 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. The United States Team, captained by Hale Irwin, defeated the International Team of Captain David Graham, 20-12.

The United States also won the second Presidents Cup, held September 13-15, 1996, played again at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. Arnold Palmer, no stranger to high-level in...

Tournament History

The Presidents Cup, which will be played for the ninth time in 2011, was developed to give the world's best non-European players an opportunity to compete in international team match-play competition.

A biennial event played in non-Ryder Cup years, the first Presidents Cup was played September 16-18, 1994 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. The United States Team, captained by Hale Irwin, defeated the International Team of Captain David Graham, 20-12.

The United States also won the second Presidents Cup, held September 13-15, 1996, played again at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. Arnold Palmer, no stranger to high-level international competition, had the reins as the U.S. edged Peter Thomson's International Team, 16 ½ -15 ½.
 
The 1998 Presidents Cup was played December 11-13 at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia. The International Team won 20 ½ -11 ½.  Jack Nicklaus served as Captain of the U.S. Team, while Peter Thomson repeated his role as Captain for the International Team.

In 2000, The Presidents Cup returned to Robert Trent Jones, with the United States avenging their 1998 loss with a 21 ½ to 10 ½ victory over the International Team. Thomson captained the International Team for a third time, while Ken Venturi was victorious in his debut.

The Presidents Cup 2003 was held at The Links at Fancourt Hotel and Country Club Estate in George, South Africa.  The competition ended in a tie, after both teams completed regulation tied at 17 points.  Ernie Els of the International Team and Tiger Woods of the United States Team were designated to represent their teams in a sudden-death playoff.  After three playoff holes, and as darkness was descending, Captains Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus, in the spirit of the competition, decided that the two teams would share the cup.

In 2005, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player returned as captains, and the matches were held once again at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.  The tie from 2003 was broken with an 18 ½  to 15 ½ United States victory.

The U.S. wrapped up its fifth Presidents Cup in seven tries at Royal Montreal Golf Club in 2007 with a 19 ½ - 14 ½ victory, the U.S. team's first at an international venue in 14 years of team competition.  David Toms earned the most points for the U.S. Team, while Woody Austin earned several new nicknames after falling into the lake on hole 14 while attempting a shot.  And while his team did not win, Canadian golf hero Mike Weir thrilled the crowds with a 1-up victory over World No. 1 Tiger Woods in Sunday's singles competition.

In 2009, The Presidents Cup was held at Harding Park Golf Course in San Francisco, California.  Deemed as one of the top public golf properties in the United States

Two of the most dominant players on the PGA TOUR during the 1980s and 1990s led the United States and International Teams at The Presidents Cup 2009.  Fred Couples and Greg Norman, known the world over for their outstanding competitive accomplishments and larger-than-life personas, succeeded long-time captains and World Golf Hall of Fame members Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player.

As first-time captains at The Presidents Cup 2009, Couples and Norman each led strong teams as they competed in front of record crowds at Harding Park Golf Course in San Francisco, California.  The U.S. Team retained the Cup, winning for the sixth time, by a score of 19-1/2 to 14-1/2.  The Presidents Cup 2009 marked the first time in The Presidents Cup history that both captains were former participants in The Presidents Cup. Couples has appeared four times (1994, 1996, 1998, 2005) for the United States and Norman three (1996, 1998, 2000) for the Internationals, both factored prominently in victories secured by their respective teams.

In 2011, Fred Couples and Greg Norman will be returning as captains of the U.S. and International Teams when the event returns to Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, site of the 1998 event and the only victory for the Internationals.  

2011 Tournament Facts

DATE: November 14-20, 2011

LOCATION: Royal Melbourne Golf Club, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
                   
GOLF COURSE ARCHITECT: Dr. Alister MacKenzie (1925)
               

METERS/PAR: Course Routing changed to favor Match Play Format

Use Composite Course made up of 12 holes from the West Course and 6 holes from the East Course

Front:  3,038 metres    Par 35
Back:  3,358 metres    Par 36
Total:  6,396 metres    Par 71


DEFENDING CHAMPIONS: United States Team defeated the International Team at Harding Park Golf Course in San Francisco, CA, USA.

