Golf: Scott ready for showdown with Tiger

International team captain Greg Norman says Adam Scott would love to take on Tiger Woods at this week's Presidents Cup.

While there's no history of animosity between Scott and Woods - in fact it's difficult to find anyone in professional golf who dislikes Scott - the same can't be said of Woods' relationship with his former caddie Steve Williams.

Williams made global headlines little more than a week ago when he made a derogatory slur against Woods at a caddie awards function in Shanghai.

Even though Woods and Williams bumped into each other at the Australian Open in Sydney last week, and had a short conversation to clear the air, it would be naive to think it's been forgotten.

Therefore, things might be a bit frosty if Scott and Woods go head to head at Royal Melbourne with Williams carrying the Australian's bag.

Scott made the point on Sunday that there are hundreds of people involved in tour golf and that it would be impossible for everyone to get along.

"There are tons of people on tour and not everyone likes everyone, but we're all professionals and we have jobs to do,'' he said before leaving for Melbourne.

Asked what he thought about the prospect of playing Woods, Scott continued: "If that's the right thing, I'm not going to avoid it.''

Norman sounded a similar note: "I don't think it will affect Tiger or Adam, if that happens,'' he said. "Both of them will step up and try to win the point.

"I asked Adam, if it plays out that way, are you going to be okay with it? He said 'yeah, I'd love it'.''

At the Presidents Cup, unlike the USA versus Europe Ryder Cup, the match-ups are chosen by the captains, in alternate order.

But Norman suggested he won't put Scott against Woods simply for box office value.

Norman was upset when he was forced to play Woods in singles at the 1998 Presidents Cup, because he believed that it wasn't necessarily the best thing for the team.

"If it happens, it happens. It is not going to be premeditated. He (Scott) might end up playing (Woods) every day. Who knows? I'd expect them to meet some time from Thursday onwards.''

While Norman and Scott headed for Melbourne, the top two finishers at the Australian Open were left behind.

Neither champion Greg Chalmers nor runner-up John Senden made the International team, although Senden came close, losing out on the final captain's pick to Aaron Baddeley.

Chalmers was never in the running, despite a solid season on the US PGA Tour.

"The irony is that I won the Australian Open last time the week before the Presidents Cup,'' he said, referring to 1998.

"I set as a goal at the start of the year to try to make the team. I did not play well enough. I did not even come close. I'll do what everyone else does and watch it on TV.''

- AAP