Ryder Cup 2025 Betting Tips: Home comforts again for Team USA?

The Ryder Cup is finally back in town, and we look set for an all-time classic, as the USA and Europe do battle in front of what is sure to be a raucous crowd in New York at the unforgiving Bethpage Black.

Our resident golf tipster Jamie Worsley is, as always, here with his long-read preview, as well as six tips for the weekend, so let's check out his Ryder Cup 2025 Betting Tips here at Betfred Insights...

*You can bet on the tournament and check out the latest Ryder Cup odds over on betfred.com

Team Europe defend the title after their emphatic victory at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome two years ago, which was masterminded by this year’s returning captain Luke Donald. He will take largely the same team to Farmingdale, including 11 of the 12 who were victorious in 2023.

Meanwhile, the USA have adopted a fresher approach, with 39-year-old Keegan Bradley – the youngest Team USA captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963 – taking control of a side that includes four rookies.

The two teams are packed full of superstars, respectively headed by Career Grand Slam achieving Rory McIlroy, and unrivalled world No. 1, Scottie Scheffler. Both will be looking to cap stellar seasons in the best possible way this week.

EVENT HISTORY

The Ryder Cup is a biennial team competition that was created in 1923. It was initially contested between the USA and Great Britain & Ireland, but due to the dominance of the USA team – winning 18 of the first 22 renewals – a European team replaced the GB & Ireland in 1979.

Team USA continued to hold the advantage immediately following that change, winning the 1979, 1981 and 1983 editions. However, the tide began to turn after Team Europe won at The Belfry in 1985.

Going on to win a further 11 editions since then – including four on U.S. soil – Team Europe have firmly established themselves as the dominant force in the modern era of the Ryder Cup – winning 12 and tying one of the last 22.

That being said, after the famous Miracle at Medinah in 2012 – where Team Europe overturned a four-point deficit going into the Sunday single to retain the trophy – the home side has won each of the last five renewals. This includes a complete humbling for the Europeans at Whistling Straits in 2021 – where a 19 – 9 demolition was the largest margin of victory since 1979.

Last five Ryder Cup results:

• 2023 (Marco Simone)

Europe 16 ½ – USA 11 ½ 

• 2021 (Whistling Straits)

 USA 19 – 9 Europe

• 2018 (Le Golf National)

Europe 17 ½ – 10 ½ USA

• 2016 (Hazeltine)

USA 17 – 11 Europe

• 2014 (Gleneagles)

Europe 16 ½ – 11 ½ USA

Team Europe were decisive winners in an explosive and sometimes fractious edition in 2023, where Italy hosted the competition for the first time at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club.

After sweeping the Friday foursomes 4 – 0, the home team never looked back, carrying what proved to be an unassailable 10 ½ - 5 ½ advantage into the Sunday singles before reclaiming the title with a 16 ½ - 11 ½ victory.

FORMAT & SCHEDULE

This best-of-28 contest sees two teams of 12 compete in three different formats across five sessions from Friday to Sunday.

The formats are as follows: foursomes (alternate shot), fourballs (better ball), and singles.

One point is awarded for a win and half a point when a match finishes all square. This means that 14 ½ points is required to win the event outright, whilst in the event of a 14 – 14 tie, the current champions – Team Europe in this instance – retain the trophy.

The Schedule:

• Friday Morning: Foursomes (4x matches)
• Friday Afternoon: Fourballs (4x matches)

• Saturday Morning: Foursomes (4x matches)
• Saturday Afternoon: Fourballs (4x matches)

• Sunday: Singles (12x matches)

THE COURSE

The Ryder Cup will be held in New York for the first time in 30 years this week, as the highly-regarded Bethpage Black makes its debut as host.

Originally designed in 1936 by the duo of Joseph H. Burback and A.W. Tillinghast, before being renovated by Rees Jones in 2015, the course is no stranger to big-time golf.

It has hosted two U.S. Opens, the first in 2002, won by Tiger Woods and in 2009, when we saw Lucas Glover win his only major title. The venue then staged the 2012 and 2016 editions of The Barclays – now the St. Jude Championship – and most recently, it was the scene of Brooks Koepka’s 2019 PGA Championship triumph.

This par-70 course will measure up to 7352 yards this week. It possesses 4x par 3s (161-210 yards), 12x par 4s (389-539 yards), and 2x par 5s (517-608 yards).

