Day Leads Ways For The Presidents Cup Qualifying

Just a week remains before the teams are determined for The Presidents Cup 2015 to be held in Korea on October 6-11.

The International Team has a leader as they prepare to face off against the American team at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club in Songo IBD, Incheon City and it’s Jason Day.

The Australian has won three events of his last four played – the RBC Canadian Open, PGA Championship and The Barclays.

The International Team consists of the top-10 international players (non-U.S. and non-European) from the Official World Golf Ranking as of September 7, 2015, plus two captain’s selections.  The U.S. Presidents Cup Team is comprised of the top-10 U.S. players who earn the most FedExCup points from September 13, 2013, through September 7, 2015, with points earned in 2015 doubled, plus two captain’s selections. Captains’ picks will be made on Tuesday, September 8.

With the final week to move into the top 10 on both sides upon us, the PGA TOUR moves to second event of the FedExCup Playoffs. The rankings below show the players inside the top 10 and those on the bubble of making the team. The International Team standings are based on the Official World Golf Ranking.

International Team Standings

Rank  Player                         Playing the PGA TOUR this week?

1          Jason Day                           Yes

2          Louis Oosthuizen               Yes

3          Adam Scott                         No

4          Hideki Matsuyama             Yes

5          Branden Grace                   No

6          Marc Leishman                   Yes

7          Anirban Lahiri                    No

8          Charl Schwartzel                 No

9          Thongchai Jaidee                No

10         Danny Lee                          Yes

11         Steven Bowditch                Yes

12         Byeong-Hun An                No

13         John Senden                       Yes

14         George Coetzee                 Yes

15         Kiradech Aphibarnrat         No

New Zealand’s Danny Lee is currently 10^th in the standings. Lee has played in 33 events on the PGA TOUR this season with seven top-10 finishes, including his victory at The Greenbrier Classic. In his last seven starts, Lee has finished in the top six four times. While Lee is from New Zealand, he was born in Seoul, South Korea.

Just behind Lee is Australia’s Steven Bowditch, who also has a victory on the PGA TOUR this season at the AT&T Byron Nelson. Bowditch shot a final-round 64 at The Barclays last week to move from No. 12 to No. 11 in the standings, just outside the automatic qualifiers.

If the standings were finalized today, the International Team would be include players from six different countries including Australia (3), South Africa (3), Japan, India, Thailand and New Zealand.

United States Team Standings

Rank  Player                         Playing the PGA TOUR this week?

1          Jordan Spieth                      Yes

2          Bubba Watson                    Yes

3          Jimmy Walker                    Yes

4          Zach Johnson                     Yes

5          Jim Furyk                           Yes

6          Dustin Johnson                   Yes

7          Patrick Reed                      Yes

8          Rickie Fowler                    Yes

9          Matt Kuchar                       Yes

10         Chris Kirk                          Yes

11         Bill Haas                            Yes

12         J.B. Holmes                       Yes

13         Billy Horschel                    Yes

14         Brandt Snedeker                 Yes

15         Webb Simpson                   Yes

Chris Kirk returned to action for the first time since teeing it up at the U.S. Open in June after injuring his wrist. Kirk missed the cut at The Barclays and will need to play well this week in order to hang on to his 10^th position in the standings. Bill Haas, who won earlier this year at the Humana Challenge and whose father, Jay, is the captain of the U.S. Team, is ranked No. 11. Behind Haas are would-be Presidents Cup rookies J.B. Holmes (12^th) and Billy Horschel (13^th) as well as past Presidents Cup team members Brandt Snedeker (14^th) and Webb Simpson (15^th).