The 39th Ryder Cup will be held Sept. 28-30, 2012, at Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Ill.
T.J.'s Team USA Weekly Analysis: July 16
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.
| PLAYER | POINTS | THIS WEEK | LAST WEEK |
|---|---|---|---|
 Bubba Watson |
5,326.395 | 1 | 1 |
T.J.'s take: : Watson did not play in the John Deere Classic, but held on to his No. 1 spot this week.
| PLAYER | POINTS | THIS WEEK | LAST WEEK |
|---|---|---|---|
 Jason Dufner |
5,289.254 | 2 | 2 |
T.J.'s take: : Dufner did not play in the John Deere Classic, but stayed at No. 2 this week.
| PLAYER | POINTS | THIS WEEK | LAST WEEK |
|---|---|---|---|
 Tiger Woods |
4,669.413 | 3 | 3 |
T.J.'s take: : Woods did not play in the John Deere Classic. He stayed at No. 3 this week.
| PLAYER | POINTS | THIS WEEK | LAST WEEK |
|---|---|---|---|
 Webb Simpson |
4,635.500 | 4 | 4 |
T.J.'s take: : Simpson did not play in the John Deere Classic and also formerly withdrew from the Open Championship as he and wife, Dowd, await the birth of the couple's second child. Simpson remained at No. 4.
| PLAYER | POINTS | THIS WEEK | LAST WEEK |
|---|---|---|---|
 Zach Johnson |
4,153.858 | 5 | 8 |
T.J.'s take: : Johnson was the only player in the top 10 last week (No. 8) to tee it up at the John Deere Classic and took advantage of everyone else's absence. In a dramatic two-hole playoff with Troy Matteson, in which each player double-bogeyed the first playoff hole, Johnson came out on top shortly thereafter with an incredible shot from a fairway bunker from 190 yards out with a 6-iron to one foot, setting up a winning birdie. He wouldn't have even been in the playoff if it weren't for a massive Sunday charge, firing a 6-under 65 in the final round. For Johnson, the John Deere Classic is like a major. A Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native, the John Deere Classic is the closest PGA Tour event to where Johnson grew up. Making the win all the more special is that he had coach Mike Bender "pinch-caddying" for him. Johnson's regular caddie -- Damon Green -- was playing in the U.S. Senior Open in Lake Orion, Mich. It wasn't a shabby week for Green either. He tied for 17th. The victory marks the second of the season for Johnson, making him the fourth multiple winner on Tour in 2012, joining Tiger Woods, Hunter Mahan and Jason Dufner. Johnson moved three spots this week from No. 8 to No. 5.
| PLAYER | POINTS | THIS WEEK | LAST WEEK |
|---|---|---|---|
 Phil Mickelson |
4,107.108 | 6 | 5 |
T.J.'s take: : Mickelson took his talents to the other side of the pond for the Scottish Open in preparation for this week's Open Championship. He was not eligible for Ryder Cup points as a result. It was still a decent week though, as Lefty tied for 16th. He slipped one spot in the standings from No. 5 to No. 6.
| PLAYER | POINTS | THIS WEEK | LAST WEEK |
|---|---|---|---|
 Matt Kuchar |
4,043.426 | 7 | 6 |
T.J.'s take: : Kuchar did not start at the John Deere Classic and dropped one spot this week to No. 7.
| PLAYER | POINTS | THIS WEEK | LAST WEEK |
|---|---|---|---|
 Hunter Mahan |
3,864.370 | 8 | 7 |
T.J.'s take: : Mahan did not start at the John Deere Classic and fell one spot this week to No. 8.
| PLAYER | POINTS | THIS WEEK | LAST WEEK |
|---|---|---|---|
 Keegan Bradley |
3,300.977 | 9 | 9 |
T.J.'s take: : Bradley did not play in the John Deere Classic, but remained at No. 9 in the standings. This week, he'll be teeing it up in his first Open Championship.
| PLAYER | POINTS | THIS WEEK | LAST WEEK |
|---|---|---|---|
 Rickie Fowler |
3,174.590 | 10 | 10 |
T.J.'s take: : Fowler did not play in the John Deere Classic. He stayed at No. 10 this week.
