Presidents Cup: Predicting Captain Woods' 4 picks for Team USA

After winning PGA Tour title No. 82 in Japan, Tiger Woods' focus is shifting to his captaincy duties for the upcoming Presidents Cup in Australia.

The American has a number of viable candidates to choose from, including himself. The decision won't be easy for Tiger, but whomever he selects will add to an already loaded United States roster that's heavily favored to win its 11th Presidents Cup in 13 competitions.

These golfers have already qualified through points:

• Brooks Koepka
• Justin Thomas
• Dustin Johnson
• Patrick Cantlay
• Xander Schauffele
• Webb Simpson
• Matt Kuchar
• Bryson DeChambeau

Here are the predictions for Woods' four remaining spots.

Tiger's picks

Tiger Woods

The easiest decision Tiger has to make is picking himself. His role as a player-captain was up for debate after he limped to the finish line last season and underwent his fifth left knee surgery. However, Woods removed all doubts about his game with his remarkable victory in Japan. The Zozo Championship winner will become the second player-captain in Presidents Cup history. Hale Irwin was the first during the inaugural event in 1994.

Gary Woodland

Gary Woodland will be rewarded with his first opportunity to represent the red, white, and blue after his career-best season on the PGA Tour. The 2019 U.S. Open champion is a lock to make the trip to Australia, especially after recording back-to-back top-five results during the Asian swing. He'll fit in perfectly with his teammates while gaining valuable experience for a future Ryder Cup position.

Tony Finau

Tony Finau was the last man cut from receiving an automatic qualifying bid, which is a good enough reason to be selected by Woods for one of the four remaining spots. Even though the 30-year-old doesn't have a win on his resume, his stunning consistency is a valuable asset. Finau also earned two of America's 10.5 total points in Paris.

Rickie Fowler

While he hasn't played since the Tour Championship due to his wedding and honeymoon, it's hard to imagine an American team without Rickie Fowler. He finished 11th on the points list and is liked by everyone on the team, which helps given that other members will likely be giving their input to Tiger. Fowler is solid, predictable, and an easy choice for Captain Woods.

1st man out

Patrick Reed

Patrick Reed is the odd man out for the United States' side despite the fact that Woods showed support for Captain America during last year's Paris debacle. Reed's late-season win at The Northern Trust only makes the decision more difficult for Tiger, but taking a break from the drama that always seems to follow the Ryder Cup stalwart would be a nice change for the Americans.

With that said, Reed could be added to the team if Koepka is unable to play with the knee injury that forced him to withdraw from the CJ Cup.

Don't take...

Jordan Spieth

Jordan Spieth's run of representing the United States for six straight team competitions is coming to an end. The 26-year-old's well-documented inconsistencies over the last year led to a 27th position on the qualifying points list. Being left off the roster won't help his wavering confidence, but time away from golf could be what he needs to regroup.

Captain's selections are due the week of Nov. 4. The Presidents Cup begins Dec. 12.