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Ryder Cup Best Bet: Friday, September 29th
Marco Simone Golf Club is the host course for the 44th Ryder Cup. Here at bettingexpert, Duncan Campbell has analysed the betting markets to bring you our Ryder Cup best bet.
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Ryder Cup Preview
Friday, 29th September, 07:00 (UK)
Marco Simone Golf Club in Italy is the host course for the 2023 Ryder Cup. Just half an hour away from the centre of Rome, this is the first time Italy has been host to the biannual contest between Europe and the USA.
Aside from LIV Golf, this is one of the few weeks in the golfing calendar where players compete in teams in a matchplay format. Team captains will select eight players from each team to play in foursomes and fourballs over the opening two days, before all twelve players on each team compete in head-to-head matchplay on the final day.
At 7,181 yards, Marco Simone will play as a par 71, just as it has when it has hosted the Italian Open the past three years. Specifically remodelled with this event in mind, the course plays into the hands of longer hitters, with wider-than-average fairways and several driveable par fours. There should be plenty of memorable matchplay moments this week.
Early reports indicate that the rough is much thicker than previous Italian Opens held at Marco Simone. The home captain, Luke Donald, is permitted to set the course up as he wishes, and the course will play to the strengths of the Europeans rather than the Americans. Most of the European Ryder Cup team have played in previous Italian Opens, and the Europeans will certainly have the advantage of course knowledge in addition to course setup.
A near-perfect weather forecast means that there should be no interruptions to play, and we could be set for one of the most exciting Ryder Cups to date.
Ryder Cup Best Bet
Europe are the underdogs in the betting at 2.00, with Team USA priced up at 1.91. Those odds are reflective of the fact the USA has the stronger team and dished out a comprehensive ten-point victory last time out. Team USA also has a much stronger average world ranking, averaging 12.9. Contrast that to the European team, who have an average ranking of 30, and there can be no doubting the fact that Team USA have the stronger team on paper. The Ryder Cup doesn’t always go the way of the world rankings, though, and that is reflected in the fact the American team hasn’t won in Europe since 1993.
Europe were as big as 2.75 at one stage to win this year’s event, but several factors have seen the odds on Europe tumble. The emergence of youngster Ludvig Aberg has been a significant plus for Luke Donald, whilst Viktor Hovland’s recent form has moved him to fourth in the world rankings. Team Europe now have three of the four best players in the world and are a much more formidable team than the ageing bunch who failed miserably in 2021.
It shouldn’t be forgotten that Europe have won seven of the last ten Ryder Cups and may be being disrespected in the betting, especially with home advantage. Winning away from home isn’t easy, a point emphasised by the fact the home team has won the Ryder Cup in seven of the last eight matches. A bet on Europe looks the best bet, in my opinion, at 2.00 with bet365.
There is one bet that stands out, having trawled through the specials markets. Bet365 are offering a market on who will lead each team out in the Sunday singles, and Rory McIlroy looks like a man who should be odds on rather than a price of 2.63.
McIlroy has led the European team out in the singles matches in each of the last three Ryder Cups, and it seems inconceivable that he won’t do so again, given his emotional win last time out in Wisconsin. McIlroy was reduced to tears in his post-round interview in 2021, and he is clearly a man who takes his leadership role within the team seriously.
Only Justin Rose has as many Ryder Cup appearances as McIlroy, and it would be a brave decision from Luke Donald to select someone else in a slot that is perhaps the most important for final-day momentum. The Northern Irishman can be backed at 2.63 with bet365 to be first out in the singles for Europe.
- Selection: Europe
- Best Odds: 2.00 (bet365)
- Stakes: 3/10
Odds via bet365 as at 11.55 September 26th 2023. Odds may now differ.
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