There’s no PGA or European Tour this week because the best dozen euro guys have crossed the Atlantic to take on the Americans in the 2020(1) Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits. 

For those who haven’t been betting on or following golf for long, this next three days will be some of the best, most exciting golf you’ll see (and bet on) all season. 

The unique Foursomes/Four Ball/Singles format is supercharged by a course that could not be better designed to host Match Play, with driveable Par 4’s, a brutal quartet of Par 3’s and really just extreme risk/reward options on every shot.

Add tens of thousands of stark raving mad American golf fans whooping at even the most modest American shot / heaping shit on even the slightest European stuff up, and you start to see why it is must-watch tv. 

And seeing as though we’re watching, we’re damn sure going to be betting it!

The Course

The PGA Tour website has a flyover but this one from Golf Digest is much better if you have the time (have time!). 

This course is absolutely insane. Let’s just get that clear.  

For the most part the fairways here are actually pretty generous but if you miss them you are absolutely stuffed, which would be stressful playing in singles but is made even more so playing the Foursomes (alternate shot) format. 

The bunkers here are similar to Kiawah Island but more brutal again, and the visual intimidation of the host of holes that seem to splash up against Lake Michigan just puts a little cherry on this already wonderful golf cake we’re about to stuff into our faces. 

If you don’t hit the shot you want on this course, almost to the yard, you are gonna have a bad time. 

Weather and Strategy

For all the American superiority on paper, and there is plenty, once the players are on the first tee it will mean absolutely squat. 

Experience and nerves under pressure will be all that matters, which is why the Europeans seem much more appealing from a betting standpoint as the markets seem to be holding a lot of ‘US will dominate’ coin. 

This is especially good as I think Europe will win this pretty comfortably anyway, so happy to take the extra few points on Correct Score of Top Player markets. 

There will be wind each afternoon as well so scrambling will be huge here, guys who can regain their composure then get up and down from a tough spot, guys who know a bogey might be good enough on a particular hole – experience and scrambling will trump ball striking this week. 

Tournament Bets

Much more fun to bet the individual matches in this format but a few overall bets can’t hurt. 

Top Combined Points Scorer

• Rory McIlroy EW @ 14.00

• Lee Westwood EW @ 41.00

Westy is very likely to be trotted out for at least four of the five sessions given his accuracy off the tee and general ball striking as well as his experience, Harrington can put him with a rookie and know that he will be able to calm any nerves on course whilst Rory could just instantly bounce back to old Rory in this format where he has plenty to play for just not for himself. 

Overall Correct Points Score

• Europe 17-11 @ 34.00

• Europe 17.5-10.5 @ 36.00

• Europe 18-10 @ 51.00

Margin of Victory Market

• Europe 4-6pts @ 10.00

• Europe 7+ points @ 19.00

I can see a good ol fashioned American choke at Whistling Straits this weekend. They may have half more talent, but I don’t know they have the ticker and one thing I do know they have is the pressure. 

Americans don’t just want them to win, it is expected, and this course with the crowd and pressure AND the talent on the European side, it all just adds up to underdog getting up convincingly for mine. 

Plus you know, the odds are great! 

Day 1, Session 1, Foursomes

• Thomas/Spieth

• Westwood/Fitzpatrick

• Tie

• Tie

The pairs for alternate shot were named early this morning and a few surprised were sprung with ol’ Biceps Dechambeau minding the pine for the US and Fitzy getting paired with Westwood. 

I really like that Fitzpatrick/Westwood combo, both excellent drivers so the pressure will be on Brooks/Berger off the tee on a lot of holes. Fitzy has the short game and putting to help Westwood and Westy’s approach game can help shield Fitzy so they were the first team into the Foursomes Multi. 

Second team in is JT and Spieth. This pairing can go really wrong but they could also be 6&5 up on the world #1 and grandpa Garcia if things click for them, which I expect they will. 

Find it hard to bet on one fiery Spaniard let alone two of them coming up against the US’s best Foursomes pairing. 

For the final two matches I’ve locked in the tie at a very appealing 6.50 apiece for no other reason that these matches will be very close and I struggled to split them.

Being the Ryder Cup, we’re taking the full Yankee on these bets, taking all single, two and three leg combos as well as the four-legger (11 bets) – at $5 bet stakes we can bring home over 3.2k if all four land! 

That’s it, 20 bets (so far) for Club 20 Punters to follow along with, enjoy the Ryder Cup!