Golf-International team captain Weir names Presidents Cup assistants

FILE PHOTO: Apr 11, 2024; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Mike Weir plays his shot from the fourth tee during the first round of the Masters Tournament. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo

By Frank Pingue

(Reuters) – International team captain Mike Weir on Monday announced Ernie Els, Trevor Immelman, Geoff Ogilvy and Camilo Villegas as his four assistants for this year’s Presidents Cup showdown against the United States in Montreal.

The 2024 edition of the biennial competition, which pits a 12-man U.S. team against a lineup of international players from outside Europe, will be played from Sept. 26-29 at The Royal Montreal Golf Club.

“The four of them each have their own special history with this event and today’s announcement is a mere formality, as we have been working closely together through the years to ensure the International team continues its momentum from 2019 and 2022,” Canada’s Weir, the 2003 Masters champion, said.

“The culture and close-knit nature tied to this team is foundational to everything we will do heading into Montreal, and I can’t wait to work alongside them to deliver a great week of golf for our players.”

Els, who served as an assistant in 2017 before being named captain in 2019, is a 19-times winner on the PGA Tour who has competed in eight Presidents Cups and holds the record for most matches won by an International team player with 20.

For 2008 Masters champion Immelman, who competed for the International team in 2005 and 2007 and served as team captain in 2022, this will mark his second stint as an assistant after first serving under fellow South African Els in 2019.

Australia’s Ogilvy, who counts the 2006 U.S. Open among his eight PGA Tour wins, will be in his fourth stint as a captain’s assistant after having played on three consecutive International teams starting in 2007.

Colombia’s Villegas, a five-times winner on the PGA Tour, returns after making his debut as a captain’s assistant in 2022 at Quail Hollow Club where the United States earned a ninth consecutive Presidents Cup victory.

The U.S. are 12-1-1 in the Ryder Cup-style competition with their only loss coming at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia in 1998.

Royal Montreal is the oldest golf club in North America and in addition to hosting the Presidents Cup in 2007 has also held the Canadian Open on 10 occasions, most recently in 2014.

Jim Furyk, a 17-times winner on the PGA Tour, is the U.S. team captain.

(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Ken Ferris)