Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry and Seamus Power remain in the top-six places in the European Ryder Cup qualification standings after a low-key week on both the DP and PGA Tours.
Lowry was the only Irishman out of the three in action last week at the Honda Classic where he again came up short in Florida.
The Clara native did leapfrog compatriot Power to claim the second automatic qualifying place on the Worlds Points List after a T-5 finish last week.
It was a stone cold putter that has been the story of the season for Lowry who was 59th in strokes gained putting despite leading the field in strokes gained tee-to-green.
The big mover was Germany’s Yannik Paul who has now ousted Victor Perez on the European Points List after successive runner-up finishes at the Thailand Classic and Hero Indian Open.
Paul won his maiden DP World Tour event last year in Mallorca and has been on the fringes of the top six for much of the season so far.
Paul held a five-shot lead at the halfway stage and one feels he will need to become a multiple winner this season to catch the eye of Luke Donald.
If the German can make his debut in Rome this September he would become Germany’s second Ryder Cup player after Bernhard Langer and Martin Kaymer.
As it stands Rory McIlroy (1,856.50 points) Jon Rahm (1,850.00 points), and Paul (1,269.97 points) would claim the three automatic qualifying spots on the European Points List, with Viktor Hovland (65.73 points), Lowry (57.21 points) and Power (51.45 points) currently sitting in the top three positions on the World Points List.
On the bubble are Perez, Alex Noren, Tyrrell Hatton and Adrian Otaegui.
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