Woods misses automatic Ryder Cup place

Tiger Woods must rely on the goodwill of Corey Pavin for inclusion in this year's US Ryder Cup team after missing out on automatic inclusion.

Under the US team's rules, the top eight players from this season's Ryder Cup Points List at the end of Sunday's PGA Championship were awarded places in the October event in Wales.

Woods, who has not won a tournament this year and finished tied for 28th at Whistling Straits on Sunday, did not make the top eight, which was headed by US Masters champion Phil Mickelson.

Woods can still make the 12-man team but only if Pavin, who will decide the remaining four spots next month, chooses him.

‘I think I've got a chance of maybe helping out in singles,’ Woods joked.

‘I feel like my game is a lot better than it was obviously last week and given a little bit more time it's starting to head in the right direction now, which is good.

‘I'm looking forward to it, hopefully Corey will pick me on the team.’

Although it is considered a foregone conclusion, Pavin said this week that the world number one was not guaranteed a place because he wanted to be fair to all the players in contention.

‘Well Corey texts me a lot so, I'm sure he'll be texting me or calling me and I'm sure we'll be talking,’ Woods said.

Automatic selections for US Ryder Cup team:
Phil Mickelson
Hunter Mahan
Bubba Watson
Jim Furyk
Steve Stricker
Dustin Johnson
Jeff Overton
Matt Kuchar