PAST CHAMPIONS 
1994 - United States (20-12)
1996 - United States (16.5-15.5)
1998 - International (20.5-11.5)
2000 - United States (21.5-10.5)
2003 - Tie (17-17)
2005 - United States (18.5-15.5)
2007 - United States (19.5-14.5)
2009 - United States (19.5-14.5)

2011 HONORARY CHAIRMAN: Julia Gillard - Prime Minister of Australia

PAST HONORARY CHAIRMEN: 1994 - 38th United States President, Gerald R. Ford
1996 - 41st United States President, George H.W. Bush
1998 - Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard
2000 - 42nd United States President, William Jefferson Clinton
2003 - President Thabo Mbeki, Republic of South Africa                           
2005 - 43rd United States President, George W. Bush
2007 - Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper
2009 - 44th United States President - Barack Obama

2011 CAPTAINS:
International - Greg Norman
United States - Fred Couples

PAST CAPTAINS           
International Team  David Graham - 1994
Peter Thomson - 1996, 1998, 2000
Gary Player - 2003, 2005, 2007
Greg Norman - 2009

United States Team
Hale Irwin - 1994
Arnold Palmer - 1996
Jack Nicklaus - 1998, 2003, 2005, 2007
Ken Venturi - 2000
Fred Couples - 2009

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA           

International Team
The top ten international players (excluding those eligible for the European Ryder Cup team) from the Official World Golf Ranking as of Sunday, Sept 18, 2011 (through the BMW Championship)

Plus two Captain's selections made on Monday, Sept 26, 2011

United States Team
The top ten U.S. players who earned the most official PGA TOUR money beginning with the 2009 Barclays through the 2011 BMW Championship, weighted as follows:

2009-2010 $1 = 1 point
2011 $1 = 2 points

Plus two Captain's selections made on Monday, Sept 26, 2011

FORMAT
The Presidents Cup competition consists of 34 matches - 11
foursomes (alternate shot) and 11 four-ball (better ball) matches.
There are 12 singles matches involving all players on the final Sunday.  All matches are worth one point each, for a total of 34 points.  Foursome and Four-ball matches all square at the end of 18 holes are halved, with each side receiving ½ point.  Singles matches all square after 18 holes will to go extra holes until a match winner is determined.  The winning team will have to accumulate no less than 17½ points to win The Presidents Cup.  In a change inspired by the events of the 2003 Presidents Cup, if the match is deadlocked at the end of singles play, the competition will be deemed a tie and the teams will share The Presidents Cup.

TELEVISION COVERAGE    The Presidents Cup is projected to be broadcast in 225 countries and territories, nearly 600 million homes, and in 30 different languages. The U.S. broadcast will be hosted by NBC Sports, with broadcasts on NBC and GOLF CHANNEL.  Australian Broadcast will be hosted by Channel Nine on free to air and FoxSports on pay Television.

PURSE    Unlike other events, the players do not receive prize money based on performance.  Instead, the PGA TOUR pledges to contribute to charities, which are nominated by the players, captains and captains' assistants from both teams.

WORLDWIDE
CHARITABLE DISTRIBUTIONS    1994 - US $ 750,000
ON BEHALF OF THE PLAYERS    1996 - US $ 800,000
CAPTAINS & CAPTAIN'S ASST'S    1998 - US $ 2.9 million
2000 - US $ 2.8 million
2003 - US $ 2.8 million
2005 - US $ 3.5 million
2007 - US $ 4.2 million
2009 - US $ 4.2 million
Total:  US $21.95 million

TROPHY    Custom designed by Tiffany and Company.  The 14-inch-high sterling trophy is vermeil. 

GLOBAL PARTNERS    Citi and Rolex

WEB SITE: www.presidentscup.com



Schedule of Events


Monday, November 14th
Practice Rounds (Course closed to public)

Tuesday, November 15th
Practice Rounds - All day
The Presidents Cup Gala - A Taste of Nations (Coporate Function)

Wednesday, November 16th
Practice Rounds - AM
Opening Ceremonies.
                                               

Thursday, November 17th
Six (6) Foursomes Matches
                       

Friday, November 18th
Six (6) Four-ball Matches
Exclusive Spectator Function - Crown Palladium


Saturday, November 19th
Five (5) Foursomes Matches (AM)
Five (5) Four-ball Matches (PM)


Sunday, November 20th
Twelve (12) Singles Matches
Closing Ceremonies, following completion of play

Monday, November 21st
Am-Am Tournament
(7:00 a.m. & 1:00 p.m. shotguns - Tentative)