Any patriotic tournament be it the Ryder Cup, Solheim Cup or the Presidents Cup is a battle of identities. While for the first two, the territory is clearly marked – Europe and the USA – for the Presidents Cup it’s more fluid. 

Earlier, if you recall, the International Tam played under different flags. But Ernie Els wanted to offer the Presidents Cup a unique identity. The South African International wanted to have a banner that represented what the International Team values. 

Hence, when he took the Captain’s mantle from Nick Price in 2017, the first thing he did was ideate on a logo. But how do you represent the vast diversity of the International team? Consider the 2024 Presidents Cup. Hideki Matsuyama and Corey Conners live thousands of miles apart. 

Els wanted to infuse a tradition that would transcend all boundaries, and offer a common goal that would unite everyone. After much deliberation, three factors were considered. One, flag, two shields, and lastly Celtic knot. 

The flag represents both golf and the country. Whereas, shields represent strength. Els learned the value of the shield symbol from his friends in the military. The Celtic Knot stands for unity. 

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Els’s manager, Rob Goulet, roped in Jeff Costa. Costa had prior experience in designing logos for Sports teams that featured shields. Then it was a matter of trying out different design ideas. After roughly three dozen attempts, Els was on board with Costa’s vision. Soon, the rest of the team as well. 

Speaking at that time, Adam Scott, who is going to make his 11th Presidents Cup appearance this year, said, “Hopefully, this is the start of a new culture for the International Team.” They came close to sealing victory in Melbourne but eventually succumbed to the American onslaught. 

But Els imparted a value that stayed with the team. Ernie Els was very adamant that each country’s flag should feature in the logo. How do you accomplish such a vast task? Els figured out a way.

Every International player has to chance to represent their country

In a clip shared by PGA Tour, Ernie Els, shared, “America is 500 million people, but the rest of the world is 6 billion. So, you’re representing a huge mass of very skilled people.” The 19-time PGA Tour winner wanted to make sure the players still feel that they are also representing their nation’s flag. 

If you look closely, you will notice there is a gap between the two coats of arms in the flag. An empty space in the middle. That’s where an individual player’s flag sits. The logo is now on every caddie’s bib and every player’s jersey. 

So, there is a scope for retaining individuality amid a confluence of cultures. Interestingly, Els didn’t divulge the full details of its meaning. There are still a few secrets that only stay inside the locker room. The 2024 Presidents Cup tees off this Thursday. It remains to be seen if the International Team can finally break their Presidents Cup curse.