A new European Ryder Cup points table was published yesterday - and for the first time it is based on the euro rather than the pound.

The race for places in Mark James' side to defend the trophy against the Americans in Boston in September began four months ago with one point being won for every £1 stg earned. But now the table has been converted, multiplying the pounds already won by the January 14th euro exchange rate of £1 stg equals 1.4 euros and then dividing by 100.

The exchange rate will, for the purposes of the table, stay fixed for the remainder of the race, which resumed with the South African PGA Championship in Johannesburg on Thursday. At the conclusion of the International Open in Munich at the end of August the top 10 players will automatically earn places on the team and James will add two wild cards.

Prize money in the three American majors - the Masters, the US Open and US PGA - and the new world championship matchplay event in California next month - all count towards the table, although the Ryder Cup points on offer in them will be capped to the level of this year's British Open Championship.