Ryder Cup Race: Sergio Garcia moved up from fifth to second in the Ryder Cup table after finishing runner-up to Ross Fisher in the European Open while Graeme McDowell climbed to tenth on the overall list after his third place finish at the London Club.
McDowell holds ninth place on the European money list, just one ahead of Fisher, who moved up from 21st to 11th in the standings after his win in Kent.
The top 10 who would earn places as things stand are Lee Westwood, Garcia, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Robert Karlsson, Justin Rose - all from the World points list - and Hansen, Martin Kaymer, Henrik Stenson, Oliver Wilson and McDowell.
Open champion Pádraig Harrington and Luke Donald are currently favourites for Faldo's two wild cards.
Although Garcia could not quite make it a Spanish sporting double last night - after Rafael Nadal defeated Roger Federer in an epic five-set Wimbledon final - he has been made favourite for next week's Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
Many bookmakers have the 28-year-old to just ahead of Ernie Els in the betting where there is no Tiger Woods this year as the world number one recovers from a knee injury.
Garcia won the Players Championship at Sawgrass in Florida in May and was runner-up to Fisher, albeit seven strokes behind, after a best-of-the-day 66 at the London Club yesterday.
Given the wind and rain, he called it one of the top five rounds of his career and "definitely the best putting round I've ever had".
"Now I know what Tiger feels 90 per cent of the time on the greens. It's a great feeling," said Garcia.
Beaten in a play-off for The Open by Harrington at Carnoustie last July, Garcia will be back next week on the course where he finished 28th as an amateur 10 years ago.
Putting, of course, has been by far the weakest part of his game in recent seasons, but earlier this year he began working with American Stan Utley and he is delighted at the improvement.
He is still ranked only 178th on the greens on the US Tour - Donald is top and Harrington third - and 72nd in Europe, but Garcia feels his confidence coming back and days like yesterday are a massive boost.
"I'm looking forward to The Open," he added before flying home. "There are still things I need to keep improving, but there are good positive things and overall I'm very happy.
"I don't expect to putt like this every single round. I would love to - it would be a very easy game - but the only thing you can do is believe in what you do."
Asked if he wished The Open was starting today, Garcia responded: "No. I'm knackered!"
"Three days with the wind is never easy, but these are the kind of conditions you're going to find at The Open and last week I went to Old Head (in Kinsale) and it was even windier.
"You don't want to overdo it, though, because you can lose a bit of rhythm."
Latest leading places in the European Ryder Cup tables after the European Open. Top five on world list on August 31st qualify, plus next five on European list. Captain Nick Faldo then adds two wild cards.
(Capitals indicate players currently in qualifying positions)
World List
1 LEE WESTWOOD 224.48
2 SERGIO GARCIA 187.70
3 MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ 174.86
4 ROBERT KARLSSON 180.88
5 JUSTIN ROSE 168.86
6 Henrik Stenson 163.02
7 Martin Kaymer 148.45
8 Pádraig Harrington 138.63
9 Luke Donald 134.66
10 Daniel Chopra 123.59
11 Soren Hansen 119.15
12 Ian Poulter 110.82
Selected Irish Standings from World List
14 Graeme McDowell
22 Darren Clarke
30 Paul McGinley
31 Peter Lawrie
35 Damien McGrane
46 Rory McIlroy
European List
1 Westwood 2,085,621
2 Karlsson 1,996,232
3 Jimenez 1,789,641
4 SOREN HANSEN 1,328,157
5 MARTIN KAYMER 1,305,447
6 HENRIK STENSON 1,293,239
7 Justin Rose 1,260,626
8 OLIVER WILSON 1,251,857
9 GRAEME McDOWELL 1,221,023
10 Ross Fisher 1,190,618
11 Nick Dougherty 1,032,337
12 Soren Kjeldsen 1,002,885
Selected Irish Standings from European List
17 Pádraig Harrington
22 Peter Lawrie
27 Paul McGinley
31 Darren Clarke
36 Rory McIlroy
- Additional reporting PA
