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The Ryder Cup is considered to be one of the most exciting tournaments in all of golf with a matchplay setup made up of the best golfers in the world. Who doesn’t love a team sport? Even non-golfers can jump in and find this competition entertaining. With the trash talk going back and forth in pre-match press conferences, we could be in for quite a show.
The battle for the Ryder Cup begins on Thursday, September 25 and ends Sunday the 28th.
Here’s what you need to know about the odds:
1. Europe is Predicted to Win with 1/2 Odds
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With competitors such as Rory Mcilroy, Sergio Garcia and Justin Rose, the Europeans will be a tough team to beat. Bovada gave the Europeans 1/2 odds in clinching their third Ryder Cup victory in a row.
Another advantage of the Europeans is that there is no sudden death in the Ryder Cup, so if there is a tie, the Europeans will hoist the cup.
2. The USA’s Odds are 7/4
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The United States had a lot of shoes to fill this year, weakening the odds of their team. According to Bovada, the USA team has 7/4 odds as opposed to the Europeans’
Click here to see the rankings/odds of each individual golfer in the tournament.
3. The Europeans Have Never Won Three Times in a Row
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Although the odds are leaning heavily towards a European win, golf can be one of the most unpredictable games in all of sport. With veterans like Phil Mickelson and Tom Watson on the course in Scotland, a place where they feel very comfortable, anything can happen.
Europe has won the past two Ryder Cups and if they win in 2014, this will be the first time they have managed to capture the Ryder cup trophy for three consecutive years. Will team USA allow this to happen?
Click here to see a full list of past winners.
4. Tiger Woods and Jason Dufner are Hurt
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Tiger Woods took himself out of the running to be a part of the USA Ryder Cup team in early August, largely due to a shot on the second hole during the final round of the Bridgestone Invitational that cause him to withdraw seven holes later due to the pain in his back. His back has been injured on and of for a few years now.
Although Tiger won’t be there, there might not be that much of a difference for the USA team. After all her missed the Masters and U.S. Open and struggled to make the cut at the British Open. His injury and absence from the Ryder Cup team only added to what has been one of the most frustrating — and least productive — years of Woods’ career.
Jason Dufner’s injury regarding pain in his neck is a detrimental loss to the USA team. As the defending PGA champion, Dufner was had high hopes of making the team, but his dream of being a part of the 2014 USA team came to a halt when he found out about the bulging disks in his neck.
Dufner commented on his injury in Golfweek.com during the PGA Championship saying:
“Overall fatigue, tired, shoulder tightness, numbness, dead arm, no feeling in my left hand. Everybody out here’s a competitor. You want to be able to compete. You want to be able to play. But I’m out there hacking it around and not being able to do anything close to what you’re (capable of), your arm’s dead, you can’t feel your hands. What’s the point in playing?”
He said the injury was a wake up call and he needs to re-evaluate the overall condition of his body.
5. Dustin Johnson is Suspended for Cocaine Use
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Professional golfer Dustin Johnson announced on Thursday, July 31st that he would be taking a break from golf for an indefinite period of time after testing positive for cocaine and receiving a 6-month ban from the PGA.
The Ryder Cup will be missing the No. 16 player in the world in this year’s Ryder Cup as the United States battles the rest of the world in the tournament that will be taking place in September. Johnson is the longest hitter on tour and adds an exponential amount of power to the U.S. team.
U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Tom Watson said:
We will certainly miss Dustin Johnson at Gleneagles, and we wish him the best. As one of the longest hitters in the game with an undefeated record of 3-0 at Medinah in 2012, he has clearly been an asset for the United States team. That said, the United States is a team with an abundance of talent.”
Instead, Johnson will be sitting at home watching with his fiancee, Paulina Gretzky who recently announced that her and Johnson are expecting a baby.