Bethpage Black is a challenging but fair parkland course that traverses through undulating, tree-lined corridors on the front nine, before opening up a tough on the back. Elevation changes are frequent, especially into the greens and water comes into play on just one hole – protecting the front of the 210-yard par-3 8^th.

The fairways are reasonably narrow and tough to find, protected by gnarly ryegrass/bluegrass/poa rough. They’re shaped smartly, with doglegs in both directions, while the large and well-sculpted rough-edged bunkers are strategically placed, tightening many of the landing areas.

A poa/bentgrass mix covers the greens, which are average-to-large in size. The majority of these surfaces are elevated, appearing to sit on a plateau and are predominantly accessed through the air, with steep run-offs bordering several. Although they are simple to read, the challenge around them is severe, with deep greenside bunkers and thick rough awaiting those errant ball-strikers.

Bethpage is a course where obvious birdie chances are rare. There are just two par 5s and the par 3s are among the most strongly bunkered on the course.

Those challenges are only enhanced on the par 4s, where after a couple of tight but short openers, there is a series of lengthy holes where par is the only score in mind. This includes six above 475 yards, three of which measure over 500 yards.

It doesn’t have the glut of risk/reward holes that courses used for this contest usually display, but it’s an exciting test nonetheless and it will be fun to see this collection of elite golfers tackle such an unrelenting challenge.

THE WEATHER

The forecast is predicting clear and warm conditions throughout the week, both before and during the event. When added to modest wind speeds of 7-9mph, it will purely be left to the course to provide the challenge.

KEY STATS

• SG: Approach/Greens-in-Regulation/Proximity from 175 yards+
• SG: Off-the-Tee/Driving Distance
• SG: Putting (poa/bent)

This is the type of layout that requires quality through the bag but there’s no doubt that it favours those who excel with a power-packed ball-striking game.

Brooks Koepka overwhelmed the course with his long game in that 2019 PGA Championship, ranking 1^st in ball-striking, 1^st in approach, 1^st in greens-in-regulation, 2^nd off-the-tee and 3^rd in driving distance. Runner-up Dustin Johnson ranked 1^st off-the-tee, 2^nd in driving distance and 7^th in greens-in-regulation, whilst 3^rd-place finisher Patrick Cantlay ranked 4^th in approach and 10^th off-the-tee.

In terms of approach, the mid-to-long irons are especially important, with approaches from 175 yards+ far exceeding other distances in the last two events staged at the venue.

Lastly, acknowledging that the putter often proves decisive in match play, players who shine on poa or poa/bentgrass surfaces should enjoy these greens.

THE TEAMS

TEAM USA (Captain: Keegan Bradley)

Scottie Scheffler

• Overall Ryder Cup record (Win – Loss – Half): 2 – 2 – 3
• Singles: 1 – 0 – 1 / Foursomes: 0 – 2 – 0 / Fourballs: 1 – 0 – 2
• World Ranking: No. 1

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is back for his third Ryder Cup appearance this week. He debuted on the winning side at Whistling Straits in 2021 and went undefeated, winning and tying his fourballs matches when teamed with Bryson DeChambeau before beating Jon Rahm in the singles.

It was a different story at Marco Simone in 2023, as Scheffler ended the week winless. He lost both foursomes matches – including a devastating 9 & 7 defeat to Viktor Hovland & Ludvig Aberg on the Saturday alongside Brooks Koepka – and claimed his only points when picking halves in the Friday fourballs and Sunday singles.

It would obviously be folly to underestimate the best player on the planet, who picked up a brilliant sixth victory of the year on his latest start in the Procore Championship. He hits the ball better than anyone and when adding a now dependable putter to his world-leading tee-to-green game, any team or individual facing him will be up against it.

J.J. Spaun

• Overall Ryder Cup record: Rookie
• World Ranking: No. 7

Following a terrific season that saw him win the U.S. Open at Oakmont in spectacular fashion, J.J. Spaun qualified second on Team USA’s points list and is the first of four American rookies in action.

Barring a few appearances in the Zurich Classic, his experience of team golf in the pro or amateur ranks is thin on the ground. That being said, he did show an affinity for match play in the 2023 WGC Match Play, winning each of his three group-stage matches before eventually losing to Xander Schauffele in the last 16.

