This could be the most hotly contested Ryder Cup ever – and we’re talking about just making the team.
So, each Monday, GolfChannel.com will take a way-too-early look at the players who are vying for one of the 12 spots on the team. Nine players make their squad via their respective points list, and both captain Tom Watson and Paul McGinley will have three wild-card picks apiece.
AMERICANS
The current top 12:
1. Bubba Watson, 6,258
2. Jimmy Walker, 4,459
3. Matt Kuchar, 3,925
4. Dustin Johnson, 3,759
5. Jordan Spieth, 3,548
6. Patrick Reed, 3,038
7. Harris English, 2,680
8. Jason Dufner, 2,668
9. Phil Mickelson, 2,662
10. Zach Johnson, 2,597
11. Chris Kirk, 2,298
12. Webb Simpson, 2,214
Notes:
• No player moved inside the top 12 in points, but Matt Kuchar solidified his potential spot on the team with a victory at the RBC Heritage, his fourth consecutive top 5 on the PGA Tour. He jumped from No. 6 to No. 3 on the points list. Kooch has been on every U.S. team since 2010.
• Phil Mickelson, who didn’t play last week on Hilton Head, dropped another spot in the standings, to No. 9.
• This week’s Where is Tiger? update: He dropped from No. 45 to No. 47.
EUROPEANS
European Points List (top 4 qualify)
1. Victor Dubuisson, 2,297,434
2. Jamie Donaldson, 2,165,473
3. Thomas Bjorn, 1,932,606
4. Henrik Stenson, 1,718,866
5. Ian Poulter, 1,688,388
6. Joost Luiten, 1,300,177
7. Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, 1,254,874
8. Sergio Garcia, 1,186,966
9. Miguel Angel Jimenez, 1,164,953
10. Justin Rose, 955,704
World Points List (top 5)
1. Henrik Stenson, 275
2. Sergio Garcia, 203
3. Rory McIlroy, 157
4. Thomas Bjorn, 154
5. Victor Dubuisson, 150
6. Jamie Donaldson, 140
7. Luke Donald, 130
8. Ian Poulter, 122
9. Justin Rose, 102
10. Miguel Angel Jimenez, 99
Notes:
• Luke Donald rose from No. 9 to No. 7 on the World Points List after his runner-up finish at Harbour Town.
• Lee Westwood ended a 22-month winless drought with a seven-shot victory in Malaysia. That put him back in the Ryder Cup mix, as the Englishman sits 11th and 13th on the European and World points lists, respectively.
• Miguel Angel Jimenez won in his Champions Tour debut in the States, which followed a fourth-place finish at the Masters, but the Spaniard didn’t move up in either list.
