Should we be surprised anymore that when a major golf tournament begins, you have two names that are always on top of the betting list?
The way Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods have been playing, there’s not a whole lot of suspense there. With the 39th Ryder Cup ready to tee off at the Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Illinois, McIlroy and Woods find themselves on opposite sides of the fence again when Team Europe and Team USA collide for the ultimate match-play golf title, the Ryder Cup.
Seeing as the tournament will be held on US soil, the Americans have been slotted as the favorites heading into the opening ceremonies tomorrow. Oddsmakers have penciled Team USA as 7/10 favorites to recapture the Ryder Cup title from the defending champs, who, incidentally, have been listed as 6/4 underdogs.
Likewise, both McIlroy and Woods have been slotted as the favorites to top score their respective teams.
In the case of Team Europe, the world number one received 9/2 odds to top score for the team. McIlroy is then followed by Luke DOnald at 6/1, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, and Ian Poulter at 7/1 apiece, and Graeme McDowell at 29/4.
Meanwhile, the host team also features a steady stream of high-profile players led by the irrepressible Tiger Woods, who has been listed as a 9/2 favorite to top score for Team USA. Woods is followed by Steve Stricker and Dustin Johnson at 7/1 odds, Phil Mickelson at 8/1 odds, and Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar at 9/1 odds.
A spokesman from UK sports book Bwin made no bones about the level of competition for this year’s Ryder Cup, even going so far as to say that this could be one of the most competitive years in the history of the tournament.”This year’s Ryder’s cup promises to be a great clash between two very evenly matched teams,” the spokesman said.
“Although home advantage gives the USA a slight edge, as ever it will come down to who holds their nerves around the greens. In match-play golf, putting is so often the deciding factor.”
