Tweet
Golf, at least the golf most of us know, is an individual game.
Sure, a lot of us have partnered with a friend or even sometimes a stranger for a friendly $5, $50 or $500 match. But in the end, any mistake you make has little affect on anything, and chances are you’ll be offered a rematch next week.
Now imagine not only playing for yourself and your teammates, but also for your country. Not only do your emotions sway with every shot you hit, but also the emotions of an entire nation (or in Europe`s case, an entire continent). And the rematch, if you even get to take part, doesn’t come around for another two years.
Welcome to the Ryder Cup, golf’s greatest team event. A spectacle of sportsmanship and intense competition that entices even the most casual sports fans.
This year’s event is being played at the K-Club in Kildare, Ireland, an Arnold Palmer designed course that is much closer to resembling an American-style layout than it is a traditional Irish golf links.
USA and Europe represent what’s traditionally been a stark contrast in styles. Team USA is stoic and business-like in its approach. Historically armed with golf’s biggest stars, they enter most years as the favorite.
Team Europe is historically the easy going underdog. While serious and focused, they seem to be living the moment, legitimately enjoying the Ryder Cup experience. Lately, they`ve been pulling out the wins, too. The European team has captured four of the last five Ryder Cups based almost solely on guts, guile and camaraderie.
The last one wasn’t even close. Europe defeated the USA 18 ½ to 9 ½ on American soil.
That slaughtering left oddsmakers singing a different tune when the very first line opened for the Ryder Cup in March - the USA was a narrow +105 favorite with Europe at +110 and the draw was at +1100. Both teams were +110 after a couple of weeks and remained that way until mid-June.
It was around this time that the flaws in the United States’ Ryder Cup selection system started to show. Off an embarrassing run of losses in the biannual event, American brass changed the points system to emphasize the players who were playing their best golf leading up to the Ryder Cup.
It didn’t make any difference for mainstays like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk and David Toms, but it certainly had an impact near the always-competitive bottom of the standings. Players that even semi-serious golf fans had never heard of, like Brett Wetterich and J.J. Henry, worked their way into the coveted top 10. And to the surprise of everyone, their names didn’t go away.
It was around this time, not coincidently, that oddsmakers started to get a flood of money on Europe.
“We took money on Europe and for about a month and the price remained Europe -110, U.S. +130,” says an oddsmaker at Pinnaclesports.com. “More money came in on Europe after the PGA Championship when the U.S. team was announced and appeared weak.”
Europe is currently a -118 favorite at Pinnacle, with the U.S. at +138. Few books differ much on the odds, though consensus has the U.S. around +125 and Europe around -125.
For sportsbooks, the best result would be a tie (+1100) – something that’s happened just twice in 39 playings of the Ryder Cup.
So who are you laying your money on? Let’s take a closer look at each team.
Team USA
Tom Lehman’s team has four rookies. You heard about them before the teams were announced. You heard about them after the teams were announced. And you’ll still be hearing about them all weekend.
Zach Johnson, J.J. Henry, Vaughn Taylor and Brett Wetterich have an average world ranking of 55 and just five PGA Tour wins among them.
Johnson is the most accomplished, with a top 40 world ranking and a Nationwide Tour money title. Henry is the hottest, with top 10’s in each of his last two starts. Taylor is the winningest, with victories at the 2004 and 2005 Reno-Tahoe Open.
But it’s Wetterich, who finished 10th in the Ryder Cup standings and didn’t record a point in his final 10 tournaments, who could surprise in Kildare.
Long and unpredictable, Wetterich is the biggest basher off the tee on the American team. He’s probably the longest hitter participating in this year’s Ryder Cup. He also knows how to make birdies in bunches, ranking third on tour with an average of 4.08 birdies per round, behind only Ryder Cup teammates Woods and Mickelson.
Look for Lehman to use Wetterich’s strengths and use him mostly in the fourball matches, where his wild play won’t inhibit his partner. That’s the great thing about the Ryder Cup – with only four matches each session, Lehman can use his four rookie liberally, putting them in positive spots and allowing the pressure to eight of the world’s best players.
Among them are the best three golfers in the world, Woods, Mickelson and Furyk. The trio has combined to win 11 tournaments this year, and rank one, two and three on both the PGA Tour money list and in the world rankings.
The pressure will be on them, as well as Chris DiMarco to lead the Americans. Woods and Furyk will likely be paired together for all four team matches, and Mickelson and DiMarco are also expected to play together in every match. That’s eight of 28 matches Team USA should win on paper. Twelve of 28 if you also consider all four favorites in singles play. If the Americans can even get eight points out of these four, they’re more than halfway to winning the cup.
The rest of the pressure will fall on Toms and Chad Campbell, both of whom have won on tour this year. Captains picks Stewart Cink and Scott Verplank are expected to bring added leadership.
