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T.J.'s Team USA Weekly Analysis: August 4-10

The 38th Ryder Cup will be held Oct. 1-3, 2010, at The Celtic Manor Resort in City of Newport, Wales. Each week leading up to the matches, PGA.com Interactive Producer T.J. Auclair will provide analysis of the top 20 U.S. players in the latest standings. Go to the bottom of the page to learn how the U.S. Ryder Cup team is determined.

Player	Points	This Week	Last Week
Phil Mickelson	5,818.96300	1	1

T.J.'s Take: Once again, Mickelson had a golden opportunity to take the No. 1 spot in the world away from Tiger Woods. But, once again, he wasn't able to rise to the occasion. Mickelson was in the mix through most of the week at Firestone, but was derailed with a 78 in the final round to finish in a tie for 46th. Even still, Mickelson has locked up a spot on the U.S. Ryder Cup team.

Player	Points	This Week	Last Week
Hunter Mahan	4,043.75400	2	10

T.J.'s Take: So much for that slump, eh? Mahan had been playing some spotty golf all summer long, missing cuts left and right, which he rarely does. Obviously Mahan found something and it clicked. He fired a 6-under 64 in the final round at Firestone to win for the second time this season. With the victory, Mahan becomes the fifth multiple winner on Tour in 2010 and is very much in the hunt for Player of the Year honors. He's also secured his spot as a member of his second U.S. Ryder Cup team, jumping eight spots in the standings to No. 2.

Player	Points	This Week	Last Week
Jim Furyk	3,646.44200	3	2

T.J.'s Take: The majors haven't been kind to Furyk in 2010, which is why his 6-under 64 in the final round of the Bridgestone Invitational might give him some big-time confidence headed into this week's PGA Championship. Sunday's effort helped Furyk to a tie for sixth. He did drop one spot in the standings, but being the Ryder Cup stalwart he is, we think he'll be OK.

Player	Points	This Week	Last Week
Steve Stricker	3,528.50900	4	3

T.J.'s Take: Stricker tied for ninth at the Bridgestone, but still dropped one spot in the latest standings. This week will be huge for Stricker - he gets to play a major in his home state of Wisconsin. A win at Whistling Straits would be the ultimate exclamation point to put on a stellar career.

Player	Points	This Week	Last Week
Jeff Overton	3,528.50900	5	4

T.J.'s Take: The man is simply a top-10 machine. Overton racked up his sixth top-10 finish of the season at the Bridgestone with a tie for sixth. Because of Mahan's leap-frogging up the rankings this week, Overton did drop one spot. He's going to need a strong showing at Whistling Straits to make the team outright.

Player	Points	This Week	Last Week
Anthony Kim	3,274.68400	6	5

T.J.'s Take: After a long lay-off from the game to nurse a thumb injury, Kim returned to the PGA Tour last week at Firestone. The result - a tie for 76th - wasn't all that unexpected for a guy who has played virtually no golf due to doctor's orders. Kim just needs to get some reps. He dropped one spot in the latest standings. Even if he doesn't stay inside the top-8 after the PGA Championship, I do like Kim's chances of being a captain's pick. There may be no other player who wants a spot on the U.S. squad more than Kim.

Player	Points	This Week	Last Week
Matt Kuchar	3,064.25300	7	7

T.J.'s Take: Since a missed cut at Quail Hollow in early May, Kuchar has been on a torrid stretch with five top-10 finishes in his nine starts since then. At Firestone, he tied for ninth to stay seventh in the U.S. standings and one spot inside the cut off number for an automatic bid. Kuchar will need a strong showing at Whistling Straits to assure himself a place on the team, but if he doesn't make it on points, it might be hard for captain Pavin to overlook Kuchar's consistent solid play when considering his wildcard selections.

Player	Points	This Week	Last Week
Lucas Glover	3,052.87400	8	6

T.J.'s Take: A tie for 22nd at the Bridgestone Invitational proved to be Glover's best finish on the PGA Tour since the beginning of May. It still wasn't enough to prevent him from dropping two spots in the latest standings to No. 8 - the last automatic spot on the U.S. team. Glover knows he has his work cut out this week in Wisconsin.

Player	Points	This Week	Last Week
Dustin Johnson	3,032.13800	9	8

T.J.'s Take: Dustin Johnson. Johnson finished 15th at the Bridgestone Invitational to drop out of the top 8 in the standings. Everyone knows he can overpower a course with his long game. Can he get it done at Whistling Straits this week?

