USA: GOLF - U.S. Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman believes his team can reclaim the trophy from Europe next week in Ireland and expects Tiger Woods to be the key to victory.

U.S. Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman believes his team can reclaim the treasured trophy from Europe next week in Ireland and expects Tiger Woods to be the key to victory. "He can lead by being Tiger Woods and playing golf like he plays golf. If he does that he's going to be successful and his success is success for the team. Its what gives the team confidence and seeing your best player do well and get their points is worth their weight in gold. On top of that he's already taken the role as a leader, vocally in support of our team with the young guys and the more he does that..its very important, what he does what he says, how he acts and how he performs," he told Reuters. Your stars have to be your stars," Lehman said to a group of reporters on Tuesday (September 12) at a roundtable interview at an Irish pub near Times Square. Woods, on an amazing streak of five tournament victories in a row including the British Open and PGA Championship, has failed in the past to find success at Ryder Cup matches. The undisputed world number one has a Ryder record of seven wins, 11 losses and two halves in four previous competitions. "More than anybody I know, Tiger wants to win no matter what," the captain said about the U.S. capturing their first Ryder win since the 1999 matches in Brookline, Mass. Lehman said he was leaning toward pairing him with Jim Furyk, the world's second-hottest golfer, who teamed with Woods last year to win two of three Presidents Cup matches and halve the other. Furyk, who won last week's Canadian Open, has six top-five finishes in his last seven events. Lehman said Woods has embraced a leadership role on the U.S. team, taking out to dinner the four unheralded Ryder rookies -- Vaughn Taylor, J.J. Henry, Zach Johnson and Brett Wetterich -- for a bonding session. "You know lack of experience doesn't mean lack of talent so I don't worry about that a whole lot. I think that sometimes the lack of experience gets you focusing and sharper. In addition they bring a whole new energy to the team that the team hasn't had for a few Ryder Cups. Its been a very veteran team and so the first time guys have a kind of wide-eyed wonder type of attitude and that can be invigorating for the guys who have been around for awhile," Lehman said. Lehman said Phil Mickelson was itching to play and would be a good partner for the likes of Chris DiMarco or David Toms. The Americans showed their determination to bring back the trophy when all 12 players boarded a plane for Ireland in August and practised two days at The K Club, site of the Ryder Cup matches beginning on September 22.

ITN Source | September 15, 2006

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