Ryder formwatch

Who's hot ahead of the Ryder Cup?

Wins for Rory McIlroy and Peter Hanson put a big smile on Jose Maria Olazabal's face over the weekend.

McIlroy made it back-to-back play-off wins and three victories in the last four on the PGA Tour with a two-shot triumph at the BMW Championship while, on the other side of the Atlantic, Hanson eagled the last to capture the KLM Open in Holland.

But how did the other members of the two 12-man teams fare? Here's the very latest form guide ahead of the Ryder Cup showdown at Medinah later this month.

Team Europe

Rory McIlroy: Quite simply the hottest player in golf after making it three wins in four starts by capturing his second successive FedEx Cup play-off victory via a two-shot win in the BMW Championship. His lead at the top of the world rankings is growing.
(Last four starts: 1-1-24-1)

Rory: 3 wins in last 4

Justin Rose: A solid display in the BMW saw Rose break par in all four rounds and finish tied 17th. Third in the USPGA last month although he hasn't really hit the heights in the FedEx Cup play-offs.
(Last four starts: 16-MC-46-3)

Graeme McDowell: G-Mac undid three good days at the BMW with a final round 78 which left him tied 34th. Add that to disappointing finishes in the first two play-off events and it means he won't be heading to the Tour Championship. On the plus side, it'll give him the week off before his main goal - more Ryder Cup glory.
(Last four starts: 34-74-MC-11)

Sergio Garcia: Safely through to the Tour Championship (qualified 12th of the 30 who will fight it out for the $10m FedEx Cup jackpot) after four sub-par rounds gave him a top 25 finish. In cracking form before that so everything on track for Medinah.
(Last four starts: 24-3-1-MC)

Lee Westwood: After a dip during the majors, Westwood has found his form again in the play-offs and his tied second place at Crooked Stick was his best finish of the season on US soil. Looks to be hitting form again at just the right time. Will be eighth seed at the Tour Championship.
(Last four starts: 2-13-5-MC)

Luke Donald: Now out of the top 25 (only just!) in three of his last four starts after a T28 at Crooked Stick so the former world number one has been a peripheral figure during the play-offs. Will be 15th seed for the Tour Championship so has another week to hone his game.
(Last four starts: 28-26-10-32)

Paul Lawrie: Didn't contest the KLM Open but last two starts have produced a sixth in the Omega European Masters and a win at Gleneagles so he's one of the form horses on Team Europe. Only concern might be the lack of a decent result on US soil.
(Last four starts: 6-1-48-50)

Peter Hanson: Will have delighted skipper Jose Maria Olazabal by winning the KLM Open on Sunday. When it was clutch time, Hanson stood up and sealed victory with an eagle on 18. Add in his recent seventh at the USPGA and the tall Swede puts a definite tick in the form box.
(Last four starts: 1-59-7-63)

Francesco Molinari: Sat out the action for the second week running but before his mini-break he was sixth at Gleneagles. Will get a good chance to feel some pressure when he contests his home Italian Open in Turin this week.
(Last four starts: 6-54-40-39)

Martin Kaymer: Still the one European who is throwing up more questions than answers. Kaymer hit the top of the leaderboard on day one of the KLM Open but still couldn't secure a first top 20 finish since June's US Open.
(Last four starts: 21-MC-29-MC)

Ian Poulter: Finished like a train at the BMW (five birdies in the last 10 holes) but his tied 12th wasn't enough to get him to East Lake for the Tour Championship. As with McDowell, that could prove a blessing in disguise ahead of Ryder Cup week.
(Last four starts: 12-47-36-3)

Nicolas Colsaerts: An eighth place finish in the KLM Open was a pleasing performance for the Belgian in his first start since being named as a wildcard. Was second in greens in regulation at Hilversum so his game looks in fine shape.
(Last four starts: 8-19-MC-45)

Team USA

Tiger Woods: Third and now fourth in the last two FedEx Cup play-off events means Tiger will head to the Tour Championship as the second seed. Clearly he's doing lots of things right but is the fear factor still there?
(Last four starts: 4-3-38-11)

