Old foes do battle when Team USA tees off against Team Europe in the 43rd edition of the Ryder Cup.
The crew at tips.betdeluxe.com.au has gone through all the analysis to find the best bets ahead of what promises to be a brilliant event.
Ryder Cup
Wisconsin will host the 43rd edition of the Ryder Cup when action begins on Friday 24th September at 10pm (AEDT) from Whistling Straights Course in Sheboygan.
This event is everything the golf purist waits for every two years, but this Cup has been eagerly awaited for a year longer due to COVID.
Originally scheduled to be played in 2020, it has been shifted to this year so get set for the best golfers around the world to show off their craft and talent again.
The Whistling Straights Course offers players 72-shot for par course with four par fives, 10 par fours and four par threes.
Both teams this year contain an incredible group of golfers.
On Team USA – led by captain Steve Stricker – there a host of stars that have ensured it remains favourite heading into the first of four days.
Team Europe captain Padraig Harrington has a plethora of big time players at this disposal as well.
Format
Two teams of 12 go through the rigorous affair of 28 match play ties over three days, with a total of 14.5 points needed in order to take home the coveted gold trophy.
A four-match session of four-ball and a four-match session of foursomes across the first two days will ensue before the two teams tee off on day three with 12 singles matches to decide the who the Ryder Cup winner is.
Four-balls;
– Each member of a two-man team plays his own ball, so four balls are in play on every hole.
– Each team counts the lowest of its two scores on each hole, and the team whose player has the lowest score wins the hole.
– If the low scores are tied, the hole is halved.
Foursomes;
– Each two-man team plays one ball per hole with the players taking turns until each hole is complete.
– Players alternate hitting tee shots, with one leading off on odd-numbered holes, and the other hitting first on even-numbered holes.
– The team with the low score on each hole wins that hole. If their scores are tied, the hole is halved.
Team USA
Player list – Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Cantlay, Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Tony Finau, Xander Schauffele, Harris English, Daniel Berger, Scottie Scheffler.
Bryson DeChambeau
He is the world’s most divisive player.
It is no secret his driving is a massive weapon that will be utilised by Team USA captain Steve Stricker, but it is the volatile nature of his emotions and mindset that need to be reigned in.
With team-play a critical factor in the Ryder Cup, his feud with teammate Brooks Koepka is almost certain to result in the two not playing together and Stricker will be dealt with keeping the big-hitting world number nine in check.
There is no doubting his ability to provide this USA team with a major advantage off the tee, it is just a matter of getting him partnered up with someone who can mitigate his weaknesses but capitalise on his strengths.
Justin Thomas
An undersold commodity in the headlines.
Justin Thomas sparked Team USA to victory in the 2018 Ryder Cup after a brilliant 4-1-0 on his tournament debut.
The 28-year-old world number three will play one of the more crucial roles of the tournament as he provides a bedrock for his likely partner Jordan Spieth to plant his game on.
His triumph in The Players Championship earlier this year showed he has what it takes to continue to be a force at such a high level.
Camaraderie is such an integral part of these events, and, despite having the more talented team on paper in the recent years of this tournament, team USA has struggled to knock Europe.
The comments from Thomas during the week highlight a change in the guard is forthcoming.
“I think we understand each other’s games well to know when we’re needed, when we’re not needed, and pretty much just stay out of each other’s way,” he told the Golf Channel.
It is that type of attitude, combined with his star ability on the irons and putter that will ensure he goes close to repeating, if not, bettering what he did back in 2018.
Team Europe
Player list – Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland, Paul Casey, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Matt Fitzpatrick, Lee Westwood, Bernd Wiesberger, Sergio Garcia, Shane Lowry, Ian Poulter.
Rory McIlroy
The Northern Irish star is the man of the moment for Team Europe and has been some quite some time.
He and Padraig Harrington have formed a formidable bond and the two being paired with McIlroy the top ranked European player and Harrington the Team Europe captain, it can only mean a huge amount of value to this roster of players.
From a PGA Tour Tournament point of view, McIlory has not had the most successful year in his career by a fair way, but he has been there or abouts in many of the major events.
The former World Number One has an 11-9-4 record at the Ryder Cup tournament and his driving game matched the finesse around the greens makes him one to keep a watchful eye on heading into day one.
Viktor Hovland
One of the more eyebrow-raising selections made in the Team Europe team by captain Padraig Harrington.
The 24-year-old becomes the first ever Norwegian entrant into the Ryder Cup and does with a PGA world ranking of number 44 following a career best 2021 to date.
The former US Amateur Champion has recorded a T-12 at The Open Championship, T-21 at The Masters and a T-30 at the PGA Championship to stake his claim as a genuine contender in the majors.
However, the Ryder Cup on American soil is a hostile environment he is yet to face.
That being said, he has shown his ability to handle pressure this year by holding his nerve to win the BMW International Open during June.
prediction
The Ryder Cup history would suggest this tournament favours Team USA having won 26 times against Team Europe and what was known as Team Great Britain from 1927 to 1977.
But recent Ryder Cup’s heavily favour Team Europe.
Of the nine Ryder Cup’s held since 2002, Team Europe has won seven times and is the current champion after a triumphant four days in 2018.
Both teams possess freakish drivers, finesse on the iron game and short game.
In a Ryder Cup that is incredibly hard to split, Team Europe does look the value
Suggested Bet: Team Europe at $2.4
