Woods holds talks over 2019 pre-Presidents Cup schedule

Tiger Woods said on Thursday he was keen to be a playing captain at next year's Presidents Cup, and he will draw on his recent Ryder Cup experience to help him out.

Two of the biggest names in world sport, Tiger Woods and Ernie Els are in Melbourne as captains of the US and International Teams respectively for the 2019 Presidents Cup at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club.

A year out, Tiger Woods is already looking at whether he can become a playing captain at the Presidents Cup.

"We'll see what happens as we have to figure some of the logistical things between now and then and that's one of the reasons I'm here", said Woods.

Only three-time major victor Hale Irwin has played the Cup as a captain when he performed dual roles in the inaugural 1994 event.

The only time in the 24-year Presidents Cup history that the United States team has tasted defeat was at Royal Melbourne back in 1998.

"We've got a few meetings here today to try to get a plan going forward so we can get the best that we can at the Hero as well as get everyone here from the Bahamas rested and prepared and ready to play".

"We didn't have the wraparound schedule like we do now. The guys took quite a bit of time off and, quite frankly, we weren't prepared to play, and we got smoked".

"Now fast forward to next year, I'll be a captain, so I'm going to have to defer a lot of information to my vice-captains and get a lot of their opinions and also my team, whether or not I can play and do both roles". If not, they'll stay competitive, stay sharp.

Merely 48 hours before the start of the Presidents Cup - and Woods said he needed to ensure they would still be fresh.

Woods said that American team weren't tournament-ready and suffered the consequences but circumstances were different now. "Hopefully I'm part of the top eight".

Woods has played the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne twice - in 1998 and 2011. "If not, myself and my vice-captains will have to figure out the next four guys who are best served to be part of this team".

The former long-time world No.1 is travelling with his partner, Erica Herman, and his two children but is having a rest from playing after a ground-breaking season on the US PGA Tour where he won for the first time in five years and after four back operations.

Only Hale Irwin has played the Presidents Cup as a captain when he performed dual roles for the U.S.in the inaugural 1994 event.

Woods was initially picked by captain Jim Furyk to be a vice-captain at 2018's Ryder Cup, but he dropped out of the role after forcing his way into the team as a player. Both teams will have eight qualifiers and four captain's picks, with the USA likely to feature superstars Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth and three-time Major champion Brooks Koepka.

Woods said he didn't think Royal Melbourne had changed much in the seven years since he last visited Australia.

"It really hasn't; it looks about the same", Woods said.