U.S. supports Aussies with practice attire

• By Rex Hoggard
• Nov 14, 2011 9:00 PM ET

MELBOURNE, Australia – No, that wasn’t the American team embracing “Green Week” at the Presidents Cup and captain Fred Couples wasn’t conceding the matches with his choice of uniforms on Tuesday.

The green shirt-white pants combo, the Australian national team colors, were a decision Couples made when he visited Australia last year for a Royal Melbourne walkthrough during the devastating floods that ravaged the area.

The 15 shirts – 12 players and three captains – will be auctioned off and proceeds will be donated to charities supported by the Australian Rules Football League. Couples said he hopes to raise about $25,000 from the auction.

“I just had this idea of coming here, and hopefully to be quite honest, getting a few Aussies behind us and thinking we are pretty nice to come here and raise some money,” Couples said.

Although high-minded, Couples said it is a one-time deal.

“I would never do this on Thursday (when the matches start),” Couples said. “A few players were a little bit mystified on why we are not wearing red, white and blue.”

The bigger mystery, at least for assistant captain Jay Haas, was the choice of white pants and a white belt. “I might have worn a white belt in high school, but never white pants,” he laughed.