Couples was 'nervous wreck' watching battle for spots

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David Toms and Fred Couples (shown here in 2005) will make the trip together to Royal Melbourne in November.

LEMONT, Ill. -- In the end, the players who entered the week in the best position to make their respective Presidents Cup teams on merit managed to seal the deal on Sunday at the BMW Championship.

Not that there wasn't some sweating at various points along the way. Including by the U.S. captain himself.

"I was a nervous wreck pretty much all day yesterday and today," U.S. captain Fred Couples said Sunday night.

He wasn't alone.

For instance, Jim Furyk started the week ninth on the U.S. team list and was in good shape after three rounds. But he shot a 5-over 76 on Sunday and walked off the 18th green at Cog Hill not knowing whether he had secured one of the 10 automatic berths for this year's Presidents Cup in Australia.

"I had my opportunity," Furyk told reporters right after his round. "We'll see how it falls."

Furyk did fall ... but only to 10th, which gave him the final automatic spot.

At one point, it appeared Furyk might be pushed out of a spot by Bill Haas, the son of U.S. assistant captain Jay Haas. But Bill Haas dropped six strokes on his back nine to eliminate any chance he had of joining his father.

"I was just trying to finish well in the tournament and I just kept leaking oil and kept hitting bad shots," Haas said.

David Toms and Brandt Snedeker started the day with the same score and were paired together in the final round. Toms was 10th in Presidents Cup points and Snedeker was 11th. If Snedeker could rise high enough above Toms on the leaderboard, he could pass him in the standings.

Instead, it was Toms who came up big, shooting even-par 71 to Snedeker's 74. That was good enough to move Toms to eighth in the standings.

"I've worked hard and I look forward to going over there and being part of the team," Toms said.

Meanwhile, Snedeker was left having to hope he'd get one of Fred Couples' captain's picks.

"If I don't get picked, I've had two years to qualify," Snedeker said. "I can't blame Freddie for anything that happens. It's all on me.

"I take comfort knowing that at the beginning of the week, I had a chance to control my destiny this week. I just didn't do it."

On the International side, Australian Geoff Ogilvy started the week in the top 10 and sealed his spot with a third-place finish. He was the only player to shoot all four rounds in the 60s at Cog Hill.

Ogilvy

Ogilvy, who owns a home that backs up to Royal Melbourne, desperately wanted to make the team. But he knew that if fellow Aussie John Senden managed to overtake Justin Rose and win the tournament, then Senden might have a shot to move inside the top 10.

As it turned out, Ogilvy moved up to seventh in the list, vaulting ahead of Ernie Els, Y.E. Yang and Ryo Ishikawa. He was pumped about not only making the Presidents Cup team but moving into the top 30 who advance to next week's TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola. Ogilvy started the week 69th in FedExCup points.

"It just so much fun to play those last few holes with a chance to win and just the added element of other stuff going on," Ogilvy said. "I enjoy that."

Senden, meanwhile, also will play at East Lake. Like Snedeker, he hopes that another good showing might be enough to nab one of Greg Norman's captains picks.

Captain's picks will be announced on the Tuesday after the TOUR Championship.

"You never know," Senden said. "I would be proud to represent The Presidents Cup team if I was in."