An impressive performance at the Honda Classic has taken Alex Noren into the automatic qualifying places for The 2018 Ryder Cup – while Eddie Pepperell’s first European Tour win moves him into contention for a place in the European team.

Having narrowly missed out on a maiden PGA Tour title in the Farmers Insurance Open last month, where he was edged out in a play-off by Jason Day, the Swede continued his excellent start to 2018 with a third-place finish at PGA National.

Also impressing in the Honda Classic was reigning European Number One Tommy Fleetwood, who finished one place behind Noren in fourth.

Now occupying the eighth automatic qualifying spot through the World Points list, Noren is the only change to the top eight, with Rory McIlroy dropping down to ninth spot.

Meanwhile on the European Tour, Pepperell secured his maiden title in Qatar.

Having lost his European Tour card in 2016, the Englishman completed a remarkable comeback to the very top of the game with an imperious display at Doha Golf Club, winning by one shot.

With that victory Pepperell moved back into the top 100 in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time in three years – and now also sits in 12th place in the projected Ryder Cup rankings.

RELATED: Latest Ryder Cup Europe points standings

The points race, which began at the REAL D+D Czech Masters last year, will heat up once May comes around, when points earned will be multiplied by 1.5 at Rolex Series events.

This change to the points system will come into effect at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, the first Rolex Series event of the season.