Well if you fancy your chances of getting on the Ryder Cup team there’s 24 places up for grabs and here’s all you have to do.
Ryder Cup Team USA
The U.S. Ryder Cup Team is chosen on the basis of points earned on PGA Tour co-sponsored events from August 22nd 2004 until August 20th 2006. The points are compiled by The PGA of America. The top ten players on the points list qualify automatically for the 12-man team (for more details on points allocations check out the PGA website). Chances are if you are going to make this list you’re far too busy playing the pro-tour to be reading this but there’s still a chance. Each team captain gets to select the final two players to complement the team. Maybe it’s time you started petitioning the U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Tom Lehman. Check here to see how you (or your favourite player) is doing for getting on the team.
Ryder Cup Team Europe
With so many of the players on the European Tour “chasing the dollars” on the American circuit the qualification for the European Ryder Cup team is slightly different to that of Team USA.
The European Ryder Cup team is similarly based on points earned through competition however two events are used for selection: The Ryder Cup World Points List and the European Points List.
The Ryder Cup World Points List is comprised of Official World Golf Ranking points won by a European Tour Member from each tournament in which he participates between September 1, 2005 and September 3, 2006.
The second league at which points can be earned is The Ryder Cup European Points List. This list is comprised of points (1 point = 1 euro) earned by a European Tour Member from all officially sanctioned events counting towards The European Tour Order of Merit between September 1, 2005 and September 3, 2006.
The final team will comprise the leading five players from The Ryder Cup World Points list and the top five players from the Ryder Cup European Points List (not already qualified through the Ryder Cup World Points list) as of September 3, 2006.
As with Ryder Cup Team USA two further selections will be made by The European Team Captain, Ian Woosnam. It may be your only chance! (The latest press however has Woosnam warning those who hope to make the team as one of his picks to start competing in events in Europe – listen up Padraig Harrington and Lee Westwood!) See the latest Ryder Cup standings for Team Europe.
