Gary Woodland, winner with fellow American Matt Kuchar of the Omega Mission Hills World Cup last week, has set his long-term sights on the Ryder Cup.
Gary Woodland at the World Cup
But his immediate task is to carry his exiting form from the World Cup into this week's Chrevron World Challenge at Shewrwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California.
America's version of the South African Nedbank Golf Challenge, this end of season, limited-field invitational which also tees off on Thursday, features many of the USA's leading golfers including Kuchar and Tiger Woods, the one-time host of the event whose Tiger Woods Foundation benefits substantially.
All four of the highest World Ranked Americans, Dustin Johnson, Steve Stricker, Nick Watney and Webb Simpson are in the field as are a number of the players who helped them win the ninth Presidents Cup at Royal
Melbourne two weeks ago, including US hero Jim Furyk, Woods, Kuchar, Bubba Watson, Bill Haas and Hunter Mahan,
Also in the field are Jason Day and KJ Choi, two of the players who represented Greg Norman's Internationals at the Presidents Cup
Reigning PGA champion, Bradley Keegan, the United States's only major winner last year, was in his rookie season on the PGA Tour last year and with only one season instead of two to qualify for the Presidents Cup, he missed out on selection, but this exciting new US talent is in the Chevron line-up and if he is not rusty, he might well give America's recent President's Cup and World Cup heroes a real good run for their money.
Tiger Woods won two of his three President's Cup matches, including the singles match that finally sealed the American victory at 19-15, but he continues to be an up and down player and the Chevron is an ideal opportunity to help him show the world that his troubles over the past two years have not reduced him to mediocrity.
In the case of Woodland, already a winner in his rookie year on the PGA Tour, the 27-year-old is not only keen to carry his exciting form at Mission Hills - team-mate Kuchar described him a best players in the contest - into the Sherwood Country Club battle this week, he has fallen so hard for team-play since winning the World Cup, he has now set his sights on playing for the USA in next Year's Ryder Cup.
"I hope Davis (Love III, the US Captain) has taken some notes because I hope I've proved I can handle myself capably in a team format," Woodland said this week
"The Ryder Cup has always been a huge goal of mine and that goal is now much more important after Matt and I won the World Cup.
"Ever since I turned professional I have dreamt about being in a US Ryder Cup team and it now seems a big step closer.
"I had the goal at the start of the year to make the Presidents Cup.
"That didn't pan out, but then Matt chose me to partner him in the World Cup and I could not have been happier.
"Europe has kind of had the States's number in most of the recent Ryder Cups but it would be nice to be in the team that wins back the trophy on home turf.
"It's been a long while since the States had the Ryder Cup, World Cup and Presidents Cup in the same trophy cabinet, but in winning the World Cup it has been a big inspiration to make the Ryder Cup team."
Woodland has not forgotten the big part Kuchar played in the American victory.
"I've learned so much from playing alongside him," he said, "and that's going to be a great springboard for me to take into 2012.
"He was always very positive, very encouraging and always very helpful in putting me at ease.
"It (the win) helps my confidence and it further boosts Matt's confidence given that he was also on the winning side.
"Hopefully both he and I can play well enough in 2012 to make Davis's side. I grew up watching the Ryder Cup and it would be an honour for me to play."
The Chevron World Challenge field:
US unless stated
Keegan Bradley
Bill Haas
Steve Stricker
Paul Casey (Eng)
Zach Johnson, Bo Van Pelt
KJ Choi
Matt Kuchar
Nick Watney
Jason Day (Aus)
Martin Laird (Sco)
Bubba Watson
Rickie Fowler
Hunter Mahan
Gary Woodland
Jim Furyk
Webb Simpson
Tiger Woods
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