The selection process for the European Ryder Cup Team will remain unchanged. The team selection formula, which was used in the sucessful campaigns for 2004 and 2006 will also be used for Ryder Cup 2008 team selection. Nick Faldo quipped that the “if it aint broke – don’t fix it” maxim applies!
The Ryder Cup Team, which is made of of 12 players will be determined as follows:
5 Players qualify through the Ryder Cup World Points List – based on World Ranking points accumulated from all world ranked tournaments over a 12 month period
5 Platers qualify through The Ryder Cup European Points List – based on money won in European Tour Order of Merit tournaments
2 Players are chosen as Captains Picks – by European Captain Nick Faldo
For more detail on the selection mechanism see our article on qualifying for the Ryder Cup
The selection criteria as published by the PGA are as follows:
The European Team will be selected employing the following criteria:
(a) The leading five players on The Ryder Cup World Points List (1) as of Sunday, August 31, 2008, or at the conclusion of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, whichever is the latter. In the event of a tie (equal number of points accumulated), placings will be decided by the player with the higher ranking on the Official World Golf Ranking as of Monday, August 25, 2008.
(b) The leading five players, not otherwise qualified (having selected the five players from The Ryder Cup World Points List (a) above), from The Ryder Cup European Points List (2) as of Sunday, August 31, 2008, or at the conclusion of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, whichever is the latter. In the event of a tie (equal number of points accumulated), placings will be decided by the player with the higher ranking on the 2008 European Tour Order of Merit as of August 31, 2008, or at the conclusion of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, whichever is the latter.
(c) The Captain, Nick Faldo, will choose the remaining two players for The 2008 European Ryder Cup Team.
(1) The Ryder Cup World Points List is comprised of World Ranking Points won by a European Tour Member from each tournament in which he participates between September 6, 2007 and August 25, 2008 and thereafter in the 2008 Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles. World Ranking Points are allocated to all officially sanctioned tournaments (on any Federated Tour) by the Official World Golf Ranking and are allocated according to the Event Rating of the tournament.
(2) The Ryder Cup European Points List is comprised of points (1 point = 1 Euro) earned by a European Tour Member from all officially sanctioned European Tour tournaments on The European Tour Order of Merit between September 6, 2007 and August 31, 2008 or the conclusion of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, whichever is the latter.