Our golf tipster Martin Mathews wades in on America v USA ahead of Friday’s tee off.
As one of the most captivating years in men’s golf in recent memory draws to a close the 45th edition of the Ryder Cup getting underway on Friday has the potential to top the lot.
Taking place at Bethpage Black in New York the renowned Tillinghast Design will play to a par 70 measuring just over 7300 yards.
Played over three days the first two days will each see four matches of Fourballs and Foursomes, while Sunday will see twelve singles matches, meaning 28 points are up for grabs in total. Let’s get Martin Mathews‘ best bets!
Europe to lift the trophy
Top European scorer: Rory McIlroy
Top overall rookie: Russell Henley
Top wildcard scorer: Viktor Hovland
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
1. Europe to lift the trophy
As current holders of the trophy, Europe will need to reach 14 points to retain the cup.
Having regained the trophy in emphatic fashion in 2023 in Italy Europe will be looking to now achieve what they last managed in Medinah in 2012, which is win the Ryder Cup on American soil.
Since Europe’s victory in Italy, captain Luke Donald has been preparing for this week and there are plenty of reasons to think they could pull off another famous victory.
Europe’s talisman Rory McIlroy arrives having won again in Ireland recently, while Tommy Fleetwood, with Scottie Scheffler aside, has arguably been the form player in world golf over recent months.
In Jon Rahm, Ludvig Aberg, Viktor Hovland, Justin Rose, Robert McIntyre, Matt Fitzpatrick, Shane Lowry and Tyrrell Hatton they then have a plethora of big names. Most arrive in strong form and all with Ryder Cup experience.
While boasting the World No. 1 in Scheffler, from a Team USA perspective, I see plenty of areas of concern.
Collin Morikawa’s best finish since June is 19th while Xander Schauffele, who’s partnership with Patrick Cantlay is so key to Team USA, has not played competitively for six weeks following the birth of a child.
Another unknown is how the four rookies Russell Henley, JJ Spaun, Ben Griffin and Cameron Young will fair in this environment. Finally I can’t help but wonder about how Bryson Dechambeau will integrate in to the team room.
I expect a tight contest but Europe can pull off the win. We’ll give ourselves some wiggle room with a tie though and take them to lift the trophy.
2. top European scorer: Rory McIlroy
Since the final putt dropped in Rome, McIlroy has made no secret of the fact that another away European Ryder Cup win was one of the main goals on his list to achieve.
McIlroy top scored for Europe in Italy playing all five sessions and barring unforeseen illness/injury he will be out five times again. I expect McIlroy to renew his foursomes partnership with Fleetwood and he was so pivotal to Europe’s success in Rome that it is hard to look beyond him in this market.
3. Top overall rookie: Russell Henley
The key thing here, as in any of the ‘top player’ markets, is to consider how many matches a player will tee it up in across the week and who they might be paired with.
In Henley we have a player who proved himself to be a strong foil for World No. 1 Scheffler in foursomes in last year’s Presidents Cup and I expect that partnership to be renewed here giving the Georgia Bulldog at least three starts.
With eight consecutive top 20 finishes in the PGA Tour since May, Henley is as reliable as they come.
4. Top Wildcard scorer: Viktor Hovland
If we are to believe that Europe can triumph overall, In the top wildcard market, I have to take a chance on Hovland. Favourite here is Rahm, who is an obvious candidate, but at more than twice the odds and with each-way terms for the top three available, it is the Norwegian who makes most appeal.
Hovland looks certain to play all five matches as he did in Rome, which gives him a head start over most in this market, and having memorably paired with Aberg to demolish Scheffler and Brooks Koepka two years ago, you can expect to see that partnership again.
Finally to wrap things up, as I did in Rome, I will side with Europe to win the opening mornings foursomes session. Europe caught the US cold on Friday morning in Rome winning all four matches. While it is tough to envisage a repeat of that mauling here, if Europe can post some early blue on the board we may some US scar tissue from that experience and I am happy to chance Europe to start well here again.
Europe to lift the trophy
Top European scorer: Rory McIlroy
Top overall rookie: Russell Henley
Top wildcard scorer: Viktor Hovland
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
Read MoreThe latest golf odds are on PaddyPower.com right nowTHE PADDY POWER GUIDE TO SAFER GAMBLING – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW