The 2014 edition of the Ryder Cup kicks off
in just a few weeks’ time at Gleneagles in Scotland and there is plenty to note
heading into the contest. Team USA have reportedly fell apart over the last
month and very few golfers head into the contest with Team Europe on the back
of any momentum. Team Europe, however, have gone strength to strength with
their team and are the looking
good value for a win on their very own European soil.
The PGA Tour should have in theory created
a major wave of momentum for Team USA to ride into the Ryder Cup on the back
of, but sadly that will be far from the true story when they arrive in Scotland
for September 23rd.
To put this into context: a pair of
Americans – in the shape of Chris Kirk and Billy Horschel – emerged as prime
candidates for two of Team USA captain Tom Watson’s wildcard picks, but the
golfing veteran instead opted for different personal.
Both Kirk and Horschel are leading the race
for the FedEx Cup and PGA Tour glory as they head into the Tour
Championship. Horschel also won the last event, the BMW Championship that
was staged in Cherry Hills last weekend and the decision to exclude the pair
from the Ryder Cup team has come under intense scrutiny from the media,
especially considering the fact that very few of the USA Team have had strong
performances in recent outings.
Rickie Fowler has been ever present at the
periphery of major tournament glory all year long and Jim Furyk has also been
there and thereabouts, but aside from that there is no-one else on the USA Team
that offers a great deal of excitement like Rory McIlroy or Ian Poulter will do
for Team Europe. One website has even offered
this very blunt Ryder Cup preview as a damning preview of what they believe
is to come from the biennial competition.
In stark comparison, Team Europe come into
the competition with a whirlwind of momentum and excitement, with many golfers
on the team sheet offering up promising performances over the past few months.
McIlroy may have twice four-putted over the
BMW Championship weekend but despite this, he still posted his best score on
the fourth and final round (which also brought about the second of the four
puts) so it is unwise to assume he is out of sorts heading into Gleneagles.
Ian Poulter meanwhile is undefeated in
singles play at the Ryder Cup and has an astounding 12 wins out of 15 games he
has played during the four times he has featured for Team Europe. He is also
remembered fondly by fans for his part in the unrivalled last day turnaround we
saw Team Europe complete last time out to steal victory for the jaws of Team USA.
The enthusiasm surrounding the host of
impressive and exciting options for Team Europe – paired with the furore over
Team USA’s inability to choose those players that both the fans and the media
believed deserved a place in the line-up – makes it hard to expect anything
else than Team Europe retaining their crown come the end of September.
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Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup – one of the world’s most intriguing and greatest golf competitions is about to tee off at Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland. It will take place on September 23rd-28th and we are more than delighted to see Team Europe and Team USA battle it out for glory again.
infinitybet have markets available on the Ryder Cup, including Four-ball, Foursomes and Singles matches.
This biennial competition was once just between the United States and Great Britain. But now, Great Britain and continental Europe are combined to make one team. The Cup has shown us one of the most intense matches in the history of match play golf. During the 1969 Ryder Cup at Royal Birkdale there was a tense battle between Jack Nicklaus and Tony Jacklin. In 1989, Seve Ballesteros and Paul Azinger had a spectacular feud in which the match ended up in a tie thereby helping Europe retain the cup. Their feud continued and by 1991, the tournament dubbed “The War on the Shore” at Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina, the US took the cup home. The cup then gained wider audiences as it became more intense, and we witnessedthe infamous green trampling of Brookline in 1999 andMedinah in 2012 when team Europe made a miraculous comeback.
This year, the big names in golf such as Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler, Phil Mickleson, HenrikStenson, Ian Poulter, and the already legendary Rory McIlroy, will compete for their respective teams.
Let’s look at each team and their players:
Team USA has Tom Watson as their captain, with Keegan Bradley, Rickie Fowler, Jim Furyk, Zach Johnson, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Phil Mickelson, Patrick Reed, Webb Simpson, Jordan Spieth, Jimmy Walker, Bubba Watson, and vice-captains Raymond Floyd, Andy North, and Steve Stricker.
Team Europe has Paul McGinley as their captain, with Thomas Bjorn, Jamie Donaldson, Victor Dubiosson, Stephen Gallacher, Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy, Ian Poulter, Justin Rose, HenrikStenson, and Lee Westwood, with vice-captains Des Smyth, Sam Torrance, Jose Maria Olazabal, Padraig Harrington, and Miguel Angel Jimenez.
Team Europe (1.62) arestarting out as favorites for this year’s Ryder Cup. First, they have home court advantage as they are hosting the cup at Scotland. Second, they have overwhelming star power with Rory McIlroy, the World No. 1 at their flanks. Team USA (2.60)willno doubt help to produce a great contest though, and might even pressure bookies in to making them favorites of this cup, but there’s always the draw (11.00) to consider.
infinitybet have a wide range of golf betting markets available. Prices correct at time of publishing.
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