Team Europe
From top to bottom, Ian Woosnam’s team is stacked. Armed with experience, but conspicuously short on major championships, Europe is rightly the favorite this week at the K-Club.
Jose Maria Olazabal, with two Masters’ to his credit, is the only member of the European team who’s won a major. He’s also a veteran Ryder Cup competitor with 28 matches spread over six Ryder Cups to his credit. While the 40-year-old hasn’t played in the event since 1999, he and Scotsman Colin Montgomerie, will be counted on to lead the Europeans.
Montgomerie is arguably the greatest competitor in the history of the Ryder Cup. He’s famously never lost in seven singles matches and has a 19-8-5 record overall. Montgomerie has only lost three times in his last 16 Ryder Cups, a streak that dates back to 1995.
Following Montgomerie and Olazabal is a who’s who of European golf. Team Europe is a fantastic mix of talented young players like David Howell, Luke Donald and Sergio Garcia. Garcia has already competed in three Ryder Cups. Then there are the cagy veterans like Lee Westwood, Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley and newly crowned World Match play Champion Paul Casey.
There’s also Darren Clarke, who’s undoubtedly the story of the weekend. The native of Northern Ireland is making his fifth straight Ryder Cup appearance just five weeks after his wife, Heather, lost her battle with breast cancer. Nonetheless, Woosnam didn’t hesitate to make Clarke a captain’s pick along with Westwood when the teams were announced. Clarke vindicated Woosnam’s selection in his return to competitive golf last week in Spain, firing four rounds of par or better to finish T-31.
Europe features just two rookies in 2006, down from five rookies in 2004 and four in 2002. A pair of Swedes, Hendrik Stenson and Robert Karlsson, will carry the torch of inexperience for the Europeans. Expect them to play together when they are called upon, which likely won`t be often.
Pick
The Europeans know they’re the favorites, and are suddenly going about their business very quietly. Woosnam was a controversial pick for the captaincy over Ryder Cup legend Nick Faldo.
Lehman has the United States taking a looser approach this year, emphasizing team camaraderie and focusing on having fun. Will the change in tactics loosen up a U.S. team Furyk referred to as “constipated” each time they compete for the Cup? Or will the business-like Americans struggle to prepare? Think of it this way: it can’t be any worse than last time.
There’s value in the underdog here, but if you’re looking to save a couple cents on the bet, take them at a European sportsbook.
Team USA 14 ½ Team Europe 13 ½
Sure, a lot of us have partnered with a friend or even sometimes a stranger for a friendly $5, $50 or $500 match. But in the end, any mistake you make has little affect on anything, and chances are you’ll be offered a rematch next week.
Now imagine not only playing for yourself and your teammates, but also for your country. Not only do your emotions sway with every shot you hit, but also the emotions of an entire nation (or in Europe`s case, an entire continent). And the rematch, if you even get to take part, doesn’t come around for another two years.
Welcome to the Ryder Cup, golf’s greatest team event. A spectacle of sportsmanship and intense competition that entices even the most casual sports fans.
This year’s event is being played at the K-Club in Kildare, Ireland, an Arnold Palmer designed course that is much closer to resembling an American-style layout than it is a traditional Irish golf links.
USA and Europe represent what’s traditionally been a stark contrast in styles. Team USA is stoic and business-like in its approach. Historically armed with golf’s biggest stars, they enter most years as the favorite.
Team Europe is historically the easy going underdog. While serious and focused, they seem to be living the moment, legitimately enjoying the Ryder Cup experience. Lately, they`ve been pulling out the wins, too. The European team has captured four of the last five Ryder Cups based almost solely on guts, guile and camaraderie.
The last one wasn’t even close. Europe defeated the USA 18 ½ to 9 ½ on American soil.
That slaughtering left oddsmakers singing a different tune when the very first line opened for the Ryder Cup in March - the USA was a narrow +105 favorite with Europe at +110 and the draw was at +1100. Both teams were +110 after a couple of weeks and remained that way until mid-June.
It was around this time that the flaws in the United States’ Ryder Cup selection system started to show. Off an embarrassing run of losses in the biannual event, American brass changed the points system to emphasize the players who were playing their best golf leading up to the Ryder Cup.
It didn’t make any difference for mainstays like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk and David Toms, but it certainly had an impact near the always-competitive bottom of the standings. Players that even semi-serious golf fans had never heard of, like Brett Wetterich and J.J. Henry, worked their way into the coveted top 10. And to the surprise of everyone, their names didn’t go away.
It was around this time, not coincidently, that oddsmakers started to get a flood of money on Europe.
“We took money on Europe and for about a month and the price remained Europe -110, U.S. +130,” says an oddsmaker at Pinnaclesports.com. “More money came in on Europe after the PGA Championship when the U.S. team was announced and appeared weak.”
