2023 Ryder Cup Picks and Predictions: Americans Exorcise Road Demons in Rome

The Ryder Cup is just a couple of days away and golf odds for the premier team event have started to crowd your favorite sportsbook with dozens of markets and options to choose from. 

With much of its dominant 2021 lineup returning in Rome, Ryder Cup odds have Team U.S.A. listed as a slight -110 favorite at Marco Simone but that line's been shrinking over the past month thanks to some hot play from the Europeans.

I break down the matchup and give you the best golf picks for the 2023 Ryder Cup below.

Ryder Cup picks

• Team U.S.A. to win outright (+100)
• Patrick Cantlay Over 2 total points (+100)
• Team U.S.A to win Day 3 Singles (+120)

Picks made on 9/26/2023 at 2:00 p.m. ET.
Click on each pick to jump to the full analysis.

Ryder Cup picks and predictions

Team U.S.A. to win outright (+100)

We haven't seen outright odds this close at a Ryder Cup since 2008 and for good reason: the Americans are once again stacked and the Europeans have gotten hot at the right time. Something's gotta give, right?

You can make the case Europe is better at the top with three of the World's Top 4 in Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, and Viktor Hovland, but a bet on Team U.S.A. is a bet on their depth — at least on paper — and that's where I see them making their hay.

The Europeans will have to deploy Nicolai Hojgaard, Robert MacIntyre, and Sepp Straka at least a couple of times, and despite their potential upside, these are the three weakest links on either team from where I stand. 

The rooks on Team U.S.A. are either recent major champions (Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman) or had the luxury of playing in last year's Presidents Cup (Max Homa, Sam Burns), with Homa even sporting a 4-0-0 record in his Team U.S.A. debut. 

The Americans have some killer pairings in Thomas-Spieth and Cantlay-Schauffele, but I expect that depth to manifest itself most during Sunday singles. 

Assuming Scheffler draws one of Europe's Big 3, the Americans could very easily be favored in eight of those matches. That could be the difference assuming it's tight heading into the final day.

A hostile environment, favorable course setup, and Team U.S.A.'s 30-year drought away from home have all pushed this line from -175 to as long as +100 in the last two months, but I'm rolling with the team that dominated in 2021 and appears determined to finally get over the hump.

Pick: Team U.S.A. to win outright (+100 at bet365)

Patrick Cantlay Over 2 total points (+100)

Patrick Cantlay played a critical role in that 2021 domination at Whistling Straights and his 3.5 points (3-0-1) were second on the team behind Dustin Johnson's flawless 5-0-0 record. He also posted three points each at the 2019 and 2022 Presidents Cups. 

A lot of that has come with Xander Schauffele by his side and their success together is well-documented. Between the 2021 Ryder Cup and two Presidents Cups, they're 6-3 as a duo and have a spotless 5-0-0 record in foursomes. 

That means plenty of chances early on for a tandem that could be considerable favorites (matchup-dependent) in three matches before Sunday. And while he may draw one of Europe's superstars (Rory, Rahm, Hovland) on the final day, Cantlay's an undefeated 3-0-0 in singles in three events with Team U.S.A. 

Going Over these point totals so often comes down to opportunity and reliability and few Americans fit the bill like Cantlay does. 

Pick: Patrick Cantlay Over 2 total points (+100 at bet365)

Team U.S.A. to win Day 3 Singles (+120)

This goes hand-in-hand with my analysis of the Americans to win outright, as I think their depth throughout the lineup will be what wins the day for Team U.S.A. 

I've already mentioned Hojgaard, MacIntyre, and Straka above, all of which I think will be sizable underdogs in just about any singles matchup, Brian Harman notwithstanding. 

One of Europe's Big 3 will have to deal with Scheffler, with the other two likely favored (or a pick'em at worst) against any other American. But beyond that, Team U.S.A. is running back most of a core that cruised to a 7-3-2 singles record in 2021 (8-4 in points), with two of Europe's wins coming from Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood. 

If the Americans are to end this 30-year road drought, it will be because their talent and depth were too much to overcome. The singles matches are where they can flex those muscles. 

Pick: Team U.S.A. to win Day 3 Singles (+120 at FanDuel)

Odds to win 2023 Ryder Cup

Outcome
Team U.S.A. to win outright	+105	+110	+110	+120
Team Europe to win outright	+100	+100	+100	-105
Draw	+1,000	+1,100	+1,100	+1,025

Odds as of Sept. 28, 2023.

Where can I bet on the Ryder Cup?

You can bet on Ryder Cup odds at many online and casino sportsbooks, including odds to lift the trophy, golfer to score the most points, and other Ryder Cup props. Head over to our best golf betting sites for the top spots to bet on Ryder Cup odds in your area.

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