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Sports

Thursday October 8, 2009

US armed with a secret weapon — Michael Jordan

RETIRED basketball superstar Michael Jordan will serve as an assistant for United States captain Fred Couples at the Presidents Cup this week, helping the hosts develop their mental toughness.

“By the time we finish working on them, everybody’s going to think they’re Tiger Woods,” Jordan said.

Couples recruited Jordan, a huge golf fan and close friend of world number one Tiger Woods, to help deliver a confidence boost to younger players and newcomers.

Jordan played a practice round at Harding Park with US Open champion Lucas Glover, Hunter Mahan and Sean O’Hair, Jordan’s “biggest project” for the week.

“Freddy came to me and basically said that’s your guy,” Jordan said. “He’s a great kid. He needs a little hugging. He needs a little patting. He still needs to believe in himself. If he believed in himself, he could be so much better.”

Jordan, who plays golf six days a week, uses the sport to ease the competitive drive he once poured into basketball. Now he is using the mental toughness learned in the NBA to help golfers overcome their worries.

“These guys when they see Tiger or Freddy or Phil (Mickelson) or some other guys, they don’t think they’re on the same level. But they are. They are just as good, if not better in some ways,” Jordan said.

“If I can do anything to help them it’s to instill that confidence. That’s what my value is.

“It’s not my golf swing. It’s not my game. It’s not my putter I think it’s more the mental aspect than anything.” — AFP

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