Meet the first eight members of the U.S. Ryder Cup team
The PGA Championship marked the end of the U.S. Ryder Cup qualification process, and while no positions changed hands, there's plenty of drama to consider with both the players in the mix and those still on the outside.
First, let's see who's a definite for Medinah in a few weeks, in order of their finish in the standings:
1. Tiger Woods. Won three tournaments, though not majors, therefore he's a failure in most people's eyes.
2. Bubba Watson. Got himself a fancy new green jacket.
3. Jason Dufner. Perhaps the steadiest player on Tour, an irony considering how he lost last year's PGA to...
4. Keegan Bradley. Staying strong and fast developing into one of the best young Americans in the game.
5. Webb Simpson. Won the U.S. Open. That'll do.
6. Zach Johnson.Victories at Crowne Plaza and John Deere highlight a resurgent year.
7. Matt Kuchar. A top-10 machine, with a highlight win at The Players.
8. Phil Mickelson. Barely squeaked in during an unspectacular one-win year for him. Probably saved himself from a humiliating exclusion.
Davis Love III now has a tough choice for the final four spots, which he'll announce on Sept. 4 in advance of the Sept. 28-30 tournament. Hunter Mahan, Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk and Rickie Fowler are the next four in line, but would you leave off one of them in favor of Bo Van Pelt or Brandt Snedeker? How about Dustin Johnson or nerves-of-steel Bill Haas? There are three tournaments between now and Selection Day; watching these players go at it like gentlemen callers trying to catch Scarlett O'Hara's eye will be fun.
