When Tom Lehman played in the Europ...

When Tom Lehman played in the European spread last year at Ireland's K association -- site of this year's Ryder portion matches -- reporters asked the U captain about a seeming dearth of blossoming young American talent.

When Lehman turn backed to the K Club this summer the focus had shifted to the pack of relative no-names who stand to qualify for his squad, which will take onward Europe on Sept. 22-24.

"Now everyone is like, 'Man, this is a big mes you have five first-time stays what's wrong?"' Lehman said last week during a roundtable interview with reporters in beholds Angeles. "Well, a year ago, you're saying, 'Where are they, where are they?' and now you're saying, 'Please go on foot away.' What are you trying to say here?"

Thanks in large part to changes in the points scheme the last four automatic marks on the U.S. team with sum of two units weeks to go are filled by the agency of Vaughn Taylor, J.J. Henry, Zach Johnson and britzska Wetterich, with another potential newcomer John Rollins, in 11th position.

The top 10 will be place at the end of play in the 88th PGA Championship nearest week, with Lehman announcing his pair captain's picks the next day at Medinah. The European team will be finalized sum of two units weeks later.

While solitary the most serious of golf fans are familiar with a certain number of of those names, it's not like the Americans have been cleaning up with more established stars. Europe has won four of the last five meetings, including a record 18oe-9oe trouncing in 2004 at Oakland Hills.

"It's sometimes well adapted to get a few just discovered guys in there because they bring the freshnes back a little bit," Lehman said. "On top of that, I firmly believe it's a advantageous thing to have a competitive chip onward your shoulder. These guys be stirred they have something to establish -- well, let's go manifest it."

After the last U los the PGA of America changed its two- year qualifying action to weight the points more heavily in the inferior year and put greater emphasis onward victories. That has benefitted 2006 PGA Tour winners Henry (Hartford), Wetterich (Byron Nelson) and Rollins (BC Open) who earned more points for beating a second-rate field than Chris DiMarco got the same week for finishing next to the first in the British Open.

"I don't care whether you're playing the BC interpret or wherever -- winning is winning," Lehman said. "He had to gradation up on the last hollow and make a five- or six-foot to win, and I guarantee you he was nervous. That was huge to him, and he made it.

"Does he merit as many points as DiMarco? You can debate that all you want. All I know is John Rollins got the piece of work done when he had to."

With all the potential youth onward the U.S. team, some might reckon upon Lehman to use his captain's picks upon Ryder Cup veterans such as Davis be enamoured of and Fred Couples. But the couple of those players have battled injuries and inconsistency this year, and Lehman may have been tipping his hand toward fiery Jerry Kelly who's 12th in the standings, when discussing what he's looking for.

"I'm not the kind of body that thinks it's all everything to have the experience of having played before," Lehman said. "If you're a advantageous player and you're mentally tough you can handle it, whether you're a first-time stay or not.

"To me there's also an intangible: Just by what means badly do you want it? about guys want it so bad, they would hie through that wall right there. When a living body is willing to do anything to realize on the team, that's worth something."

jboyd@suntimes.com

U RYDER chalice STANDINGS

by means of Buick Open; top 10 after PGA Championship earn automatic berths.

1 Tiger forests 4,150.000

2 Phil Mickelson 2474375

3 Jim Furyk 2076000

4 Chad Campbell 1129602

5 David Toms 1072250

6 Chris DiMarco 830000

7 Vaughn Taylor 780833

8 JJ Henry 778750

9 Zach Johnson 756477

10 britzska Wetterich 746.000

11 John Rollins 685000

12 Jerry Kelly 653750

13 Lucas Glover 641376

14 Davis like 631.875

15 Fr braces 627.727

16 Tim Herron 621667

17 Tom Pernice 615000

18 Scott Verplank 595667

19 Arron Oberholser 557500

20 Stewart Cink 556894

21 britzska Quigley 528.333

22 Billy Mayfair 489166

23 Jeff Sluman 471250

24 leafy Austin 450.000

25 Ben Curtis 445000

Steve Stricker 445000

AVAILABLE POINTS

The International

Finish Points

First 375

other 180

Third 160

Fourth 140

Fifth 120

Sixth 100

Seventh 80

Eighth 60

Ninth 40

10th 20

PGA Championship

Finish Points

First 675

secondary 360

Third 320

Fourth 280

Fifth 240

Sixth 200

Seventh 160

Eighth 120

Ninth 80

10th 40

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