Spaun ranks as the fifth-best iron player in 2025 and is also a sound, accurate driver. He’s maintained an elevated level of form since winning his first major title and can certainly make in impact this week, capping off what has already been a memorable year for the Californian.

Xander Schauffele

• Overall Ryder Cup record: 4 – 4 – 0
• Singles: 1 – 1 – 0 / Foursomes: 2 – 2 – 0 / Fourballs: 1 – 1 – 0
• World Ranking: No. 3

Xander Schauffele is another player who debuted at Whistling Straits and will be returning for a third Ryder Cup appearance in New York.

He made a taking debut, winning three of his four matches and struck up an encouraging partnership with Patrick Cantlay in the foursomes, winning in each session.

That is something that they have repeated in the Presidents Cup, winning three foursomes matches out of four in that competition. But that reputation of being a formidable pairing ended abruptly in Italy, as they lost both contests in that format, and he picked up just one point in the singles against Nicolai Hojgaard.

Xander’s season was derailed early on by a rib injury and he’s yet to get back to his very best since returning. He has remained strong in approach and his ability with the long irons will be valuable this week, but he’s going to need to get the driver under control to be the asset Team USA need.

Russell Henley

• Overall Ryder Cup record: Rookie
• World Ranking: No. 4

Russell Henley has been playing the best golf of his career in 2025 and is rewarded with a debut Ryder Cup appearance for his efforts at the age of 36.

Although he has zero experience in this event he is no newcomer to team golf. He played on two winning Palmer Cup sides – a USA vs Europe amateur event for college golfers – and also played on the losing side in the 2011 Walker Cup.

Meanwhile, he made his Presidents Cup debut in 2024, winning three points from a possible four and spent much of the week playing alongside Scottie Scheffler.

Henley hasn’t finished outside the top 20 across his last eight starts and is doing everything well entering this week. Whether with the world No. 1 or someone else, he’s a player who should blend perfectly with anyone on Team USA.

Harris English

• Overall Ryder Cup record: 1 – 2 – 0
• Singles: 0 – 1 – 0 / Foursomes: 0 – 0 – 0 / Fourballs: 1 – 1 – 0
• World Ranking: No. 10

Playing in the Ryder Cup for the second time following a particularly impressive season in the majors is Harris English.

That solo previous appearance came in 2021 at Whistling Straits, where English contributed just one point to the USA’s 19-point total, which came in the fourballs against Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry.

He won the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines at the beginning of this year, but his season has been defined by excellent major performances, finishing 2^nd in the PGA Championship, 2^nd in The Open and 12^th in The Masters.

Despite gaining strokes in each area, English ranks 20^th of the 24 players in action from tee-to-green. Having said that, his ranking of 4^th with the putter is a serious weapon in match play and showing up continually in big events on challenging layouts, he could thrive.

Bryson DeChambeau

• Overall Ryder Cup record: 2 – 3 – 1
• Singles: 1 – 1 – 0 / Foursomes: 0 – 2 – 0 / Fourballs: 1 – 0 – 1
• World Ranking: No. 21

The final automatic qualifier for Team USA is LIV’s Bryson DeChambeau. He played back-to-back Ryder Cups in 2018 and 2021 but makes his return after missing out in 2023.

Bryson endured a Ryder Cup to forget at Le Golf National in 2018, losing all three of his matches. He did bounce back in 2021, forming a strong partnership with Scottie Scheffler in the fourballs – winning one and halving one of their two matches together – and then went on to beat Sergio Garcia in the singles.

Although ranking as the strongest driver in 2025, the club hasn’t been quite as reliable in recent months, and that usually trust putter isn’t at its best either. This mirrors his form this season, which has tailed off a touch after an excellent start that included a runner-up finish in the PGA Championship and a 5^th-place finish in The Masters in the first two majors.

DeChambeau will be desperate to rediscover some of that early season magic this week and there’s no doubt that he’ll be a difficult obstacle to overcome if he can get the driver up to speed.

Justin Thomas

• Overall Ryder Cup record: 7 – 4 – 2
• Singles: 3 – 0 – 0 / Foursomes: 2 – 3 – 0 / Fourballs: 2 – 1 – 2
• World Ranking: No. 5

Onto the wildcard picks and as a veteran of three Ryder Cups, 32-year-old Justin Thomas is the most experienced player for Team USA.

