Ryder Cup Team: Eight Including Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson Secure Spots

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have earned places on the 2012 Ryder Cup team on points.

The announcement was made by the PGA of America after the end of the PGA Championship. Eight golfers made the team on points.  They are:

Tiger Woods (It will be his seventh Ryder Cup)

Bubba Watson (It will be his second-straight Ryder Cup)

Jason Dufner (Ryder Cup debut)

Keegan Bradley (Ryder Cup debut)

Webb Simpson (Ryder Cup debut)

Zach Johnson (It will be his third Ryder Cup)

Matt Kuchar (It will be his second-straight Ryder Cup)

Phil Mickelson (It will be his ninth-straight Ryder Cup appearance, which sets the U.S. Team record for most consecutive appearances, and most all-time appearances)

In accordance with the new selection process set up by Paul Azinger for the 2008 Ryder Cup at Valhalla Country Club in Louisville, KY, the U.S. Captain, Davis Love III, will have four additional selections. Love has not given any cues as to what his method for selection will be although it is widely expected that he will consult team members.  For instance, Steve Stricker and Tiger Woods have been successful in the past, but so have Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk. Both Furyk and Stricker would need to be selected.

In 2010 Europe won the Ryder Cup competing in Wales.  Graeme McDowell, the U.S. Open champion that year, made the winning putt, concluding a career-topping season.

U.S. Ryder Cup Team Captain Love will select the final four members of the team on Sept. 4, and the 39th Ryder Cup will take place Sept. 28-30 at Medinah (Ill.) Country Club.