2021 Ryder Cup Picks and Odds Analysis

This week the 43rd Ryder Cup begins at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin, a course originally meant to resemble the links courses of Great Britain and Ireland. The course has held the PGA Championship three times in 2004, 2010, and 2015 and is nestled alongside a two-mile stretch of Lake Michigan.

Europe is the holder of the Ryder Cup after a landslide defeat of the United States at Le Golf National in France in 2018, meaning a draw would retain the trophy. The format is teams of twelve players with all playing the final singles on Sunday after Friday and Saturday being the Foursomes and Fourballs. The team captains are Steve Stricker for the United States and Padraig Harrington for Europe.

2021 Ryder Cup

24-26 September at Whistling Straits - Par 72, 7970 yards

United States

Daniel BergerPatrick CantleyBryson DechambeauHarris EnglishTony FinauDustin JohnsonBrooks KoepkaCollin MorikawaXander SchaufeleScottie SchefflerJordan SpiethJustin Thomas

Europe

Paul CaseyMatthew FitzpatrickTommy FleetwoodSergio GarciaTyrrell HattonViktor HovlandShane LowryRory McIlroyIan PoulterJon RahmBernd WiesbergerLee Westwood

Who Will Win the Ryder Cup?

We arrive at Whistling Straits with the United States team under a world of pressure after being destroyed in Paris three years ago. Not for the first time in the last thirty-six years the contest exposed deep flaws in the American golfers’ mindsets and team ethics. This year like all the previous, nothing has changed with the United States looking the dominant team on paper.

The problem is the contest isn't played on paper and any fear factor the opposing teams had for the home nation has become null and void. Back in the early 80s the Great Britain and Ireland team became the European team to make what had been a dull era of American domination more of an even contest. With Tony Jacklin as Captain and Seve Ballesteros, the talisman, Europe wrestled the initiative in the early years and the Americans have struggled to get a foothold in the event since only winning on five occasions in the last sixteen contests.

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I mentioned the match is not played on paper and that's a good job for Europe who has made the David role of beating Goliath their own, so much so that I'm not sure the United States will have ever started the contest under such pressure as this year. Despite that, the betting firms still bet on paper, and over the years backing the European team at +200 or better has been financially successful for me. This year there seems little reason to change a money-making strategy given there's already been squabbling and negative media coverage.

How will the United Stated Deal With the Brooks vs. Bryson Saga? 

To be truthful, I think the United States team won't cope with the saga. Winning the Ryder Cup requires 100% comradeship and togetherness amongst all team members and backroom staff. Sadly, the juvenile tirade that Brooks Koepka has foisted on Bryson Dechambeau will likely be the first of many chinks in the armor of the United States. I’m not sure Steve Stricker would admit it, but it wouldn’t surprise me if deep down he was hoping Brooks Koepka wouldn't declare himself fit to play like he did last Thursday.

That would have allowed a clean slate in the locker room and the chance to grow a new unity amongst team members. There had already been questions asked about the United States team ignoring the claims of Kevin Na and Kevin Kisner when Stricker unsurprisingly picked the strongest names on paper mention that expression ‘on paper' again because I think fundamentally that is the United States problem in the last thirty-six years.

Brooks Koepka. Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images/AFP

Yes, it would be unfortunate for the next best players on the rankings to miss out on their Ryder Cup berth, but I think the first American captain to make that tough decision to pick players on their potential value to the team away from the course will send a message for future years. Their potential value to the team away from the course will send a message for future years. It could be the start that’s needed to wrestle back the impetus Europe has held now for nearly four decades.

Having delved into the recent psychology of the Ryder Cup, the numbers of only five American wins in sixteen despite always being priced at approximately -200 on every occasion means there can only be one side to support. With Europe being the away team, a draw would suffice in retaining the Ryder Cup and my advice is to bet Europe to lift the Trophy at +165 with .

Ryder Cup Golf Pick: (visit ourSportsbook Review)

*The pick reflects the line at the moment the writer made the play, the odds at the beginning of this article show the live line movement. Since the lines might vary, don’t forget to refer back to our live odds.