European and American Ryder Cup Team Selection
The American Team will be made up of the top six eligible players in the points rankings together with six captain's picks. In 2023, Zach Johnson will captain the U.S. Ryder Cup squad against Europe in Rome, Italy.
There are currently four European golfers in the world's top 10, Rahm, Hovland, McIlroy, and Fitzpatrick - who are already virtually guaranteed to play on Henrik Stenson's team. Europe also has some very talented young players, namely the Hojgaard twins, who have collected five World Tour wins between them at the tender age of 21. It seems they are only going to get better and will likely be challenging to get into the side for Rome.
Below are some of the Europeans that are predicted to make up the team and there are some great contenders:
Matt Fitzpatrick, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Justin Rose, Guido Migliozzi, Rasmus Hojgaard, Nicolai Hojgaard and Thomas Pieters.
Checking on their form leading up to the event might mean a winning bet!
Placing Your Ryder Cup Bets
Fans of the Ryder Cup may also decide to have a bet on a Ryder Cup game. This can be achieved in numerous ways, as the Ryder Cup lasts for three full days and there are many different players and matches that can be bet on. Some fans may watch all of the action, whilst others may only watch their favourites to see how they will hold their nerve on the Italian fairways. Different players will naturally have different ways of approaching the 18 holes. With its unique challenges, it offers numerous betting opportunities to have a flutter.
There are three match formats in the Ryder Cup:
Foursomes
When playing in foursomes, each two-man team plays one ball per hole, with the players taking it in turn until each hole is complete. Players of a team alternate hitting tee shots, with one leading off on odd-numbered holes, and the other hitting first on the even-numbered holes. The team with the lowest score card on each hole wins that particular hole. If, however, their scores are tied, the hole is halved. It's fair to boast that if Matt Fitzpatrick were teamed up with Rory McIlroy the American pairing will have to be strong! Betting on foursomes can be a very thrilling way to enjoy the championship play.
Four-Ball
In a four-ball competition, each player on a two-man team plays with his own ball, so four balls are played on every hole. The teams count the lowest of the two scores on each hole, and the team whose player achieves the lowest score wins the hole. If the low scores are equal, the hole is halved.
Singles
On the last day the singles matches feature one player from each team. This is now a on a one-on-one challenge where players strive to beat their direct opponent. Naturally, the player with a lower score on each hole wins that hole. If the scores are tied, the hole is halved.
Popular Types of Ryder Cup Bets
Here are some of the most popular types of bets that can be placed on the Ryder Cup:
Match Wins Bet
The Ryder Cup can be broken down into individual matches, meaning that punters do not just place bets on who will be the winning team at the end of day three, but they can split the tournament up into numerous different bets. For punters who want to place bets on even shorter frames of time, they can bet on individual matches. Considering the high odds that can be found in golf betting, this offers punters who really know their golf the chance to place many small bets during a day.
Of course, it is never that straightforward to predict which team will win a hole, but certain factors may help. If you want to place a specific bet on a team who you know does well on certain holes, you may choose to place bets on that team on the second day. This will be after the first round, so you will already have seen how they performed on that hole the previous day, which may help to make a good prediction.
Occasionally bets are made on a draw in match betting, where the point would be shared between Team Europe and Team USA. Each team will then earn 0.5 points, which can be added to their final totals. This is why sometimes the total score will include half points.
Tournament Bets
The most obvious bet that can be placed is on one of the teams to win the Ryder Cup. This bet can be placed at any time during the competition, but it can also be placed before the competition starts, which may increase the odds of adding to your gains. However, once the competition has started and players start to top the scorecard, the odds of them winning will lessen, so it is preferable to place a bet on the outright winner before the competition has started or in the early phases of the competition when the odds are better. There are many factors affecting a win. It is fair to say that The European team will have a home advantage with the crowds being thoroughly behind them.
To win the Ryder Cup outright, a team requires 14 ½ of the 28 points available. In the case of a 14-14 tie, the winning team from the previous Ryder Cup retains the trophy.
Most Points Bet
You can also bet on which individual players will earn the most points for their team. This is particularly exciting if you are a fan of a particular player. Bets on individual Ryder Cup players offer greater odds as players don't all compete in the same number of matches, increasing the variables. Captains must decide which players to choose for the five matches across the three-day event. Some of the best players may play four or five games, while other less experienced players may only get two or three games. Bear in mind if those lesser-used players earn three points, they may still become the top points scorer!
Player Special Offers Bet
During the Ryder Cup, it may be possible to bet on player specials. Whether or not an individual player will win more points than lose, or if one player will score more points than another opponent. These are always worth checking out when betting on golf. The head-to-head bets allow fans to pit their favourite players against each other. When these bets are available, they offer bettors the chance to place a wager on which golfer will score higher between two contestants. This does not require either of the golfers to win. It will pay out if the golfer picked scores higher than the other golfer in the bet. Golf fans who enjoy seeing old rivals battling it out may see this as an exciting bet. Rivalry in the Ryder Cup is always fierce between the American and European players!
Prop Bets
As the name suggests, prop bets are a 'proposition' away from just the final score and outcome of the main event.
A hole-in-one is the dream for most golfers and punters alike and is one of the high-stakes bets that can be made on a team or individual achieving. Other 'prop' bets can be made during the Ryder Cup, and here are a few examples of this type of high-risk strategy:
- A hole-in-one on the 1st round played
- Will an individual player lead on points?
- Shane Lowry producing an albatross on the 18th hole?
- Zach Johnson winning the Ryder Cup Singles competition.
Whatever bets you may decide to place, we hope you enjoy and have a fantastic Ryder Cup!