USA vs Europe
PGA Golf
Date: Fri, 29 Sept 2023 – Sun, 1 Oct 2023
The Ryder Cup is a biennial men’s golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is contested every two years with the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe. The Ryder Cup is named after the English businessman Samuel Ryder who donated the trophy.
Preview:
We’ve reached the biennial golf spectacle, the Ryder Cup, once again, and this time it returns to European soil after the memorable 2018 showdown at Le Golf National. The narrative surrounding the United States’ struggle to win on foreign turf for over three decades looms large, but a fresh crop of talent brings renewed hope. Gone are the eras of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, replaced by a leadership ensemble featuring Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Xander Schauffele, and Patrick Cantlay, among others, determined to reshape history on European greens.
Meanwhile, Europe’s team is brimming with new blood. The days of Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, and Lee Westwood are in the rearview mirror, replaced by rookies like Nicolai Hojgaard, Robert MacIntyre, and Ludvig Aberg, poised to usher in a new era of European supremacy on their home turf. Beyond the intriguing debutants, the upper echelon of the European team is arguably stronger than in recent memory. Rory McIlroy is currently showcasing the finest golf of his career, Viktor Hovland arrives fresh from a FedEx Cup triumph, Tyrrell Hatton and Tommy Fleetwood are riding the wave of career-defining seasons, not to mention the reigning Masters champion, Jon Rahm, in their ranks.
The United States boasts its own formidable lineup, with Scottie Scheffler commanding the title of the world’s premier ball-striker. Brooks Koepka, the reigning PGA champion, adds considerable firepower, while Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele have demonstrated their mettle as a formidable duo in team competitions. Following two consecutive Ryder Cups that lacked competitiveness, expectations are high for a tightly contested battle in Rome.
The Course:
This year’s Ryder Cup will be held at Marco Simone Golf Club, situated in the picturesque Italian countryside near Rome. This marks the first time this venue has hosted the Ryder Cup. Designed initially by Jim Fazio in 1991, the course underwent a major renovation in 2018 by Tom Fazio II, Jim’s son, who worked on it while studying at Mississippi State.
Marco Simone’s redesign aimed not only to host future Ryder Cups but also to become a regular stop on the DP World Tour. Since TFII’s work, the course has gained recognition, with the DS Automobiles Open in 2021 won by Nicolai Hojgaard, followed by victories from Robert MacIntyre and Adrian Meronk in 2022 and 2023, respectively. It has earned a reputation as one of the more challenging DP World Tour venues.
The course features mountainous terrain, water hazards, and narrow fairways bordered by thick native grasses. It presents a physical challenge, making it interesting to see if teams will field their stars for all five matches. While it might seem a bit extreme in design, the Ryder Cup often prioritizes captivating theater over logical course layout.
Despite its challenges, Marco Simone promises an engaging viewing experience, with a TPC-style layout, a lively first tee, and exciting risk-reward holes on the back-nine. Spectators can enjoy panoramic views of multiple holes from high points in the course, creating a vibrant atmosphere in the beautiful Guidonia countryside.
It remains to be seen how the European team will set up the course. The groundskeeper suggests that conditions will resemble those of the Italian Open in recent years. Interestingly, the European side might have an advantage in driving distance, while the U.S. side boasts shorter, accurate players. Course setup decisions by team captains will undoubtedly add drama to the competition, especially given Marco Simone’s penalties for errant drives and numerous risk-reward opportunities.
Betting Picks:
Top Europe Scorer:
Rory Mcllroy @4/1
After an incredibly disappointing performance at Whistling Straits, McIlroy does enter this Ryder Cup a far better player than he was in 2021. Over the last 12 months, McIlroy ranks third in true strokes gained off the tee, second in driving distance, 12th in true strokes gained approach, and third in weighted proximity from 175 yards plus.
Top USA Scorer:
Patrick Cantlay @6/1
Cantlay and Schauffele are without a shadow of a doubt the United States’ safest bet, and both carry identical odds in the top points scorer market. To break the tie, we far prefer Cantlay’s course fit at Marco Simone.
To win Outright:
Europe @6/5
Although USA are favourites were taking the dog pick, we base this purely on the fact as mentioned above that USA struggle when not on home soil, also we just think that this course is better suited to the team Europe players.
Best Golf Betting Picks, Image Credit: CBSSport
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