Player	Points	This Week	Last Week
Tiger Woods	2,809.18000	10	9

T.J.'s Take: What was that? It's the question everyone was looking for an answer to after Tiger's dismal showing at Firestone in a tournament he has absolutely owned through the years. Out of 80 players, Tiger tied for 78th, next-to-last, no thanks to a 7-over 77 in the final round. It was just another low point in a year chock full of them for the man who is holding on to the No. 1 world ranking by a thread. He's not going to make the U.S. team on points without a big week at Whistling Straits. Then, the question becomes, does Pavin use a pick on him simply because he's Tiger Woods? Let's see what happens.

Player	Points	This Week	Last Week
Ricky Barnes	2,610.17100	11	11

T.J.'s Take: Barnes was not eligible for the Bridgestone Invitational and also decided to take a pass on the Turning Stone Resort Championship. It was an interesting decision, seeing as he's on the outside looking in, but perhaps he knows something the rest of us don't about this week. Barnes has been able to play some great golf in the majors the last couple of years and that's exactly what he'll need this week to make the team.

Player	Points	This Week	Last Week
Ben Crane	2,577.92900	12	12

T.J.'s Take: Crane has hit a rough patch of late and that continued in Akron with his tie for 58th at the Bridgestone Invitational. In his last five starts, Crane's best finish is a tie for 21st at the Greenbrier Classic. He also has two missed cuts over that stretch.

Player	Points	This Week	Last Week
Bo Van Pelt	2,568.83400	13	18

T.J.'s Take: Van Pelt's solid summer continued at the Bridgestone Invitational with a tie for third to jump five spots in this week's standings.

Player	Points	This Week	Last Week
Stewart Cink	2,475.36600	14	13

T.J.'s Take: Cink tied for 19th at the Bridgestone Invitational and dropped one spot in the latest standings. It certainly hasn't been the best season Cink has had on Tour, but his past experience in Ryder Cups and Presidents Cups could prove to be a big asset to captain Pavin if his team ends up being as young as it's shaping up to be.

Player	Points	This Week	Last Week
Sean O'Hair	2,417.57400	15	19

T.J.'s Take: O'Hair has been playing some of his best golf of the season lately - highlighted by his fifth-place finish at Firestone. Is the late push going to put him over the top and earn him a spot on the U.S. Ryder Cup team?

Player	Points	This Week	Last Week
Nick Watney	2,387.97400	16	14

T.J.'s Take: Watney dropped one spot with a tie for 16th at the Bridgestone Invitational. He's another guy who would love to make his first Ryder Cup team.

Player	Points	This Week	Last Week
Rickie Fowler	2,322.87000	17	15

T.J.'s Take: Fowler tied for 33rd at Firestone to drop two spots in the latest standings. Young and dynamic, Fowler is the type of player you'd expect to see on U.S. Ryder Cup teams for years and years to come. But, will he be on the 2010 team?

Player	Points	This Week	Last Week
Bubba Watson	2,274.31900	18	17

T.J.'s Take: Watson tied for 22nd at the Bridgestone Invitational and dropped one spot in the latest standings.

Player	Points	This Week	Last Week
J.B. Holmes	2,273.51000	19	16

T.J.'s Take: After a hot stretch of play, Holmes has cooled off. That was apparent with his tie for 44th at Firestone and his three-spot slip in the standings.

Player	Points	This Week	Last Week
Ryan Palmer	2,202.11200	20	N/A

T.J.'s Take: It's been quite some time since Ryan Palmer was in the top-20 of the U.S. standings, but that's where he finds himself again after a second-place showing at the Bridgestone Invitational. Realistically, Palmer probably won't earn an automatic spot on the team. However, if he can get a little run going here, Pavin might consider him as a wildcard pick.

Team USA Qualifying Process

The United States points system will determine the top eight players for the 2010 United States Ryder Cup Team on August 15. In addition, Captain Corey Pavin selects four players on Sept. 7, 2010, to complete the United States Team. Points are based upon the following:

-- Prize money earned in the 2009 major championships (Masters, U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship): One point is awarded for every $1,000 earned; all U.S. players making the cut will earn points.

-- Prize money earned in 2010 "Official" events from Jan. 1 through Aug. 15: One point is awarded for every $1,000 earned, excluding the major championships, events played opposite major championships and events played opposite World Golf Championships; all U.S. players making the cut will earn points.

-- Prize money earned for the 2010 major championships: (Masters, U.S. Open, British Open, and the PGA Championship). Two points are awarded for every $1,000 earned; all U.S. players making the cut will earn points.

Prize money earned in 2010 events played opposite the major championships and opposite World Golf Championships events between Jan. 1 and the PGA Championship, Aug. 15 -- one-half point will be awarded for every $1,000 earned; all U.S. players making the cut will earn points.

Click for complete Team USA Standings