LOS ANGELES, Nov 8 — Tiger Woods will be a playing captain when he leads the United States against an International team in the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne next month.

Woods, who claimed his 15th major title at the Masters in April and won his 82nd US PGA Tour title at the Zozo Championship in Japan in October, named himself among four captain’s picks for the 12-man team yesterday, along with US Open champion Gary Woodland, former Masters champion Patrick Reed and Tony Finau.

Woods will be the first playing captain in the Presidents Cup since American Hale Irwin in the inaugural edition in 1994.

The US superstar admitted in a conference call to announce his captain’s selections that piloting the team and playing would be "a lot of work.”

But the decision had been widely expected since his victory  at the Zozo Championship — his first outing since arthroscopic knee surgery two months ago.

The Presidents Cup, a match play event modelled on the Ryder Cup that pits a non-European International team against the Americans, will be held December 12-15 at Royal Melbourne. — AFP