The latest Tiger Woods comeback is off to a better start than most ever could have imagined.
Playing in the Valspar Championship for the first time in his career last week at the difficult Copperhead Course on the Innisbrook Resort, Woods tied for second with Patrick Reed, just one stroke behind winner Paul Casey.
With the T2 -- Tiger's best finish since also tying for second at the Barclays in 2013 -- the 14-time major champion soared from No. 76 to No. 32 in the latest Ryder Cup USA points standings.
RELATED: Latest Ryder Cup USA points standings
Woods has not played on a Ryder Cup team since 2012 at Medinah.
Reed, meanwhile, jumped up from No. 13 to No. 8 this week.
Also making noise was 2018 Ryder Cup USA Captain Jim Furyk. After recently returning from an injury that sidelined him for six months, Furyk fired a final-round 6-under 66 on Sunday to finish in seventh. That bumped him up 21 spots this week from No. 82 to No. 61.
U.S. players will continue to gain points in 2018 at every non-opposite PGA Tour event, WGC and major through the 100th PGA Championship at Bellerive, concluding on August 12, 2018.
At that time, Captain Jim Furyk will have his first eight players -- automatic qualifiers.
The four remaining slots on the U.S. Team will be Captain's Selections. Three selections will be announced by Captain Jim Furyk following the Dell Technologies Championship scheduled to be completed on Sept. 3, 2018, and the final selection will be announced after the BMW Championship, which is slated to be completed on Sept. 9, 2018.