GRAND BLANC, Mich. – Jeff Sluman doesn’t need any additional motivation in his quest to make the U.S. Ryder Cup team but if he did, he got it Saturday at the Buick Open.

Sluman was paired with Jim Furyk and Chris DiMarco, two mainstays on Captain Tom Lehman’s squad, and on a day when Sluman wasn’t feeling particularly well, he outplayed both.

Sluman, playing 30 holes at the rain-interrupted event, completed a first-round 66 then backed it up with a second round 67 for a 133 total. That’s 11-under-par and good enough for third place with Bo Van Pelt (67-66).

Sluman has three top six finishes in his last six events. He is rapidly moving up the Ryder Cup points list. He added 160 points last week with his third place finish in Milwaukee and is poised for another major pop at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club.

With 471.250 points, Sluman is within range of the 10th and final automatic qualifying spot. A winner’s share of 375 points this week will push him all the way up to No. 5 on the list.

But he has put that out of his mind, as completely as possible.

“I’m not going to worry about that at all,” Sluman said. “If I do I’ll shoot a couple of 80s on the weekend. Every time throughout my career if I started focusing on making a team like that I never seem to play well. I’m going to kind of let it happen.

“If I don’t make the team, I don’t make the team. We’ll have 12 guys that will be playing great golf representing our country and I’ll be cheering them on if I’m not somehow there.”

Sluman said the comfort level was high with the Furyk-DiMarco pairing but that’s all. There were no Ryder Cup implications.

“No, not really,” he said. “They’re good friends. It’s always nice when you look down and see a pairing like that, and say it’s just going to be a great two days because they are both unbelievable competitors and terrific guys on and off the golf course, totally professional out there. That’s a really pleasant experience when that happens.”

Sluman made eight birdies in the first round and six more in the second round. In 36 holes, he has played 15 holes in 3 or less strokes. In completing Round I, he had a 2 and six 3s in an eight-hole stretch.

“I was pleasantly surprised,” Sluman said. “I woke up this morning, with about three hours of sleep, at 2:30 a.m. and have been up ever since. I was exhausted starting the round. And the way I felt I didn’t know if I could play all 30.

“Once you make a few birdies … I made a bunch early, I wasn’t tired then. So that’s what I was kind of hoping for. And you’re playing with Jim – he played unbelievable golf. I’ll tell you what, he should be leading by about five shots, as well as he played.”

Furyk shot 68 and is at 134, 10 under.

Sluman credits his improved form to “driving a lot better.”

“Statistically, I didn’t drive it as well as I have been,” he said. “At the U.S. Open, I was first in fairways hit and greens hit. That’s a good thing at the U.S. Open, let me tell you, especially at Winged Foot.

“Last week I think I was first in greens again, third in fairways. When I start driving the ball like that, I’m a decent enough iron player I’m not going to make too many mistakes. Then it’s just a matter of can you make a few putts here and there.”

Sluman tied for sixth at Winged Foot and was solo third last week in Milwaukee.