Europe is currently a -118 favorite at Pinnacle, with the U.S. at +138. Few books differ much on the odds, though consensus has the U.S. around +125 and Europe around -125.
For sportsbooks, the best result would be a tie (+1100) – something that’s happened just twice in 39 playings of the Ryder Cup.
So who are you laying your money on? Let’s take a closer look at each team.
Team USA
Tom Lehman’s team has four rookies. You heard about them before the teams were announced. You heard about them after the teams were announced. And you’ll still be hearing about them all weekend.
Zach Johnson, J.J. Henry, Vaughn Taylor and Brett Wetterich have an average world ranking of 55 and just five PGA Tour wins among them.
Johnson is the most accomplished, with a top 40 world ranking and a Nationwide Tour money title. Henry is the hottest, with top 10’s in each of his last two starts. Taylor is the winningest, with victories at the 2004 and 2005 Reno-Tahoe Open.
But it’s Wetterich, who finished 10th in the Ryder Cup standings and didn’t record a point in his final 10 tournaments, who could surprise in Kildare.
Long and unpredictable, Wetterich is the biggest basher off the tee on the American team. He’s probably the longest hitter participating in this year’s Ryder Cup. He also knows how to make birdies in bunches, ranking third on tour with an average of 4.08 birdies per round, behind only Ryder Cup teammates Woods and Mickelson.
Look for Lehman to use Wetterich’s strengths and use him mostly in the fourball matches, where his wild play won’t inhibit his partner. That’s the great thing about the Ryder Cup – with only four matches each session, Lehman can use his four rookie liberally, putting them in positive spots and allowing the pressure to eight of the world’s best players.
Among them are the best three golfers in the world, Woods, Mickelson and Furyk. The trio has combined to win 11 tournaments this year, and rank one, two and three on both the PGA Tour money list and in the world rankings.
The pressure will be on them, as well as Chris DiMarco to lead the Americans. Woods and Furyk will likely be paired together for all four team matches, and Mickelson and DiMarco are also expected to play together in every match. That’s eight of 28 matches Team USA should win on paper. Twelve of 28 if you also consider all four favorites in singles play. If the Americans can even get eight points out of these four, they’re more than halfway to winning the cup.
The rest of the pressure will fall on Toms and Chad Campbell, both of whom have won on tour this year. Captains picks Stewart Cink and Scott Verplank are expected to bring added leadership.
Team Europe
From top to bottom, Ian Woosnam’s team is stacked. Armed with experience, but conspicuously short on major championships, Europe is rightly the favorite this week at the K-Club.
Jose Maria Olazabal, with two Masters’ to his credit, is the only member of the European team who’s won a major. He’s also a veteran Ryder Cup competitor with 28 matches spread over six Ryder Cups to his credit. While the 40-year-old hasn’t played in the event since 1999, he and Scotsman Colin Montgomerie, will be counted on to lead the Europeans.
Montgomerie is arguably the greatest competitor in the history of the Ryder Cup. He’s famously never lost in seven singles matches and has a 19-8-5 record overall. Montgomerie has only lost three times in his last 16 Ryder Cups, a streak that dates back to 1995.
Following Montgomerie and Olazabal is a who’s who of European golf. Team Europe is a fantastic mix of talented young players like David Howell, Luke Donald and Sergio Garcia. Garcia has already competed in three Ryder Cups. Then there are the cagy veterans like Lee Westwood, Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley and newly crowned World Match play Champion Paul Casey.
There’s also Darren Clarke, who’s undoubtedly the story of the weekend. The native of Northern Ireland is making his fifth straight Ryder Cup appearance just five weeks after his wife, Heather, lost her battle with breast cancer. Nonetheless, Woosnam didn’t hesitate to make Clarke a captain’s pick along with Westwood when the teams were announced. Clarke vindicated Woosnam’s selection in his return to competitive golf last week in Spain, firing four rounds of par or better to finish T-31.
Europe features just two rookies in 2006, down from five rookies in 2004 and four in 2002. A pair of Swedes, Hendrik Stenson and Robert Karlsson, will carry the torch of inexperience for the Europeans. Expect them to play together when they are called upon, which likely won`t be often.
Pick
The Europeans know they’re the favorites, and are suddenly going about their business very quietly. Woosnam was a controversial pick for the captaincy over Ryder Cup legend Nick Faldo.
Lehman has the United States taking a looser approach this year, emphasizing team camaraderie and focusing on having fun. Will the change in tactics loosen up a U.S. team Furyk referred to as “constipated” each time they compete for the Cup? Or will the business-like Americans struggle to prepare? Think of it this way: it can’t be any worse than last time.
There’s value in the underdog here, but if you’re looking to save a couple cents on the bet, take them at a European sportsbook.
Team USA 14 ½ Team Europe 13 ½
Comment