He’s played in each of the last three editions and has developed a fine record, winning seven and halving two of his 13 matches. While he’s unbeaten in the singles, he will have to strike up a new partnership this year having teamed with friend Jordan Spieth almost exclusively in the past.

Failing to record a finish higher than 7^th since the beginning of May, Thomas’s current form is no doubt a concern. He ranks as the worst ball-striker by far over the last three months and though this is clearly an event in which he flourishes, he’ll need to get that part of his game under control to make an impact.

Collin Morikawa

• Overall Ryder Cup record: 4 – 3 – 1
• Singles: 0 – 1 – 1 / Foursomes: 2 – 1 – 0 / Fourballs: 2 – 1 – 0
• World Ranking: No. 8

Collin Morikawa is another player who arrives here hoping the energy of a third Ryder Cup appearance will spark him into life.

He enjoyed a superb debut in 2021, with the help of Dustin Johnson, winning three-and-a-half points from a possible four. However, he found things much more difficult last time, claiming just the one point from four matches when teamed with Sam Burns in the Saturday fourballs.

That partnership with Burns is one that has also proven fruitful in the Presidents Cup – an event in which he’s teamed up with Scottie Scheffler and Cameron Young in the past.

Claiming two runner-up finishes in his first four starts, Morikawa began 2025 in fine form. The going has been much tougher since, hitting the top 10 just once since April, but his ball-striking has remained strong and it’s easy to see him being an important player for the home team in New York.

Ben Griffin

• Overall Ryder Cup record: Rookie
• World Ranking: No. 13

Ben Griffin has been the surprise package of the 2025 campaign and earned a deserved Ryder Cup call-up as a result.

He has little experience in this format, but it is surely a positive that his PGA Tour breakthrough came in a team event alongside Andrew Novak in the Zurich Classic.

Griffin doubled his tally just a month later in the Charles Schwab Challenge and has shown no signs of letting up, finishing 2^nd to Scottie Scheffler in the Procore Championship two weeks ago.

Having made major gains in approach and off-the-tee this season, he’s a player that has little weakness and with a likeable personality to boot, he could just thrive in this atmosphere.

Cameron Young

• Overall Ryder Cup record: Rookie
• World Ranking: No. 20

The fourth and final rookie for Team USA is Cameron Young, who finally broke his PGA Tour duck at the Wyndham Championship at the beginning of August.

Although Young will make his debut in this event he did tee it up in the Junior Ryder Cup as an amateur in 2014, and he also appeared for Team USA in the 2022 Presidents Cup, taking one-and-a-half points from his four matches.

Furthermore, his runner-up finish in the 2023 WGC Match Play indicates a player who is comfortable in match-play conditions.

He was playing well in the middle part of the year, finishing 4^th in the U.S. Open amongst other impressive finishes. However, his form has gone up another level since he won the Wyndham, ranking 2^nd of the 24 players this week in SG: Total since the start of August.

Young also has the benefit of being a New Yorker who is more familiar with Bethpage Black than anyone else. He won the New York State Championship there in 2017 and tied a then course record 64 at the course.

Patrick Cantlay

• Overall Ryder Cup record: 5 – 2 – 1
• Singles: 2 – 0 – 0 / Foursomes: 2 – 2 – 0 / Fourballs: 1 – 0 – 1
• World Ranking: No. 22

Patrick Cantlay returns for a third Ryder Cup appearance at Bethpage Black – a place where he finished 3^rd in the 2019 PGA Championship. He’s played in the last two and has proven he possesses the ideal temperament for this type of contest.

He won three and tied one at Whistling Straits in 2021, where he developed that brilliant partnership with Xander Schauffele in the foursomes. Although the partnership didn’t quite work out in 2023, he did win that infamous Saturday fourballs alongside Wyndham Clark.

In addition, he’s never lost a singles match across either the Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup, possessing a 5-0 record.

Cantlay isn’t operating at the level he was a couple of years ago but he’s still gaining strokes in all areas, and he recorded his joint-best finish of the year two starts ago in the Tour Championship, finishing 2^nd. He’s as well suited as anyone to match play and will again be an important figure for the home team.

Sam Burns

• Overall Ryder Cup record: 1 – 2 – 0
• Singles: 0 – 1 – 0 / Foursomes: 0 – 1 – 0 / Fourballs: 1 – 0 – 0
• World Ranking: No. 23

The final member of Team USA is Sam Burns, returning for the second time having played on the losing side in 2023.

