The PGA Championship that tees off on Thursday isn't just the last chance to win a major in 2012, it's also the last chance for American golfers to claim an automatic berth on the 2012 Ryder Cup team. For European golfers, the PGA is the second-to-last tournament for Team Europe's Ryder Cup points lists.
Here are the eight golfers who currently hold the automatic qualifying spots for Team USA (and points for each):
1. Tiger Woods, 5,727.613
2. Jason Dufner, 5,593.502
3. Bubba Watson, 5,528.483
4. Keegan Bradley, 4,782.206
5. Webb Simpson, 4,635.500
6. Zach Johnson, 4,461.544
7. Matt Kuchar, 4,448.942
8. Phil Mickelson, 4,163.608
And the next golfers down the line, still hoping to automatically qualify:
9. Hunter Mahan, 4,082.228
10. Steve Stricker, 3,563.069
11. Jim Furyk, 3,318.116
12. Rickie Fowler, 3,313.338
13. Brandt Snedeker, 3,176.787
14. Dustin Johnson, 3,002.770
15. Bo Van Pelt, 2,952.981
16. Bill Haas, 2,460.767
17. Robert Garrigus, 2,459.247
18. Scott Piercy, 2,379.096
19. Kyle Stanley, 2,341.219
20. Kevin Na, 2,309.783
The eight automatic qualifiers will be confirmed following the conclusion of the PGA Championship, and Team USA captain Davis Love III will add four captain's picks that will be announced on Sept. 4.
Perhaps the most interesting possible development for Team USA would be Phil Mickelson dropping out of automatic qualifying. Would Love pick Mickelson as a captain's selection? Mickelson is the all-time losingest Ryder Cup player among Americans, and he hasn't been playing well over the second half of the year. There's also the question of whether Mickelson, should he fail to automatically qualify, would want a captain's pick. With his recent play, his health concerns, his devotion to family vacations, one has to wonder if this is the year Mickelson stops playing Ryder Cup. But we're getting ahead of ourselves - Phil might play great at the PGA and lock down a spot. Or Love might find it difficult to imagine a USA Ryder Cup team without Mickelson.
For Team Europe golfers, the PGA is the penultimate points-earning opportunity. Europe's automatic qualifiers will be announced following the conclusion of the Johnnie Walker Championship, which is scheduled for Aug. 26. Captain Jose Maria Olazabal will follow with two captain's picks.
Europe picks its team starting with the Top 5 players on the European Points list. The automatic qualifiers from that list, as of today, are:
Rory McIlroy
Justin Rose
Graeme McDowell
Paul Lawrie
Francesco Molinari
Next, Team Europe adds the five highest players not already accounted for by the Euro Points from the World Points list. Those five players, today, are:
Luke Donald
Lee Westwood
Peter Hanson
Martin Kaymer
Sergio Garcia
Among those currently on the outside of automatic selection are Nicolas Colsaerts, Ian Poulter, Padraid Harrington and Miguel Angel Jimenez.
The 2012 Ryder Cup takes place Sept. 28-30 at Medinah Country Club near Chicago.
On the Web:
Team USA points list
Team Europe Euro Points list
Team Europe World Points list
See also:
Here are the eight golfers who currently hold the automatic qualifying spots for Team USA (and points for each):
1. Tiger Woods, 5,727.613
2. Jason Dufner, 5,593.502
3. Bubba Watson, 5,528.483
4. Keegan Bradley, 4,782.206
5. Webb Simpson, 4,635.500
6. Zach Johnson, 4,461.544
7. Matt Kuchar, 4,448.942
8. Phil Mickelson, 4,163.608
And the next golfers down the line, still hoping to automatically qualify:
9. Hunter Mahan, 4,082.228
10. Steve Stricker, 3,563.069
11. Jim Furyk, 3,318.116
12. Rickie Fowler, 3,313.338
13. Brandt Snedeker, 3,176.787
14. Dustin Johnson, 3,002.770
15. Bo Van Pelt, 2,952.981
16. Bill Haas, 2,460.767
17. Robert Garrigus, 2,459.247
18. Scott Piercy, 2,379.096
19. Kyle Stanley, 2,341.219
20. Kevin Na, 2,309.783
The eight automatic qualifiers will be confirmed following the conclusion of the PGA Championship, and Team USA captain Davis Love III will add four captain's picks that will be announced on Sept. 4.
Perhaps the most interesting possible development for Team USA would be Phil Mickelson dropping out of automatic qualifying. Would Love pick Mickelson as a captain's selection? Mickelson is the all-time losingest Ryder Cup player among Americans, and he hasn't been playing well over the second half of the year. There's also the question of whether Mickelson, should he fail to automatically qualify, would want a captain's pick. With his recent play, his health concerns, his devotion to family vacations, one has to wonder if this is the year Mickelson stops playing Ryder Cup. But we're getting ahead of ourselves - Phil might play great at the PGA and lock down a spot. Or Love might find it difficult to imagine a USA Ryder Cup team without Mickelson.
For Team Europe golfers, the PGA is the penultimate points-earning opportunity. Europe's automatic qualifiers will be announced following the conclusion of the Johnnie Walker Championship, which is scheduled for Aug. 26. Captain Jose Maria Olazabal will follow with two captain's picks.
Europe picks its team starting with the Top 5 players on the European Points list. The automatic qualifiers from that list, as of today, are:
Rory McIlroy
Justin Rose
Graeme McDowell
Paul Lawrie
Francesco Molinari
Next, Team Europe adds the five highest players not already accounted for by the Euro Points from the World Points list. Those five players, today, are:
Luke Donald
Lee Westwood
Peter Hanson
Martin Kaymer
Sergio Garcia
Among those currently on the outside of automatic selection are Nicolas Colsaerts, Ian Poulter, Padraid Harrington and Miguel Angel Jimenez.
The 2012 Ryder Cup takes place Sept. 28-30 at Medinah Country Club near Chicago.
On the Web:
Team USA points list
Team Europe Euro Points list
Team Europe World Points list
See also:
Comments