Like many other things in 2020, the Ryder Cup was tabled due to the coronavirus pandemic. But with golf up and running at full capacity nowdaways, the tournament is back. And we've got the 2021 Ryder Cup betting odds and predictions you need to come out ahead of the field.
We begin, as always, by taking a look at the latest golf betting odds, courtesy of BetOnline:
Please note that we have some time before the 2021 Ryder Cup tees off, so you'll want to double-check these golf odds at BetOnline and other top online sportsbooks, since they will move in the coming weeks.
2021 Ryder Cup Picks
- When: Friday, September 24 - Sunday, September 26
- Where: Whistling Straits Course in Wisconsin, United States
- USA Captain: Steve Stricker
- Europe Captain: Padraig Harrington
Aside from betting Ryder Cup outrights at the moment, there isn't much for you to invest in. A deeper pool of props will emerge in the lead-up to the tournament once rosters for the USA and Europe are officially finalized, but for now, we need to focus on which team will emerge as the winner.
And that's good enough for us. There is plenty to analyze and consider when it comes to each side. So let's get to it.
The Case for the USA (-190)
It's really hard not to love the USA roster locks. Six of the spots are automatically awarded to those who qualify. Currently, those belong to Collin Morikawa, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas and, thanks to his recent rise, Patrick Cantlay.
More recently, Phil Mickelson and Fred Couples were named vice captains by the actual captain, Steve Stricker. That makes for quite the loaded docket.
Cantlay and Thomas, for their parts, hold two of the top-five spots in the PGA Tour World Rankings. The former, in particular, has really come into his own of late. He has moved all the way up to fifth in scoring average and places 14th in greens reached during regulation percentage.
Johnson, who has three top-six finishes and one overall victory to his name in 2021 alone, will look to carry the team with his well-balanced long and short games. He is second in the world in driving distance off the tee and 15th overall in birdies averaged per round.
It almost doesn't matter how USA rounds out the rest of its roster. Having two of the top-five golfers alive perfectly positions them to pick up the victory.
The Case for Europe (+200)
Throughout recent history, Europe has held a pretty strong hold on the outcome of the Ryder Cup. Over the past 20 competitions, they have 12 victories to the United States' eight. Eleven of those wins have come outright, while one of the wins came when the tournament ended in a tie and allowed them to retain the previous year's Ryder Cup.
Hasing out this year's roster has been slightly harder for Captain Padraig Harrington. The locks aren't as profuse. Guys like Henrik Stenson are still making a push to land one of the initial six spots, and it isn't clear how Harrington will build out the rest of the lineup given that uncertainty on top of the fact that two first-time participants presently own guaranteed spots.
On the bright side, Harrington knows he'll have 26-year-old Jon Rahm on the team. The 2021 U.S. Open winner is playing some of the best golf of his career this season. He ranks first in birdie and scoring average per round, and he's second in greens reached during regulation strokes. His long game from the tee can leave a little to be desired, but Europe will invariably surround him with more power hitters.
Rory McIlroy is also due back for the team. His play this year has been uneven, but he's working off a victory at the Wells Fargo Championship and ranks inside the top three in both driving distance from the tee and birdie average.
Basically, Europe is set at the top. Their questions lie in the middle and at the bottom of their depth chart.
2021 Ryder Cup Prediction
Picking against Europe here feels a little weird, even though they're pegged as the underdog. This has been their tournament. They not only won it in 2018, the last time it was held but have picked up four victories over the past five Ryder Cups. It has always seemed to help that they can cull golfers from multiple countries, making their field of possibilities a lot wider than that of the United States.
And yet, this time around, the USA will have the more talent-heavy roster. Their six locks are some of the best in the business, and while Stricker will have his work cut out when choosing how to cap the roster, there's no shortage of interest in big names joining the party.
Maybe this ends up being an overambitious prediction, but looking at the prospective participants alone, it seems like the USA will win the 2021 Ryder Cup rather handily.
OSB Ryder Cup Prediction: USA (-190)
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