Ryder Cup 2018: Thomas Bjorn's Team Europe as things stand

By Ali Stafford

Paul McGinley, 2014 winning captain, finds plenty of positives for Europe's chances of regaining the trophy

There is six months to go until Team Europe host Team USA, but how is Thomas Bjorn's side shaping up for the 2018 Ryder Cup at Le Golf National?

The year-long qualification process began last summer at the Czech Masters and runs through to the Made In Denmark in August, with the leading four players on the European Points List and the leading four from the World Points List automatically qualifying for Team Europe.

Points earned in events from the BMW PGA Championship onwards will have an increased weighting and will be multiplied by 1.5, with Bjorn having wildcard picks to fill the other four spots in his side.

Image: Darren Clarke's team had six rookies at Hazeltine in 2016

Tyrrell Hatton currently tops the European Points List after following his back-to-back victories at the end of the 2017 European Tour season with top-10 finishes at the WGC-Mexico Championship and WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.

Wins at the Turkish Airlines Open and the WGC-HSBC Champions sees Justin Rose sit in second spot, with Ross Fisher in the third place thanks to his three runner-up finishes on the European Tour.

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McGinley's Ultimate Ryder Cup Team

Omega European Masters champion Matt Fitzpatrick currently occupies the fourth spot by a narrow margin ahead of Jon Rahm and Race to Dubai champion Tommy Fleetwood, who lie second and fourth respectively in the World Points List.

Rory McIlroy moved inside the automatic qualification places on the world list with victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, with Sergio Garcia's three consecutive worldwide top-10 finishes seeing him occupy sixth spot.

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Image: Garcia has made eight Ryder Cup appearances

Recent Valspar Championship winner Paul Casey lurks just outside of the qualification places as he aims to make his first Ryder Cup appearance since 2008, with Alex Noren among the other players in contention after his third-place finish at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.

European Points List (as of March 26)

1. Tyrrell Hatton (Eng) 3,067,729pts

2. Justin Rose (Eng) 2,772,866

3. Ross Fisher (Eng) 1,553,672

Image: Fisher was part of Colin Montgomerie's winning side in 2010

4. Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng) 1,441,591

5. Jon Rahm (Esp) 1,408,058

6. Tommy Fleetwood (Eng) 1,244,213

7. Paul Dunne (Irl) 1,077,300

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8. Sergio Garcia (Esp) 1,035,999

9. Shane Lowry (Irl) 1,007,090

10. Rafa Cabrera Bello (Esp) 1,002,580

World Points List

1. Justin Rose (Eng) 254.98

Image: Rose was played in the last three European sides

2. Jon Rahm (Esp) 192.36

3. Tyrrell Hatton (Eng) 171.60

4. Tommy Fleetwood (Eng) 137.50

5. Rory McIlroy (Nirl) 135.09

6. Sergio Garcia (Esp) 126.63

Image: Team USA defeated Team Europe 17-11 at Hazeltine in 2016

7. Alex Noren (Swe) 116.31

8. Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng) 95.10

9. Rafa Cabrera Bello (Esp) 87.35

10. Ross Fisher (Eng) 83.94

Watch the Ryder Cup from September 28-30 live from Le Golf National on Sky Sports Golf

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