U.S. Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin says Tiger Woods is 'high on my list' | Golf

MILWAUKEE — Tiger Woods remained No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking on Monday, though he was not even close to that on two lists — the Ryder Cup and FedEx Cup — that mean more at the moment.

Woods failed to earn one of eight automatic berths for the U.S. Ryder Cup team and must rely on captain Corey Pavin spending one of four wild-card picks on him.

In a hotel conference room, Pavin said Woods is "high on my list" and will be a "big consideration" when he announces his selections Sept. 7. Ryder Cup play starts Oct. 1 in Newport, Wales.

"I'm looking at him in essence like any other player. He isn't ... but he is," Pavin said of Woods. "I'm certainly not going to disrespect other players by considering him different from other players."

Woods is 108th in the FedEx Cup standings.

The top 125 are eligible for the start of the PGA Tour playoffs at The Barclays, which begins Aug. 26 in Paramus, N.J. The top 100 in the FedEx Cup standings advance to the next round, played at the Deutsche Bank Championship, which starts Sept. 3 in Norton, Mass.

Bunkers remain

a hot topic

When the PGA Championship returns in five years to Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wis., the rules on playing the numerous bunkers might still be in place. The golf world was still reeling over the two-shot penalty given to Dustin Johnson on the final hole of regulation Sunday that kept him out of a playoff for the major title, which Martin Kaymer won in a playoff over Bubba Watson.

Johnson grounded his 4-iron in sand — not aware he was in a bunker, even though players had multiple opportunities to see the supplementary rules of play that explained the situation before and during the tournament.

Asked if there was any consideration to change the local bunker rule for 2015, PGA of America president Jim Remy said, "Not at this point."

"Obviously, it's the day after," Remy said. "I'm sure (championship director) Kerry Haigh will do his due diligence. He made the decision not to do it from 2004 to 2010. My guess is that probably the way we're leaning is to leave it that way."

Remy said he didn't see a practical solution for 2015, or in 2020 for the Ryder Cup.

"Do you mark 900 of them not as bunkers and 300 as bunkers? How do you ever mark them?" Remy said. "Clearly, with this happening, players will be more aware of it in the future."