| PLAYER | POINTS | THIS WEEK | LAST WEEK |
|---|---|---|---|
 Steve Stricker |
2,777.981 | 11 | 13 |
T.J.'s take: : Stricker was at the John Deere Classic last week with a chance to do something only Young Tom Morris, Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen and Tiger Woods (twice) had done before -- win the same tournament four times in a row. Stricker put up a great fight -- getting to within one shot of the lead in the third round -- but couldn't master any magic on Sunday with a 1-under 70 that led to a tie for fifth. It was Stricker's fifth top-10 of the season and his best finish since his victory in the season-opening Hyundai Tournament of Champions. Stricker gained two spots this week, going from No. 13 to No. 11.
| PLAYER | POINTS | THIS WEEK | LAST WEEK |
|---|---|---|---|
 Dustin Johnson |
2,672.084 | 12 | 11 |
T.J.'s take: : Johnson did not play in the John Deere Classic. He slipped one position to No. 12 this week.
| PLAYER | POINTS | THIS WEEK | LAST WEEK |
|---|---|---|---|
 Bo Van Pelt |
2,662.165 | 13 | 12 |
T.J.'s take: : Van Pelt did not play at the John Deere Classic. He dropped one spot this week.
| PLAYER | POINTS | THIS WEEK | LAST WEEK |
|---|---|---|---|
 Jim Furyk |
2,571.887 | 14 | 14 |
T.J.'s take: : Furyk did not play in the John Deere Classic, but held on to his No. 14 position this week.
| PLAYER | POINTS | THIS WEEK | LAST WEEK |
|---|---|---|---|
 Kevin Na |
2,088.773 | 15 | 15 |
T.J.'s take: : Na stayed at No. 15 this week even though he didn't play in the John Deere Classic.
| PLAYER | POINTS | THIS WEEK | LAST WEEK |
|---|---|---|---|
 Bill Haas |
2,220.214 | 16 | 16 |
T.J.'s take: : Haas did not play in the John Deere Classic, but stayed at No. 16 in the standings.
| PLAYER | POINTS | THIS WEEK | LAST WEEK |
|---|---|---|---|
 Kyle Stanley |
2,176.304 | 17 | 20 |
T.J.'s take: : Following his victory in Phoenix early in the season, Stanley fell into a pretty substantial slump on the PGA Tour. Slowly but surely, he seems to be picking himself up put of it. Thanks to a 5-under 66 on Sunday, Stanley soared 22 spots on the leaderboard at the John Deere Classic and into a tie for 19th -- his second top-25 finish in as many starts. That helped Stanley rise three positions from No. 20 to No. 17 in the latest standings.
| PLAYER | POINTS | THIS WEEK | LAST WEEK |
|---|---|---|---|
 Ben Curtis |
2,170.713 | 18 | 17 |
T.J.'s take: : Curtis did not play in the John Deere Classic and dropped one spot this week.
| PLAYER | POINTS | THIS WEEK | LAST WEEK |
|---|---|---|---|
 Brandt Snedeker |
2,170.257 | 19 | 18 |
T.J.'s take: : Snedeker did not play in the John Deere Classic. He fell one spot to No. 19 this week.
| PLAYER | POINTS | THIS WEEK | LAST WEEK |
|---|---|---|---|
 Johnson Wagner |
2,126.552 | 20 | 19 |
T.J.'s take: : Wagner did not play in the John Deere Classic. He fell one spot to No. 20 this week.
Team USA Qualifying Process
The United States points system will determine the top eight players for the 2012 United States Ryder Cup Team on August 13. In addition, Captain Davis Love III will select four players to complete the United States Team. Points are based upon the following:
• Prize money earned in the 2011 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 2012 "Official" events from Jan. 1 through Aug. 12: 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 2012 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 2012 events played opposite the major championships and opposite World Golf Championships events between Jan. 1 and the PGA Championship, which concludes Aug. 12 -- one-half point will be awarded for every $1,000 earned; all U.S. players making the cut will earn points.
