Jim Furyk takes out his frustration on hole No. 12 during the final round of the 2012 U.S. Open. Ron Chenoy – US PRESSWIRE

For the eighth time in as many years, Jim Furyk is a member of the United State’s Ryder Cup team. The University of Arizona alum (1988-92) was among those selected Tuesday by team captain Davis Love III. The “Captain’s Pick” selection means Furyk has been a member of every Ryder and President’s cup teams since turning pro.

Furyk is 8-15-4 in Ryder Cup matches, but is 4-2-1 in singles play.

The United States leads the all-time series — which biennially pits the U.S. versus Europe — by a 25-11-2 count. Furyk helped pace USA to wins as a member of the 1999 and 2008 teams.

The Medinah (Ill.) Country Club will play host to this year’s Ryder Cup from Sept. 25-30.

The Arizona Sports Hall of Famer closed out the PGA season with $2.8 million in earnings ($51.9 million for his career), while finishing fifth in driving accuracy and scoring average. He hasn’t won a tournament since being named the 2010 PGA Tour Player of the Year. Furyk held a late lead at this year’s U.S. Open, but squandered a chance for his second career (2003) open title in the closing holes. He also blew a lead on No. 18 on the final day of the Firestone. He finished 21st overall in FedEx Cup points on the season.

2012 UNITED STATE RYDER CUP TEAM

Davis Love III – C

Keegan Bradley

Jason Dufner

Jim Furyk*

Dustin Johnson*

Zach Johnson

Matt Kuchar

Phil Mickelson

Brandt Snedeker*

Webb Simpson

Steve Stricker*

Bubba Watson

*Captain’s picks

Former Wildcat Jim Furyk has made the Ryder Cup team with a swing as crooked as a dog’s hind leg.

— John Button Salmon (@GR8SalmonsGhost) September 4, 2012

It’s loopier than Lombard Street and as unpredictable as the weather at the Lake Course of San Francisco’s Olympic Club, home of this year’s U.S. Open golf tournament.

Jim Furyk takes out his frustration on hole No. 12 during Sunday's U.S. Open finale. Ron Chenoy - US PRESSWIRE

We’re talking about Jim Furyk’s golf swing, correct?

Well…yes, that analogy is apt.

But for once we’re not talking about the dips, flips, angles and swoops of the University of Arizona alum’s legendary bumpy swing.

We’re talking about the path Furyk’s career has taken the last three years — which was thrust into the national spotlight on Sunday when the 42 year old blew a late lead and an opportunity to win his second U.S. Open (2003).

Furyk limped to the finish after badly shanking a shot on 16 and, just like that, the tough Northern California course swallowed the lead he’d held since Friday.

Webb Simpson finished strong and Furyk, known in many golf circles as “T4,” finished, well, tied for fourth —courtesy of a +4 for the day and three over for the weekend.

For Furyk, this year’s U.S. Open could be considered a microcosm of his last three seasons.

The latest formula seems to be: reach the pinnacle of the sport, only to fall off the proverbial cliff like a lemming in wingtip golf shoes.

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Jim Furyk on the second tee during the final round of Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC Boston. Greg M. Cooper/US Presswire

It’s not easy staying on top of the gold world. Just ask Tiger Woods. Or you can ask reigning PGA Tour Player of the Year Jim Furyk.

Furyk’s 2011 season has been starkly different from his 2010 campaign, which saw the University of Arizona alum named PGA Tour Player of the Year.

But now, as the season dwindles to its final playoff events, Furyk is finally showing signs of life at just the right time.

After missing the cut in seven of the 24 tournaments he’s played in this year, Furyk has apparently found his — albeit unsightly — swing.

The 41-year old has two top-ten finishes in his last three tourneys. His sixth-place showing (three strokes off the winner) at last weekend’s Deutsche Bank Championship in Norton, Mass., was his highest finish of the season and conveniently came in the second round of the FedEx Cup playoffs.

Owner of 14-career PGA Tour wins, Furyk bottomed out this summer missing the cut in five of six tournaments between mid-May and the beginning of July, including making no cuts in the month of June. All told, he missed eight cuts this season.

He currently ranks 166th on the Tour this season in driving distance and 157th in par-4 performance.

Last year, Furyk claimed the FedEx Cup title with 252 points more than runner-up Matt Kuchar. This season, the ex-Wildcat is 35th overall in the chase, 3,468 points behind leader Webb Simpson.

And while 35th might sound bad, it actually leaves Furyk still competing in the four-tier playoff system. It also keeps his name in the running for a spot on the President’s Cup team.

Furyk will need a strong showing at the BMW Championship in Lemont, Ill., to break into the top 30 points leaders and advance to the Tour Championship (the season and playoff finale) at Atlanta’s East Lake Golf Club.

SAID FURYK ON SUCCESS AT THE DEUTSCHE BANK CHAMPIONSHIP VIA PGATOUR.COM:

“Still need to improve, still need to get better, but it’s a step in the right direction, and I’ll try to go out tomorrow and fire another good number. It might have to be really good to think about winning.”

“But I’ve got a lot of other things on the line, as well, with the FedExCup Playoffs and trying to get close to that top 30, trying to make The Presidents Cup team. There are a lot of different things on my mind right now. I’m at a position, though, where I really — yesterday it felt like I had a lot to lose. If I missed the cut, I may not be in next week’s field (at BMW Championship). Everything I’m trying to accomplish probably gets washed away. Now I feel like I have a little bit of life left in me, and I have nothing to lose right now. Just go out and play as good as you can and see what you can make happen.”

And should Furyk’s season end at the BMW Championship, all is not lost. He’s still managed to pull in more than $1.3 million (52nd overall on Tour) in earnings this season and should eclipse $50 million in career winnings before the season concludes.