Steve Stricker: Still determined to play in the Presidents Cup later this month.Steve Stricker has admitted he is still being troubled by the effects of a herniated disk problem, but insists he has no intention of pulling out of the forthcoming Presidents Cup. The 44-year-old has been managing the problem since last December and yet still managed two wins on the PGA Tour during the 2011 season.
Those victories ensured he qualified by right for Fred Couples' US team who will take on Greg Norman's International side later this month in Melbourne, Australia.
However, since being forced to withdraw from the BMW Championship in September there have been question marks about whether Stricker will be fit enough to compete.
The American was able to play and complete the Tour Championship the week after the BMW Championship, but has since being resting up and undergoing physiotherapy to try and improve his condition.
He has now confirmed that, while still bothered by the problem and its knock-on effects, he has put off surgery and intends to represent his country in Australia.
"My left arm feels a little bit different than my right," he explained to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "Opening a jar at home or whatever, I don't feel like I have the finger strength."
"My arm would have to be falling off for me not to play (in the Presidents Cup)."Steve Stricker Quotes of the week
But he was quick to add: "My arm would have to be falling off for me not to play."
US captain Fred Couples has already stated that he will call up USPGA winner Keegan Bradley should Stricker ultimately have to pull out.
If, as looks likely, Stricker does decide to play, it seems almost certain he will once again be paired with Tiger Woods - the man with whom he shared a perfect team record at the last Presidents Cup match.
Woods, despite his poor fitness and poor form this year, was guaranteed one of only two wildcard selections by Couples well in advance of the announcement deadline.
That prompted some, including Internationals captain Norman, to criticise Couples, with many of the opinion that Bradley was more worthy of a pick given his stellar season.
But Stricker has jumped to the defence of both Woods and his captain and feels the former world number one will prove his worth in Australia.
"I'm for it," he said of the decision to pick Woods. "I think it's a good thing.
"I don't know why Greg said what he did. He did basically the same thing with Adam Scott a couple years ago when Adam wasn't playing well. It kind of turned Adam's game around. So I don't know where that came from.
"I think it's great. I talk to Tiger through texting every now and then. He's really excited. We're looking forward to it. I think he'll be ready, too.
"He'll find a way to get it done. When you play him one on one, he'll find a way. Just like at the Ryder Cup last year. He trounced the guy he was playing (Francesco Molinari of Italy, 4 and 3, in singles). He loves match play."
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