Ryder Cup Props and Picks

Ciao, Bello. 

And welcome to the 2023 Ryder Cup from Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Guidonia Montecelio, northeast of Rome.

It’s no secret that Team Europe has dominated the Ryder Cup on home soil, winning six straight at home. 

Team USA’s last win on European turf came in 1993 in Warwickshire, England. 

This year, the two sides enter almost dead-even in the odds. 

Team Europe +100

Team USA +110

Tie +1000

However, that wasn’t always the case, and for most of the summer you could’ve got Europe as a +200 underdog. But that was then and this is now. At these current prices I’m staying away from picking a side. 

I could really see this event going either way.

But while I won’t pick a side, that certainly hasn’t stopped me from throwing some darts. 

So let’s get to my props and picks for the 2023 Ryder Cup. 

Europe Day 1 Foursomes +140 

A lot of Team Europe's success on home soil has come in alt-shot. 

As Justin Ray pointed out on X this week, Europe has won 22.5 points in the last four foursomes sessions held on European soil. 

Team USA has just 9.5. 

And while Team USA will send out players statistically better than the Europeans, the lack of experience when it comes to Ryder Cups on the road should tip the scales back in Europe’s favour. 

Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay and Collin Morikawa. 

I assume they will all be playing in that opening session. And I also have high expectations for all four this week. 

However, none of them have competed in a Ryder Cup in Europe. And with Session 1 being alt-shot, something that has already been a strength for Europe, I see this Team USA team struggling early as the event gets going.

Team USA Day 3 Winners +120 

Ignore everything I just said. 

I think Sunday sets up incredibly well for Team USA, and it all has to do with their depth. 

Team Europe has the talent at the top to compete. And if you drafted the five best players in this event, I believe three of them would be European. 

But by the time Sunday rolls around, I look at the 12 players Team USA will send out and it’s just flat-out better than what Europe has to offer. 

I’m not sure if Brian Harman and Wyndham Clark will get many chances in the team format, but I can guarantee you those two major champions will be ready to go when their names are called on Sunday. 

And while Team USA hasn’t won in Europe since 1993, they’ve been able to outperform Team Europe in singles twice in those six Ryder Cups. 

Marco Simone Golf and Country Club is also not an easy walk from what I gather. It will demand a lot from Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland and Rory McIlroy if they want to play five times. 

And while the Euros might have to lean on a small core, Team USA has the flexibility to take a more balanced approach and be the fresher side come Sunday. 

Player Prop

Top European Wildcard Tommy Fleetwood +240 

The last time we had a Ryder Cup in Europe it was Tommy Fleetwood and Francesco Molinari stealing the show, going 4-0 as a partnership. 

And after a disappointing 0-1-2 in 2021, I believe Tommy Fleetwood is in store for another big Ryder Cup. 

Fleetwood was one of the better ballstrikers on the PGA Tour this season, and found himself in contention on Sunday a number of times. 

The Englishman has two Ryder Cup appearances, and has played in eight matches. 

I’ll assume he plays at the very least three times this week, but I’m expecting at least four matches for him. 

Looking at the rest of the wildcard group, I don’t think the same can be said for most of them. 

Justin Rose, and Nicolai Hojgaard aren’t playing more than three times. 

Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka are both very intriguing, but likely won’t be in the opening session and even if they both play their best, three matches could still be their ceiling. 

That leaves Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg. 

Aberg was playing NCAA golf four months ago. Now he’s at the Ryder Cup. 

I think he’s going to play, and he’s a stud. 

For me, this came down to Fleetwood or Aberg. 

But ultimately I’ll lean on the experience that Fleetwood has to offer, and a small part of my head is worried that a slow start in Session 1 for Aberg could make Team Europe captain Luke Donald rethink playing such an inexperienced player. 

Fleetwood is the favourite to win this category for a reason – I like the number.