World number one Tiger Woods has been named PGA player of the year for the ninth time in 11 seasons.

Woods won seven titles including his 13th major at the US PGA Championship, and is now preparing for the Presidents Cup, which starts on Thursday.

And despite his poor record in the competition, US captain Jack Nicklaus says he is a popular choice as partner.

“Tiger’s record in fourball isn’t good, but the 11 other players probably want to play with him,” said Jack Nicklaus.

Woods has lost six and won just two fourball matches in his previous Presidents Cup appearances and Nicklaus added: “I think he won a match in Washington and we almost gave him a party.

“Tiger has asked to play with three different players and I’m going to try and honour that wish if I can, three different ways.

“But if I find he plays really well with one of them, I’m probably going to stick with that for a second time around.”

The USA are the current holders of the Presidents Cup in which they compete against a non-European International team and they have won five of the six previous competitions.

This year’s event starts with the fourballs on Thursday at the Royal Montreal Golf Club, the oldest club in north America, and there is another round of fourballs on Friday.

On Saturday there are greensomes in the morning and foursomes in the afternoon while the tournament finishes with the singles on Sunday.

LINE-UPS:

USA: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker, Zach Johnson, Stewart Cink, Scott Verplank, David Toms, Woody Austin, Charles Hoell, Hunter Mahan, Lucas Glover.

INTERNATIONAL: Ernie Els, Adam Scott, Rory Sabbatini, KJ Choi, Geoff Ogilvy, Vijay Singh, Retief Goosen, Trevor Immelman, Angel Cabrera, Stuart Appleby, Nick O’Hern, Mike Weir.

Source: news.bbc.co.uk

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