Europe and the USA meet in the biannual battle which is the Ryder Cup in Paris this week as golf turns into a team competition for one of the big sporting events of the year. Europe will be looking to protect a fine recent home record and reclaim the cup at the same time.
24 of the best players in the world descend on Paris for a weekend of foursomes, fourballs and singles action as matchplay takes centre stage in front of huge crowds on a golf course absolutely perfect for this competition.
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Recent Results
2016 – USA 17-11 Europe
2014 – Europe 16.5-11.5 USA
2012 – USA 13.5-14.5 Europe
2010 – Europe 14.5-13.5 USA
2008 – USA 16.5-11.5 Europe
2006 – Europe 18.5-9.5 USA
2004 – USA 9.5-18.5 Europe
2002 – Europe 15.5-12.5 USA
The Format
28 individual rubbers will make up the Ryder Cup. There are two sessions of play on the first two days and then one lengthy one to determine the champions over the course of Sunday.
Friday and Saturday are made up of morning fourballs where both captains pick pairs to play their own balls and then afternoon foursomes in which each pairing will play alternate shots with one ball. There are four rubbers in each session making up 16pts heading into Sunday.
On Sunday each of the 12 players will be out on show in singles action with a point for the overall course the reward for the winner of each. At the end of Sunday the individual points are added up and the nation with the most wins. The first team to 14.5 points wins the cup. If it ends 14-14 USA will retain the trophy.
Schedule
Friday Morning: 4x Fourballs matches
Friday Afternoon: 4x Foursomes matches
Saturday Morning: 4x Fourballs matches
Saturday Afternoon: 4x Foursomes matches
Sunday: 12x Singles matches
The Course
Le Golf National in Paris is the venue for the tournament this week. It is a regular jaunt on the European Tour as it is the annual host of the Open de France each July. The course is a par 71 which measures 7,247 yards although to be fair the yardage and par is irrelevant as you just need to score lower than your opponent this week.
The exposed track has average sized fairways which are undulating but you need to play the course from them. Water is in play on the first two holes and four of the last six so the start and the finish of the round is going to be very tough. Greens are generally average in size but the run off areas are in play with most pin positions so scrambling will be massive over the course of the week.
Europe
Thomas Bjorn skippers Europe into action as they look to regain the title they lost two years ago. He has one of the best looking European sides put together in recent times. A number of them are regulars at the Open de France which makes sense.
World number one Justin Rose will head the European challenge. He is the new winner of $10 million and the FedEx Cup and that is a huge thing heading into this competition. The ultra-talented Rory McIlroy, former Masters champion Sergio Garcia, past Open champion Henrik Stenson, current owner of the Claret Jug in Francesco Molinari and the European talisman Ian Poulter are all back for more too.
If there is a weakness in the European Team it could be that they have a high rookie count but when three of the rookies are European number one Tommy Fleetwood, BMW PGA and Open de France champion Alex Noren and the top class Jon Rahm it is hardly a weakness. For the record the other rookies are Tyrrell Hatton and Thorbjorn Olesen. Paul Casey makes up the 12 man team.
USA
The current holders of the trophy were being given this competition without a shot being hit 12 months ago after they destroyed the Rest of the World in the Presidents Cup under Steve Stricker. A lot has changed since then not least the captain as Jim Furyk will lead the States into battle.
Dustin Johnson will head the American challenge with the US Open and USPGA champion Brooks Koepka backing him up. Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler and Bubba Watson are all in their side too as are Masters champion Patrick Reed and Players Championship winner Webb Simpson. Justin Thomas completes the automatic qualifiers.
All eyes were on the wildcards for America and Furyk chose the form horse Bryson DeChambeau combined with the experience of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. That left him with one last pick which he handed to the rookie Tony Finau to complete his side.
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Outright Betting
I don’t think Tiger Woods coming back into form does Europe any harm here. You have to go right the way back to 1999 for the last time USA won the Ryder Cup with a certain T.Woods among their playing line up and you have to go even further back to 1991 for the last time America won on European soil.
If this was 12 months ago Europe would have had no chance. Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler were all at the top of their games and you can’t really say that about any of the four right now. Even a couple of their other qualifiers in Bubba Watson and Patrick Reed were in much better form earlier in the year. It is only truly Tiger Woods and Bryson DeChambeau who are playing their best stuff right now.
That is not the case for Europe. They have Justin Rose in the best form of his life while the likes of Rory McIlroy, Thorbjorn Olesen and Francesco Molinari are all in decent touch. Sergio Garcia warmed up for the week nicely while Alex Noren is the defending champion around here. This course rewards ball strikers over bombers and Europe have more of those and so I believe their wonderful home record will continue here.
Tips
WON – Back Europe to win the Ryder Cup for a 4/10 stake at 2.30 with Betfair
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