Webb Simpson’s playoff victory Sunday at the Waste Management Phoenix Open bolstered Simpson’s chances of making the 2020 U.S. Ryder Cup team.
After outlasting Tony Finau for his sixth career PGA Tour victory, Simpson climbed from seventh to third in U.S. points, just behind Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson. Finau replaced Simpson in seventh, up a spot from the previous week.
Other big movers included Bubba Watson (from 20th to 15th), J.B. Holmes (from 40th to 31st) and Adam Long (from 61st to 33rd).
The top eight players as of Aug. 23 qualify for captain Steve Stricker’s team. Here is look at the current qualifiers, and those just outside of the top 8:
U.S.
1. Brooks Koepka
2. Dustin Johnson
3. Webb Simpson
4. Xander Schauffele
5. Gary Woodland
6. Tiger Woods
7. Tony Finau
8. Justin Thomas
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9. Kevin Kisner
10. Patrick Cantlay
11. Matt Kuchar
12. Patrick Reed
On the European side, Graeme McDowell made the biggest move. The 40-year-old Ryder Cup veteran, who last made Team Europe in 2014, won the Saudi International on Sunday to vault from 38th to eighth in world points, which has him as the eighth qualifier at this point. (McDowell also jumped 70 spots to No. 22 in European points.)
The top four players in European points and the top five in world points, not already qualified, as of Sept. 13 qualify for captain Padraig Harrington’s squad.
Here is look at the current qualifiers, along with the players who are next in line and not yet in position to qualify on either points list:
EUROPE
European points
1. Tommy Fleetwood
2. Jon Rahm
3. Victor Perez
4. Rory McIlroy
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9. Lee Westwood
10. Marcus Kinhult
11. Matthias Schwab
12. Bobby MacIntyre
World points
5. Danny Willett
6. Matthew Fitzpatrick
7. Bernd Wiesberger
8. Graeme McDowell
9. Tyrrell Hatton
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10. Lee Westwood
11. Henrik Stenson
12. Matthias Schwab