New Year brings first-week moves in the U.S. Ryder Cup standings

The Mercedes-Benz Championship kicked off the PGA Tour season and also brought about quick changes in position for players vying for spots on the 2008 U.S. Ryder Cup Team.

Steve Stricker, a runner-up last weekend, jumped from 10th to fourth in the standings, accumulating 1,103.079 points to move behind the top-three point-earners -- Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk and Zach Johnson.

Hunter Mahan, meanwhile, moved up one spot to sixth; while Charles Howell III vaulted from 23rd to 13th, and Nick Watney climbed to 16th after his tie for fifth. Others making a move into the top 25 were Mark Calcavecchia (19th), Brandt Snedeker (21st) and Jonathan Byrd (22nd).

The Ryder Cup Standings will be compiled weekly through Aug. 11, the day after the 90th PGA Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township, Mich.

The season-long points system is compiled by The PGA of America, and will determine the automatic top eight players for the 2008 United States Ryder Cup Team. The 37th Ryder Cup will be contested Sept. 16-21, at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky.

U.S. Captain Paul Azinger will have four selections to complete the team, and make those selections at a date to be announced.

The new points system that was adopted in 2007 is based on the following:

--Prize money earned in the 2007 major championships (Masters, U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship -- one point for every $1,000 earned, all U.S. players making the cut will earn points).

--Prize money earned in 2008 in official events from Jan. 1 through Aug. 11 (one point for every $1,000 earned, excluding the major championships and events played opposite major championships; all U.S. players making the cut will earn points).

--Prize money earned in the 2008 major championships (Masters, U.S. Open, British Open, PGA Championship (two points for every $1,000 earned, all U.S. players making the cut will earn points).

--Prize money earned in 2008 events played opposite the major championships and opposite World Golf Championship events between Jan. 1 and the PGA Championship, Aug. 11 (one-half point for every $1,000 earned, all U.S. players making the cut will earn points).

With the 2006 points system having been in effect prior to the 2008 points system being announced, it has been determined that all U.S. players who finished in the top 10 in all official events from Aug. 27 through Nov. 5, 2006, will be awarded one-quarter point for every $1,000 earned.

U.S. Ryder Cup Team Standings (through 01/07/2008):