2023 Ryder Cup picks, best bets, odds, predictions: Team USA, Team Europe
The 2023 Ryder Cup is set to get underway Sept. 29, at Marco Simone Golf Club in Rome, Italy.
The first match of the tournament is set to tee off at 1:35 a.m. ET.
2023 Ryder Cup format
The Ryder Cup is a three-day competition between Team USA and Team Europe that consists of 28 matches that are each worth one point, though matches that end in a tie are worth 1/2 point for each team.
The first team to tally 14.5 points wins the Ryder Cup, and if the competition ends in a 14-14 tie then the team currently holding the Ryder Cup (Team USA) keeps it.
2023 Ryder Cup odds
- Team USA: +110
- Team Europe: +100
- Tie: +1100
Bookmakers are having a really tough time separating the United States and Europe for the 2023 Ryder Cup.
The Americans are the slightest of underdogs at +110, with Europe sitting as a very lukewarm +100 favorite.
Those odds may be a bit surprising considering that it’s been 30 years since the United States has won a Ryder Cup on European soil, but the tight price tells you that the market is confident that the Americans have enough talent to overcome Europe’s home-field advantage.
2023 Ryder Cup picks
Top European Point Scorer: Shane Lowry (+1600, FanDuel)
He’s going to fly a bit under the radar on a roster that includes Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland and Tommy Fleetwood, but this weekend sets up nicely for Shane Lowry.
Not only is he in good form with a T3 and T18 finish in his last two starts (both in Europe), but there’s a chance that Lowry ends up riding shotgun with his good buddy McIlroy in the team matches.
Should Lowry and McIlroy get off to a strong start, there’s a chance they’ll stick together for four matches and give Lowry a puncher’s chance to post a 5-0-0 mark at Marco Simone.
Top Overall Point Scorer: Justin Thomas (+2800, BetMGM)
There’s pressure on everybody at the Ryder Cup, but no player will be under the microscope quite like Justin Thomas, who was a controversial pick to make the team after a very pedestrian performance in 2023.
But captain Zach Johnson went with chemistry and experience over form, and now it’s up to Thomas to make his captain look smart.
I think he’s got a decent chance to do just that.
You can feel pretty confident that Thomas and Jordan Spieth, who have played together in 10 matches across the Ryder and Presidents Cups, will get an early nod from their captain, and if things go well for the experienced pair they will be out there again and again through the first two days, setting them both up for a chance to tally the maximum amount of points for their teams.
Thomas has shown some signs of life in his last two outings, so I’ll take a shot that we’re seeing the beginning of a comeback from JT on a stage that he loves to play on.
