Ryder Cup predictions: Betting preview with expert tips & best odds

Ryder Cup tips:

• Europe to win Day 1 Foursomes - 4pts @ 31/20 with BetUK
• Ludvig Åberg - Top Rookie Scorer - 2pts @ 7/2 with William Hill
• Collin Morikawa - Top USA Points Scorer - 1pt E/W @ 8/1 BetVictor

The Ryder Cup heads to Italy for the first time with Rome’s Marco Simone Golf and Country Club hosting the biennial event from Friday until Sunday.

In the latest Ryder Cup odds, United States are slight underdogs to retain the trophy they won in a lopsided affair at Whistling Straits two years ago, although The Belfry in 1993 was the last time they claimed the trophy on European soil.

Brooks Koepka is the only LIV Golf emigré in the event and Europe are missing the likes of veterans Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood.

Man-for-man, Team USA are the stronger with all 12 players ranked inside the world’s top 25. That is usually the case and Team Europe, with its famed camaraderie, has a not-too-shabby nine inside the top 40.

The other three are rookies, two of whom have happy memories of this course. Nicolai Højgaard and Bob MacIntyre won the Italian Open here in 2021 and 2022 respectively, while Ludvig Åberg – who only turned pro in June – took the European Masters title earlier this month.

Rory McIlroy, playing his seventh Ryder Cup, Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick also have top-five finishes on a track new to the Americans. 

USA captain Zach Johnson brought his team to Rome for a look earlier this month, although Patrick Cantlay, Jordan Spieth and Xander Schauffele missed the trip for assorted personal reasons.

You don’t need to have visited to know that accuracy off the tee is a must with perilously thick rough guarding narrow fairways. 

There are also three driveable par fours, including the 16th where McIlroy blew his chance of victory in 2021 by finding the water. This hole will no doubt see more than its fair share of drama over the weekend.

Ryder Cup betting: Fourball & foursomes form

Each of the first two days features four foursomes (alternate shots) and fourball (better ball) matches.

The home captain decides when they are played Luke Donald has opted for foursomes in the morning sessions and fourballs in the afternoon sessions.

That goes against the formula which has served Europe so well down the years since Seve Ballesteros adopted morning fourballs/afternoon foursomes at Valderrama in 1997.

Generally, the Americans fare better in fourballs with the Europeans superior in the foursomes. 

At Gleneagles in 2014, the visitors won both fourball sessions 2.5-1.5 with Europe taking both foursomes 3.5-0.5. In Paris in 2018, the Americans won the opening fourballs 3-1 before Europe swept the foursomes. On Day Two, Europe took the fourballs 3-1 with the foursomes shared.

2023 Ryder Cup predictions

Excluding 2010, where the weather played havoc with the schedule, Europe have won four out of the last five Day One afternoon foursomes at home with USA’s only session victory coming in 2002. 

UK bookmakers are offering 31/20 on Europe making it five out of six and that is our primary betting pick on the 2023 Ryder Cup. 

As for the players, it’s a question of which market for Ludvig Åberg. Two rounds with the Swede at June’s Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit convinced Donald he was ready for the Ryder Cup. 

Judging by his college exploits and early pro outings, he looks a player who thrives rather than wilts under pressure.

The unique atmosphere of a Ryder Cup will be new to Åberg but he will be surrounded by friendly and familiar faces including old hands McIlroy and Justin Rose. 

Already one of the best drivers and ball-strikers in the game, he could easily become a mainstay in Rome. 

He is 12/1 to be top Europe points scorer but we’re instead going to opt for William Hill’s 7/2 price on Åberg for top tournament rookie, with the bookies preferring Max Homa. 

For the Americans, Collin Morikawa has been consistent of late without winning. As the best ball-striker in the visiting line-up – second on the PGA Tour in driving accuracy and third for greens in regulation (Scottie Scheffler topped the latter) – he should enjoy this test. 

With 3.5 points out of a possible four in 2021, he has already shown a liking for the Ryder Cup.

Scheffler is a worthy favourite for top USA points scorer but Morikawa at 8/1 is our preference at each-way, although make sure you get a quarter-odds for three places.