He didn’t have the greatest of starts in Italy, losing the first foursomes session alongside Scottie Scheffler. It wasn’t until the Saturday fourballs that we saw him again, but he gained some recompense there, beating the team of Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg before losing in the singles to Rory McIlroy.

Burns did go unbeaten in last year’s Presidents Cup, striking up a particularly strong fourballs partnership with Patrick Cantlay – winning each of their two matches together – and as the strongest putter in attendance, he’ll be a frustrating opponent in New York.

TEAM EUROPE (Captain: Luke Donald)

Rory McIlroy

• Overall Ryder Cup record: 16 – 13 – 4
• Singles: 4 – 2 – 1 / Foursomes: 7 – 5 – 1 / Fourballs: 5 – 6 – 2
• World Ranking: No. 2

Having played in 33 matches spanning seven Ryder Cups, Rory McIlroy is the most experienced player taking part in this year’s event.

He debuted on the winning team at Celtic Manor in 2010 and has gone on to win further home Ryder Cups at Gleneagles (2016), Le Golf National (2018) and Marco Simone (2023), as well as being a part of that iconic away side at Medinah in 2012.

His performance in Italy stands out as his best ever contribution to a Ryder Cup, winning four from a possible five matches. He formed a particularly strong partnership with Tommy Fleetwood in foursomes, winning both matches and you’d expect that pairing to make an appearance again considering the form of both players.

Securing The Masters to complete the Career Grand Slam, claiming a second PLAYERS Championship title, and regaining the Irish Open in incredible fashion at the K Club, 2025 is a year that will live long in the memory for Rory. He’ll be going all out to finish it in style, by helping Team Europe to retain the Ryder Cup in front of a ferocious New York crowd.

Robert MacIntyre

• Overall Ryder Cup record: 2 – 0 – 1
• Singles: 1 – 0 – 0 / Foursomes: 0 – 0 – 0 / Fourballs: 1 – 0 – 1
• World Ranking: No. 9

It’s been two years since Robert MacIntyre made his winning Ryder Cup debut in Italy. Having significantly improved in the interim – during which time he’s become a two-time PGA Tour winner and contended in a major – he’ll be looking forward to teeing it up again.

The Scot did arrive in Rome with some experience of team golf, having performed well on the losing Walker Cup side in 2017 and he also won three of his four matches in the 2023 Team Cup - a Ryder Cup-style event contested between GB&I and Continental Europe.

Justin Rose proved a fabulous fourballs partner for him there, helping them towards a victory and a tie in their two matches. The confidence he’d have gained from that certainly aided him in his win over Wyndham Clark in the singles.

MacIntyre has amassed some impressive results in this second part of the season, finishing a narrow 2^nd to J.J. Spaun in the U.S Open, and just three starts ago he repeated that finish in the BMW Championship. He’s again gained strokes all-round in 2025 and possessing the strength of character to deal with a partisan crowd, he could have a key role to play.

Tommy Fleetwood

• Overall Ryder Cup record: 7 – 3 – 2
• Singles: 1 – 1 – 1 / Foursomes: 4 – 0 – 0 / Fourballs: 2 – 2 – 1
• World Ranking: No. 6

Tommy Fleetwood will play his fourth straight Ryder Cup this week and will do so in the best form of his career, finally shedding that PGA Tour maiden tag at the Tour Championship.

He was an instant hit in this event at Le Golf National in 2018, developing that memorable relationship with Francesco Molinari that saw “Moliwood” win all four of their pairs matches.

Things didn’t run quite as smoothly when he went winless at Whistling Straits in 2021, but he was a force once again two years ago, winning both foursomes contests alongside Rory McIlroy – taking his record under that format to 4-0 – and he then won in the singles against Rickie Fowler.

Tommy’s results in 2025 are littered with top-five finishes and he showed fantastic spirit to bounce back from several near misses to earn that win at East Lake. He’s been the third-best player on the planet this year in SG: Total, and Team Europe will need him and his foursomes prowess to come to the fore at Bethpage Black.

Justin Rose

• Overall Ryder Cup record: 14 – 9 – 3
• Singles: 2 – 3 – 1 / Foursomes: 7 – 2 – 1 / Fourballs: 5 – 4 – 1
• World Ranking: No. 14

The evergreen Justin Rose qualified automatically for his seventh Ryder Cup appearance and looks to have found form at just the right time to cause the USA headaches this week.

