First eight decided for US

Two thirds of Paul Azinger’s Ryder Cup team has been confirmed following the PGA Championship. Experienced Phil Mickelson leads the way but three rookies will tee it up for the US as Valhalla

Fergus Bisset
By Fergus Bisset
published

Following the USPGA Championship eight of Paul Azinger s 12 men for the Ryder Cup at Valhalla are now known.

After finishing in a tie for seventh at Oakland Hills, Phil Mickelson finished as the leading points scorer on the US list. He will play in his seventh consecutive Ryder Cup at Valhalla.

Finishing tied for second in the USPGA, Ben Curtis has played his way into the side and will make his first Ryder Cup appearance in September. Boo Weekley and Anthony Kim will also make their debuts. Paul Azinger has played down the importance of experience in the event. I've said this all along," he said, "to me, experience is important but it is also overrated. I mean, anyone who has played Ryder Cup in the last six Ryder Cups has experience getting beat. So, I'm not looking for experience."

The eight Americans who ll definitely feature at Valhalla had mixed fortunes at Oakland Hills. Curtis was best placed in second and Mickelson was seventh. Kenny Perry withdrew with an eye injury, Cink missed the cut while Furyk, Kim, Leonard and Weekley played the weekend but didn t feature.

Azinger will announce his four Captain s picks on September 2.

The European side is also taking shape following Oakland Hills. Harrington moves to the top of the pile and Sergio Garcia also climbs the list. Justin Rose s spot looks a little safer after finishing the week in a tie for ninth.

The automatic qualifiers for Europe will be confirmed after the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles contested in the last week of August.

US Team

Phil Mickelson

Stewart Cink

Kenny Perry

Jim Furyk

Anthony Kim

Justin Leonard

Ben Curtis

Boo Weekley

European Team after USPGA

Padraig Harrington

Lee Westwood

Sergio Garcia

Henrik Stenson

Robert Karlsson

Miguel Angel Jimenez

Graeme McDowell

Justin Rose

Oliver Wilson

Soren Hansen

Fergus Bisset
Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly. 

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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