Tiger: Coming into form again

Bubba Watson: Continued his excellent season with a fast-finishing 12th at the BMW Championship. His closing 65 means the Masters champion has now racked up 15 top 25 finishes from 18 starts in 2012.
(Last four starts: 8-19-MC-45)

Keegan Bradley: A disappointing week for Bradley with a 75-73 finish leaving him down in tied 59th at the BMW. However, his WGC win and USPGA third last month means he easily qualified for the FedEx Cup finale in 14th.
(Last four starts: 59-13-MC-3)

Jason Dufner: Dufner sat out the first play-off event and has been steady rather than spectacular in the last two. He'll be hoping to hit the heights of Spring when he won twice and was runner-up once in a spell of just four tournaments.
(Last four starts: 28-18-7-27)

Webb Simpson: Has rather limped into the Tour Championship in tied 25th after two poor finishes and an okay one in the play-offs. Just one top 15 in seven starts since his US Open win so Simpson will want to find his best form again at East Lake in two weeks' time.
(Last four starts: 51-18-MC-22)

Zach Johnson: A timely 12th place for Johnson at Crooked Stick after a lacklustre run following his ninth place at The Open. Still, he already had plenty of FedEx Cup points in the bank and will go to the Tour Championship seeded ninth.
(Last four starts: 12-47-38-70)

Matt Kuchar: Another American who has gone quiet during the play-offs. Kuchar couldn't break par over the final three rounds of the BMW and has now gone four starts without a top 30 - his worst run of the season. Seeded 16th for the FedEx shootout so has one last chance to find some form.
(Last four starts: 54-35-38-MC)

Phil Mickelson: In contrast to some of his teammates, Mickelson has come alive in the play-offs. After cutting a bemused figure during most of the summer, Lefty has now bagged a fourth and a second in the last two weeks to vault to number 4 in the FedEx Cup standings.
(Last four starts: 2-4-38-36)

Jim Furyk: The wildcard pick never threatened the leaders at Crooked Stick but stayed on well to finish tied ninth. It followed a 13th in the Deutsche Bank so his game looks in pretty good nick with Medinah on the horizon.
(Last four starts: 9-13-MC-42)

Dustin Johnson: Johnson's hot form got him the nod for a wildcard pick from Davis Love and it continued in the BMW where, after holding a share of the lead during the final round, he finished tied sixth. Will be seeded seventh at East Lake.
(Last four starts: 6-4-3-48)

Brandt Snedeker: Would have wanted to reward Davis Love's faith with something better than a tied 37th at the BMW but remains one of Americans with the best recent form after his great start to the play-offs. Will be glad of a week off after playing eight tournaments in a row.
(Last four starts: 37-6-2-28)

Steve Stricker: Hasn't lived up his nickname of "Mr September" during the play-offs where he's traditionally been a powerhouse. Not exactly doing much wrong though having shot seven sub-par rounds out of eight in the last two events.
(Last four starts: 26-13-54-7)

Summary

The good news for Davis Love is that all 12 of his team have made it through to East Lake. Woods is the second seed with Mickelson (4th), Snedeker (5th), D Johnson (7th), Z Johnson (9th), Dufner (10th), Watson (11th), Stricker (13th), Bradley (14th), Kuchar (16th), Furyk (18th) and Simpson (25th).

That contrasts to just five Europeans - top seed McIlroy, Westwood (8th), Garcia (12th), Donald (15th) and Rose (24th).

However, that may paint a false picture.

Several of Olazabal's team didn't even contest the FedEx play-offs, instead choosing to stay in Europe where the likes of Paul Lawrie and Peter Hanson have racked up victories in the last three weeks.

It's also fair to say that as many as six of the US team have actually underperformed during the play-offs, relying on points gained earlier in the season to punch their tickets through to the East Lake showdown.

Looking at their very latest starts, Europen can collectively boast two wins, a second, two sixths and an eighth.

As for the Americans, five of their 12 made the top 10 in the latest play-off event at Crooked Stick.

It's fair to say that there is scope for both camps to declare themselves in healthy shape with the big Medinah tee-off less than three weeks away.