How Greg Norman reacted after Tiger Woods was picked for the Presidents Cup instead of Keegan Bradley in 2011

While Tiger Woods is the greatest golfer of all time, his selection for the 2011 Presidents Cup was a controversial one.

Tiger Woods fell to as low as 50th in the Official World Golf Rankings, had not won on the PGA Tour since 2009, and had only played a limited schedule of tournaments during the season. He was widely considered out of form, leaving captain Fred Couples in an unenviable position.

Based on his recent performances alone, there’s no way Woods should have been on the team. But it would have taken a brave man to leave him at home as Team USA headed to Melbourne. So Couples selected Woods for the Presidents Cup.

The unlucky man to be left off the team was Keegan Bradley. He had just won on his major championship debut, beating Jason Dufner in a playoff to claim the 2011 PGA Championship.

Bradley is now synonymous with his misfortune in American team events, and even in 2011, International captain Greg Norman said he felt sorry for the 25-year-old.

Greg Norman said Tiger Woods should not have been selected for the 2011 Presidents Cup

Norman, who has had plenty to say about Woods over the past quarter of a century, said Couples should not have taken Woods over Bradley.

The International captain, while preparing to lead his team in his home country of Australia, explained: “I can understand the name of a Tiger Woods and his history of what he’s done on the golf course.

“But I pick the guys who I think are ready to get in there and play and have performed to the highest levels leading up to it.”

Even back in 2011, Norman recognized Bradley’s passion for representing Team USA. The Australian said how badly he felt for the PGA Championship winner.

Norman continued: “He’s a young guy. He likes the Presidents Cup. He loves the idea of playing for his country, and he’s not. So I feel for him.”

It wasn’t the last time Bradley was snubbed for Team USA, but that medicine may have gone down a little easier than it did when he missed out on the 2023 Ryder Cup, knowing it was Woods who had taken his place.

But even with the benefit of hindsight, it’s still difficult to say whether Couples made the right call.

How Tiger Woods got on at the 2011 Presidents Cup

Couples’ Team USA won the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne 19-15, with Woods contributing two points to the team. But it wasn’t smooth sailing for the 15-time major winner.

Woods, alongside Steve Stricker, was beaten by the largest ever margin in foursomes history at the Presidents Cup, falling 7&6 to Adam Scott and KJ Choi.

He would then lose both of his fourball sessions with Dustin Johnson, and took his only team win of the week on Saturday morning, getting revenge over Scott and Choi. That continued the trend of Woods’ poor record in team events.

But when it mattered most, Woods delivered. He secured the decisive point, winning the Presidents Cup by beating Aaron Baddeley 4&3 in singles.

So while his performance overall was a disappointment, he stepped up when the lights were brightest to deliver the victory as he had done countless times during his esteemed career.