FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- The Ryder Cup is coming to Bethpage Black, and its going to be absolutely bananas. Just imagine a football game crossed with a stock exchange floor under a circus tent. And then imagine trying to play golf in that environment. No, not just golf. The most harrowing, nerve-inducing golf of your life.Unfortunately, none of this is happening for another eight years. Thats nearly a full decade to wonder about all the perils of contesting the biennial nail-biter in the New York-iest of muni courses. Better start clearing your throat now, just in case.This week, theres a nice, little convergence of those two worlds. The infamous Black course is hosting the Barclays, the first of four PGA Tour playoff events. There isnt exactly a Ryder Cup atmosphere in the air, but the upcoming version of that event is serving as an important subplot to these proceedings.This is the last tournament for U.S. players to claim the eight automatic qualifying positions that will constitute two-thirds of the American roster. Five of those spots already belong to Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson, Jimmy Walker and Brooks Koepka. Those are locked up. Brandt Snedeker and Zach Johnson appear fairly safe in the next two spots. Patrick Reed is firmly on the bubble at No. 8, with J.B. Holmes, Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar in close pursuit.Then theres Rickie Fowler.It isnt often that the player in 12th place on the points list entering the final week would garner so much attention, but it isnt often that the worlds eighth-ranked player would find himself in this position.Its less statistical anomaly than just two lists based on different numbers, but it still qualifies as a bizarre phenomenon. And it has left Fowler trying to play catch-up in a race to make the team.One hundred percent, he said when asked how much hes thinking about it. Thats the No. 1 priority coming into the year. Id say thats always one of the main goals, for sure, coming into a Ryder Cup year. ... It would be nice to have a chance to make that team without having to get picked.Fowler indeed has that chance this week, but hell need a strong result. So far, hes on the right track, with an opening-round 4-under 67 that left him tied for third, 2 strokes shy of 18-hole co-leaders Reed and Martin Laird.Afterward, he was still thinking about the Ryder Cup.Im thinking about it; the other guys are thinking about it, he said. So if its even on your mind at all, not that its pressure in a way, but its more to think about. I dont mind it. Ive always liked kind of being put up against the wall in a corner and having that on me. Going out, I knew that getting off to a good start today was going to be key. Im in a position where Im kind of put in a corner where I need to either earn my way on the team or at least prove that I should be there.I was excited about getting out there. The game is very close to being really good. Ive had some little glimpses of that with rounds here and there. Good, solid start. thats all we can ask for.Plenty of players talk about wanting to make the Ryder Cup team. Fowler is backing up that talk with his actions.He competed for the U.S. in the recent Olympics for more than simply Ryder Cup-related reasons, though his enthusiasm to represent his country certainly didnt hurt. Then last week, when most of his highly ranked peers stayed home, he played the Wyndham Championship, finishing in a share of 22nd place in an effort to move up the standings.Its a big deal to both of us, explained his longtime caddie, Joe Skovron, and its been a big part of our scheduling as of late. Thats why we went to Wyndham. Weve definitely paid attention to it.Fowler revealed that he hasnt spoken with U.S. captain Davis Love III lately, though he expects to in coming weeks. Whether thats a happy conversation might depend largely on how Fowler plays the next three days.Even though the Ryder Cup wont be here at Bethpage Black for another eight years, its definitely on the mind of many players this week. None more than Fowler. Cheap Jordan From China .Y. -- Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo had little trouble picking up his first shutout of the season against a Buffalo Sabres team thats having trouble scoring goals. Air Jordan Discount . The Dane followed up his first European Tour title last weekend with eight birdies and just a single dropped shot on Thursday for a one-stroke advantage over South Africas Allan Versfeld and Portugals Ricardo Santos. https://www.jordanchina.us/ . Bryzgalov stopped 25 shots on Saturday in the Oklahoma City Barons 4-1 victory over the Abbotsford Heat. The Oilers signed Bryzgalov to a one-year $2 million contract last Friday after shedding payroll by dealing defenceman Ladislav Smid to the Flames. Cheap Air Jordan Free Shipping . Halladay signed a one-day contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday that allowed the veteran right-hander to retire as a member of team with which he broke into the majors and spent the bulk of his distinguished 16-year career. Fake Jordan . They had already blown a double-digit lead, fans were hitting the exits, and a long seven-game road trip waited at the end. Manchester United are finally starting to look like themselves again, and the turn in form couldnt have come quick enough for manager Jose Mourinho or their fans.Theyll try to keep that form going against struggling Stoke City at Old Trafford on Sunday.After starting with three wins from three and two clean sheets, the Red Devils (4-0-2) lost three consecutive matches, causing some pundits to question whether The Special One had lost his touch. But fortunes change quickly in the Premier League and all it took was a visit from defending champion Leicester City last weekend to seemingly put things right.United collected goals from unlikely sources in defender Chris Smalling and Juan Mata, favored in place of Wayne Rooney. Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba also found the net in the 4-1 victory.They then followed with a 1-0 win over Zorya Luhansk on Thursday in Europa League play courtesy of a lone 69th-minute strike from Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Its not often United find themselves playing Europa matches instead of Champions League fixtures, but Mourinho stressed that victory is still vital.The game was difficult but it was important to win, he said.Just days after speculation swirled about Rooneys future with the club, Mourinho commented on the England internationals contribution to Thursdays victory.He was laughing and said he made a great assist. He gave me what the team needed at the time, which was a second presence in the box, Mourinho said.Hes more of a striker than Juan (Mata), and Juan went more to the right-hand side (when Wayne came on). We startted the game with a very good team, and I also had players on the bench to give me solutions for everything.ddddddddddddStoke City (0-2-4), meanwhile, remain desperate for points while entering this clash second from the bottom in the table. Mark Hughes squad has looked lifeless on the attack and equally shaky at the back, having conceded four goals three times already this season.Following a 4-1 rout at the hands of Crystal Palace on Sept. 18, the Potters claimed a point in last weeks 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion. They probably should have taken all three as a 77th-minute strike from Joe Allen was canceled out by a stoppage-time equaliser from Salomon Rondon.Despite another frustrating result, Hughes chose to take the positives from his sides performance.We are a little bit upset, clearly, because we totally deserved to win the game, Hughes said. We just lost a little bit of concentration right at the end, which can happen, and unfortunately we have been punished for that once again.To be honest we were comfortable dealing with their balls into the box for the best part, and I honestly thought we were going to see it out -- our efforts on the day deserved to be rewarded with three points.Both sides claimed home victories in this fixture last season, but history is certainly not on the Potters side. Stoke have never taken a point at Old Trafford, losing all eight Premier League visits by a combined score of 25-6. ' ' '