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Camp notes
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 | | Els |
The Big Easy: Ernie Els is taking it all in stride, but four losses in four matches have him shaking his head.
"I've been an easy target," he said. "And I've deserved it."
Asked if he was looking forward to playing singles instead of team matches, Els shook his head. "I'm looking forward to getting out of here," he said.
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And finally...
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 | | Norman |
Hail to the Chief: One bright side to Greg Norman getting pummelled in his match Saturday? A little extra time to spend with President Clinton, a friend who spent part of the afternoon around the 14th green. Norman's match with teammate Michael Campbell against Hal Sutton and Jim Furyk ended at the 13th.
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LAKE MANASSAS, Va. -- International team captain Peter Thomson sat silently on one side of a table, waiting to announce his lineup for Sunday's singles matches at the Presidents Cup. Assistant captain Wayne Grady sat silently beside him.
Across from them, the chairs for the Americans sat empty.
Thomson and Grady waited. Nobody came.
For a few moments, seated in a stately cabin near the scene of two bloody Civil War battles, it seemed as if the Internationals were being forced to wait, just to ask for mercy.
After all, trailing 14-6 with just 12 matches left, the Internationals would have to win 10 to have a chance to retain the Presidents Cup.
The odds of that? Even Ben Crenshaw, clarvoyant on the eve of the singles matches at last year's Ryder Cup, doesn't have a feeling about the International team's chances.
"We haven't surrendered," said Thomson. "But we're suing for peace."
The U.S. trailed by four points at last year's Ryder Cup before rallying to win in singles. That was regarded as a monumental comeback, the biggest final-day comeback in the history of the event.
A comeback of this size would prompt President Clinton, who sat above the 14th hole for part of the day, to ask for a Congressional inquiry.
"We look at it as a big challenge," said Mike Weir, speaking before he knew just how big it would be. "We need to get some leads early, like the U.S. did at the Ryder Cup, and hopefully our momentum can carry us."
Even that won't be enough. Ernie Els is winless in this Presidents Cup. "Things aren't going our way," Els said late Saturday afternoon. "That's obvious."
Vijay Singh is 1-3, and Saturday his driver deserted him along with his putter.
The best International team players thus far? Retief Goosen and Weir, both 2-2.
Goosen beat Tiger Woods and Notah Begay III almost single-handedly on Saturday, getting little help from Singh. At one point on the back nine Saturday, Weir and Steve Elkington went birdie, eagle, birdie. They gained one hole.
"Frustrating," Weir said.
After the International team won four of five matches on Friday morning, the U.S. has won eight of the last 10.
"I had a lot of confidence coming in here," said Els. "But it hasn't happened for me. Or any of us."
Now, needing the impossible to happen, the Internationals have been reduced to moral victories.
"I told my team I thought they played very honorably today," Thomson said.
And Sunday, is a miracle possible?
"Yes, I think it is possible," Thomson said. "At least we've got to believe that. Stranger things have happened."
Not many. And not here.
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