Communication was big key to success, says Captain Couples

SAN FRANCISCO (PA) -- Communication and teamwork will be key to the United States retaining the Ryder Cup in Wales next year, according to Presidents Cup-winning Captain Fred Couples.

The United States beat the International side 19 1/2 to 14 1/2 at Harding Park on Sunday with Couples getting the best out of the world's top three players -- Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Steve Stricker -- in a way many American Ryder Cup skippers have failed to do in the past.

Woods won all five of his matches, four of them in a partnership with Stricker that seems destined to be set in stone for Celtic Manor next September against Colin Montgomerie's European side, while Mickelson was also unbeaten, contributing 4 1/2 points to the American cause.

Asked what knowledge gained from his Presidents Cup experience he would pass on to 2010 Captain Corey Pavin, Couples emphasised the importance of building relationships with his players a long way out from tournament time.

"I knew what to say to these 12 guys, to be quite honest," Couples said of his players. "I picked a couple guys out, started texting them, talking to them, and they performed really, really well the last four or five weeks.

"Obviously there's a handful I didn't really need to bother, but I enjoyed bothering them," he added. "So I would tell Corey to bother them. Text them, make fun of them, make them feel like they are going to get ripped a little bit and make them feel like they are not going to hit every shot perfect.

"For me, I never put a walkie-talkie in my hand and never had a headset on," he explained. "I walked around and it was fun to watch people hit the ball, even on their team.

"They were magnificent, too," he said. "I only paid attention to my guys, and it's a different game when you're watching. And then I had more fun watching."

Mickelson thinks the Americans have benefited from the introduction of the FedExCup playoffs on the PGA Tour over the last three years, believing the U.S. players have gained an edge from the high intensity tournament play in the run-up to the team events.

"Our season pretty much ends with the FedExCup and what's been so nice has been having the FedExCup so close to the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup," Mickelson said.

"Without question it's helped, but it's been huge for me because rather than shutting it down for four to six weeks and then trying to get sharp for one event, it's easier to just carry the momentum and all that work and effort to getting your game in shape for the FedExCup.

"It's been huge for me, and I think it has really helped a lot of the other players."

Couples was delighted the Woods-Stricker pairing worked so well, unbeaten in both alternate-shot foursomes and fourballs, and providing the platform for an American victory.

"It was a fun thing to have Tiger and Steve beat up on everybody, for me, because I wanted Tiger to win every match, and I thought that was important to our team," Couples said.

"Every tournament Tiger plays, everyone wants to know what he's shooting and where he's at, and the Presidents Cup is no different," he added. "So for him and Steve to win every match, we basically shut their team down. We won every time and I think that was a big boost to us."

The world No. 1, who has a losing record in Ryder Cup foursomes (three wins, six losses and one half) and fourballs (4-6-0), was also happy to have found a compatible partner in Stricker.

"For me, it was a pleasure and an honor to play with Stricks," Woods said. "He was so solid and so consistent and did all of the right things at the right time. It was just a lot of fun to play with him.

"We really gelled well together. I think the important part also is that we read greens the same way, and that certainly helps," he added. "We had the same type of feel and roll and belief on how we can putt. It just seemed like we were able to read greens pretty easily because we putt the same way.

"But it was also nice to get out there and get up on the guys early," he said. "That's what you have to do in these 18-hole matches and we seemed to do that just about every single match."

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