The Ryder Cup is finally here, with the best of the best already hitting the demanding Bethpage Black in New York for practice rounds. The Americans will look to reclaim the trophy on home turf following Europe’s lopsided win at Marco Simone in 2023.
With both teams loaded with star power and storylines, this year’s showdown sets up to be another classic bout in golf’s most intense and favorite international rivalry. I pick a winner and give my favorite Ryder Cup predictions and golf picks below.
Ryder Cup picks
- Team Europe to win outright (+150)
- Team Europe to win Day 1 Foursomes (+170)
- Team Europe to win Day 2 Foursomes (+160)
- Jon Rahm Over 2.5 points (-110)
Odds courtesy of Fanatics. Picks made on 9/23.
Ryder Cup picks and predictions
Outright pick: Team Europe 
+150 at Fanatics
Home turf has been a major historical advantage in the Ryder Cup, with the host winning each of the last five editions and eight of the past nine. It’s a big reason the Americans are favored to win at Bethpage Black this year.
Still, the Europeans have won on U.S. soil twice — in 2012 and 2004 — while the Americans haven’t won in Europe since 1993 at The Belfry.
I consider the U.S. roster considerably inferior from top to bottom, especially with World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler sporting a run-of-the-mill 2-2-3 Ryder Cup record and another four Americans playing the event for the first time.
On the flip side, the Europeans have proven winners leading the way in Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood, and Jon Rahm, while Rasmus Hojgaard is the lone rookie. Of course, Hojgaard earned his spot on points, and before missing the cut at the BMW PGA Championship, the Dane had a pair of runner-up finishes, bookending a solid T13.
The experience and depth of the Europeans also give captain Luke Donald far more options than his American counterpart. Justin Thomas (7-4-2), Patrick Cantlay (5-2-1), and Collin Morikawa (4-3-1) are the only players with winning records on the U.S. side, after all.
Prop pick: Team Europe to win Foursomes on Day 1 & Day 2
Day 1: +170 at Fanatics
Day 2: +160 at Fanatics
I like taking the plus-money odds for Europe in both afternoon Foursomes sessions on Friday and Saturday.
In addition to so few Americans having overall winning Ryder Cup records, even fewer have made a mark in Foursomes play.
Collin Morikawa is the only American with a winning record (2-1-0), and he’s also arguably the player in the worst form on the squad. Morikawa ranks last true strokes putting acoss all 24 players dating back to the U.S. Open, and his lone Top 10 across those nine events was in the watered-down Rocket Classic.
The only European with a losing record is Matt Fitzpatrick (0-3-0), and the rest of the roster has combined to go 30-12-2 in Foursomes play. It’s tough to argue with those numbers.
Prop pick: Jon Rahm Over 2.5 points
-110 at Fanatics
This will be the fourth Ryder Cup for Jon Rahm, and he’s gone up against the best Team U.S.A. has had to offer with five matches against World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler in the past two editions of the event.
Rahm is 1-1-3 straight up against Scheffler, and he’s 5-1-3 overall dating back to the 2021 Ryder Cup. I’m not expecting Rahm to face Scheffler three times like he did at Marco Simone in 2023, and I also value Rahm and LIV Golf teammate Tyrell Hatton posting a 2-0-1 career record.
The Spaniard is also in excellent form following a second elite LIV Golf season and solid play in major championships with a pair of Top 10s at the PGA Championship and U.S. Open to go along with his T14 at The Masters and a respectable T34 at The Open.
There isn’t a single flaw in his game, and he’s won 62.5% of his potential Ryder Cup points, including 72.2% in the past two editions. Perhaps most importantly, I also expect him to play at least four matches for the third straight Ryder Cup.
Ryder Cup odds
Check out our full Ryder Cup odds for more markets and analysis.
| Outcome |  |
|---|---|
| Team U.S.A. to win outright | -155 |
| Team Europe to win outright | +150 |
| Draw | +1000 |
Where can I bet on the Ryder Cup?
You can bet on the Ryder Cup 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 more information.
