Geoff Johnson
- We’ve set odds on the 2018 Ryder Cup, and have the US as a road favorite
- Look for young American talent to dominate Le Golf National
- Can the US score back-to-back Ryder Cups for the first time since 1993?
The 2018 Ryder Cup tees off this weekend at Le Golf National in Paris. Jim Furyk’s US Team, which includes the winner of three of this year’s major championship, should be favored to win on European soil for the first time since 1993.
We’ve set odds on the 2018 Ryder Cup, without the juice, for your viewing pleasure.
2018 Ryder Cup Odds
| Team | Odds to Win Ryder Cup |
|---|---|
| USA | 1/1 |
| Europe | 3/2 |
| Tie | 9/1 |
It is a little strange to have the travelling team as the favorite, since the home team gets a lot of say in course set-up and a myriad of other advantages. Winning a Ryder Cup on the road is very, very tough, and the home team has won four of the last five contests. However, this American team is exceptionally talented, and has dominated the tour this year.
2018 Ryder Cup Points Totals
For the US Team:
| Player | Over | Under |
|---|---|---|
| Dustin Johnson | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| Justin Thomas | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| Tiger Woods | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| Jordan Spieth | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Bryson DeChambeau | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Phil Mickelson | 1.5 | 1.5 |
Only five players exceeded 2.5 points at the 2016 Ryder Cup, and Dustin Johnson wasn’t one of them. Neither was Jordan Spieth, who was arguably in better form in 2016 than he is today.
Squad. ??? pic.twitter.com/bllzhMdk6V
— Ryder Cup USA (@RyderCupUSA) September 25, 2018
This is probably a good time to note that Tiger Woods’ lifetime win/loss at the Ryder Cup is somewhere below .500. For whatever reason, the Big Cat never lived up to expectations in the match-play tournament, although he’s taken a long enough hiatus to turn things around.
And the European Team:
| Player | Over | Under |
|---|---|---|
| Justin Rose | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| Tommy Fleetwood | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| Jon Rahm | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| Rory McIlroy | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Ian Poulter | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Sergio Garcia | 1.5 | 1.5 |
Much is made of the US team’s young talent, but the European’s bring a measure of their own. Since 2016, they’ve added world-beating youngster Jon Rahm to the mix, as well as Tommy Fleetwood, who very nearly set the US Open scoring record with a Sunday 63.
For what it’s worth, Rory McIlroy is visibly struggling this year, and played some truly dreadful golf towards the end of the Tour Championship.