Rose debuted back in 2008 at Valhalla and whilst Team Europe were comfortably defeated, he acquitted himself well, winning three of four matches. He’s played on four victorious teams since then and had his personal best experience at Gleneagles in 2014, picking up three wins and two halves from five matches.

He was somewhat of a mentor to rookie Robert MacIntyre in 2023 and it may just be that in a year with only one newcomer for Team Europe, that fourballs partnership is revisited here.

That said, Rose has a great foursomes record, taking seven wins and a halve from 10 matches and ranking 5^th in approach across the last two months – which helped him to record a 12^th PGA Tour win in the St Jude Championship four starts ago – he’ll be a positive influence on whoever he is paired with.

Rasmus Hojgaard

• Overall Ryder Cup record: Rookie
• World Ranking: No. 57

This year’s European team contains 11 of the 12 players who teed it up at Marco Simone in 2023, with Rasmus Hojgaard replacing twin brother Nicolai as the solo rookie on Team Europe.

While he played plenty of team golf in the amateur ranks, his only experience of a similar competition as a professional came in this year’s Team Cup, where he failed to record a victory, picking up just half a point in the singles.

Rasmus is a hugely talented player who arrives in great form, finishing 2^nd in Denmark and Switzerland across his last four starts. If he continues in that vein, he could be a surprise package in this year’s edition.

Tyrrell Hatton

• Overall Ryder Cup record: 5 – 4 – 2
• Singles: 1 – 2 – 0 / Foursomes: 2 – 1 – 0 / Fourballs: 2 – 1 – 2
• World Ranking: No. 25

The final automatic qualifier for Team Europe is Englishman Tyrrell Hatton, playing in his fourth consecutive Ryder Cup.

He played a reasonably small role in 2018 and 2021 but really came into his own at Marco Simone in 2023, taking three-and-a-half points from four. His bond with Jon Rahm was particularly evident in foursomes, as they won both matches.

Tyrrell won the Dubai Desert Classic on his first start of 2025 and has produced fine golf elsewhere this year, which includes recording a 4^th-place finish in the U.S. Open. He had gone off the boil a touch following The Open, but he responded well at Wentworth, finishing 5^th and with that gritty, determined personality he can be a real asset for the away team.

Shane Lowry

• Overall Ryder Cup record: 2 – 3 – 1
• Singles: 0 – 1 – 1 / Foursomes: 1 – 1 – 0 / Fourballs: 1 – 1 – 0
• World Ranking: No. 24

You will find nobody as passionate about the Ryder Cup as Shane Lowry and despite some underwhelming form of late, he’s secured another wildcard pick for the third renewal on the spin.

The Irishman has only played three matches in each of those events but has walked away with a win in both – taking the Saturday fourballs alongside Tyrrell Hatton in 2021, and he won the foursomes with Sepp Straka on day one in 2023.

Lowry’s game looked in decent shape over the first half of the season, recording runner-up finishes in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and Truist Championship. However, he ranks as the worst-performing player here over the last three months, with his approach play the only positive, and it would be a surprise if he featured heavily.

Sepp Straka

• Overall Ryder Cup record: 1 – 2 – 0
• Singles: 0 – 1 – 0 / Foursomes: 1 – 1 – 0 / Fourballs: 0 – 0 – 0
• World Ranking: No. 15

Sepp Straka was one of four rookies for Team Europe in 2023 and after a largely excellent season on the PGA Tour, he returns for a second crack this week.

The big Austrian enjoyed a great start to his Ryder Cup experience last time, winning in the opening foursomes session with Shane Lowry. That was the only point he won, as that partnership then lost their second foursomes match before Justin Thomas beat him in the singles.

Straka has won twice this year and up until the Memorial Tournament in June, where he finished 3^rd, his game remained in a positive place. It has dropped off since, ranking 23^rd of the 24 players in SG: Total over the last three months and it’s been particularly worrying to see him regressing in approach – an area in which he’s excelled most in recent years.

Unspecified personal issues away from the course have also limited starts and having not played since finishing 30^th of 30 in the Tour Championship at the end of August, he enters this week as somewhat of an unknown quantity.

