Golf:Tiger Woods has already been told he will be part of America's team for the Presidents Cup in Melbourne in November.

Despite falling like a stone down the world rankings, giving his worst-ever performance in a major at the USPGA Championship two weeks ago and missing out on the FedEx Cup play-offs, Woods has an assurance from captain Fred Couples that he will be one of his two wild cards.

"I told him that he's going to be on the team," said Couples. "The question came up and there's no reason for me to wait until September 26th to pick Tiger.

"He's the best player in the world forever. Is he playing well right now? No. He almost won Augusta four months ago, so you don't do that by playing poor golf."

With Woods not scheduled to play again before the team is decided, Couples will have shocked many people with his early decision.

Ten players qualify off a points list that runs through the FedEx Cup play-off series for the next month and Couples cannot be sure yet who will be in need of his other wild card pick.

Keegan Bradley, winner of the US PGA Championship in the first major appearance of his career, is only 18th on the current standings - Woods is 28th and certain to drop further - while Jim Furyk, Rickie Fowler and Zach Johnson are not in the top 10 either.

How they will feel if they miss out remains to be seen, especially as Woods could well be outside the game's top 50 by the time of the match.

Woods has yet to comment on Couples showing such faith in him.

After finishing fourth in the Masters he missed the US Open and Open because of knee and Achilles tendon injuries, then finished only 37th out of 76 on his return at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and a week later shot 77-73 to crash out of the final major of the year by six shots. He was joint 116th in a field of 153.

The 14-major winner lost the world number one spot to Lee Westwood last October and has slumped this year from second to 36th - his lowest position since early 1997, during his first full season as a professional.