Assistant Captain Cook Is At Tiger's Service

Reading Bill Fields' report on John Cook's Schwab Cup presser a day after being named as Tiger's Melbourne valet assistant captain, one gets the feeling should Tiger need his nose blown at Royal Melbourne, "Cookie" will have Presidents Cup logoed hankies ready to go.

"Certainly my relationship with Tiger was probably an issue that helped Fred make [this] decision," Cook said. "We're very close. I believe in what he's doing. I believe in Tiger Woods. I'm an old friend of his. If I can make him at all feel comfortable doing anything, that's my role.

"I know he likes to show off [his game] in front of me, too.

Okay, that was creepy...

I've seen the best stuff I've ever seen in my life. I always tell him, 'Why don't you just go out there and do that.' So maybe he'll do that, and relax a little bit, knowing he's got a compadre there who really does care about him genuinely as a friend, as somebody that really cares and really believes in what he's doing. Not may people now believe in what he's doing. It might be nice [for Woods] to have somebody there, not question him, but to help."

Speaking of Hankies, Cook also had this to say of Tiger's other valets in the swing instruction department.

Count Cook among those who think Woods' work with instructor Sean Foley will pay off eventually. "I listened to Tiger and Hank [Haney] for six years," Cook said. "I never quite got it, to be honest. Nothing against Hank. I love the man. Have known him for 20 years. I just didn't quite get what they were trying to do. Tiger won a lot of golf tournaments using that. But I think he won because he was Tiger Woods, not because of Hank Haney. I think this [Foley method], is going to work as well, what he's doing right now."

Another positive of having Cook and Jay Haas as assistant captains was brought to light by Rex Hoggard, who said if there is an early week injury either could be called upon to play.

According to the captain’s agreement for the matches, “in the event of illness, injury or any other emergency, a team member may be replaced prior to 6 p.m. local time, Wednesday of tournament week. The captain will have the ability to select any eligible player to replace a player who has withdrawn, regardless of his standing on the respective point or money list used to determine eligibility.”

When informed either Cook or Haas could step in Couples seemed open to the idea. “I would have to get the grace of the guys on the team, but I would not want one of Norman’s guys to have to sit,” he said.

After Wednesday’s 6 p.m. deadline neither captain would be allowed to replace an injured player in the lineup. After that Norman and Couples will submit an envelope with a player’s name. In the event of an American withdrawal, for example, the player listed in Norman’s envelope would sit out the matches and the points would be split.