Ludvig Aberg

• Overall Ryder Cup record: 2 – 2 – 0
• Singles: 0 – 1 – 0 / Foursomes: 2 – 0 – 0 / Fourballs: 0 – 1 – 0
• World Ranking: No. 16

Ludvig Aberg made his Ryder Cup debut back in 2023, less than five months on from turning professional. He took to the event like a duck to water and with two years of added experience under his belt, I expect big things.

The Swede won two and lost two of his matches at Marco Simone. However, he formed a superb foursomes partnership with fellow Scandi Viktor Hovland, winning 4 & 3 against Max Homa and Brian Harman in the first session, before demolishing Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka 9 & 7 on the Saturday.

Aberg hasn’t looked quite as serene in 2025, going backwards with his iron play and after winning the Genesis Invitational in February, he’s failed to get into contention again. Having said that, he continues to drive and putt with consistent quality and with that productive Viktor Hovland pairing to call on, he’ll no doubt feature prominently at this suitable layout.

Viktor Hovland

• Overall Ryder Cup record: 3 – 4 – 3
• Singles: 1 – 0 – 1 / Foursomes: 2 – 2 – 0 / Fourballs: 0 – 2 – 2
• World Ranking: No. 11

Viktor Hovland has played 10/10 matches over his first two Ryder Cup appearances, which have led to completely contrasting results.

Like much of that European team, he endured a torrid time at Whistling Straits in 2021 on debut, tying two and losing three of his five matches. However, his fortunes flipped entirely in Italy, as he won three matches and halved one, with those two foursomes victories accompanied by a half alongside Tyrrell Hatton in the Friday fourballs, and a 4 & 3 win over Collin Morikawa in the singles.

Hovland’s struggles at the beginning of the year were well documented, but he’s been a different player since winning the Valspar, and he arrives in New York with three top-12 finishes in three starts. Furthermore, he ranks as the second-best iron player around and is perfectly suited to the demands of Bethpage Black.

Matt Fitzpatrick

• Overall Ryder Cup record: 1 – 7 – 0
• Singles: 0 – 3 – 0 / Foursomes: 0 – 3 – 0 / Fourballs: 1 – 1 – 0
• World Ranking: No. 29

Matt Fitzpatrick has picked up just the one solitary point from his previous three Ryder Cup appearances, but descending on Bethpage Black in excellent form, this can be the year he finally leaves his mark on the event.

He played only twice on debut at Hazeltine in 2016, losing both matches, and after going 0-3 at Whistling Straight in 2021, he started the 2023 edition of the event still searching for his first point.

That was duly delivered in the first fourballs session, as he and Rory beat Collin Morikawa & Xander Schauffele 5 & 3, but he did narrowly lose his next two matches in the Saturday fourballs and the singles.

Fitzpatrick had done little of note over the first five months of the season, claiming just the one top-10 in the PGA Championship. However, he’s only finished outside of the top 20 once in his last 10 starts – including finishing 4^th in The Open – and ranking 8^th in SG: Total over that time, he should be full of confidence heading into this week.

Jon Rahm

• Overall Ryder Cup record: 6 – 3 – 3
• Singles: 1 – 1 – 1 / Foursomes: 4 – 0 – 0 / Fourballs: 1 – 2 – 2
• World Ranking: No. 73

A lot has changed for Jon Rahm since the last Ryder Cup, but he remains a player that is tailormade for this competition.

He had an inauspicious start to the event in 2018, playing just three times and picking up a solo point in the singles. However, he’s won five and halved three of nine matches in the last two and has gone unbeaten in foursomes, first with Sergio Garcia at Whistling Straits, and then with Tyrrell Hatton two years ago.

Rahm hasn’t won on LIV this season but has finished outside the top 10 just once in 13 events. He’s also performed much better in the majors, recording top-10s in the PGA Championship and U.S. Open, and ranking as the second-best player from tee-to-green in 2025, he’ll again be one of the leading lights for Team Europe.

SELECTIONS

2 pts Team USA to win the Ryder Cup 15 - 13 @ 9/1

2 pts Team USA to win the Ryder Cup 15½ - 12½ @ 10/1

We’ve had a string of Ryder Cups in which the respective winners have carried a healthy advantage into the Sunday singles and ended up winning convincingly, with the last five editions being won by five points or more. However, I think we’ll see a much more closely-fought contest this week.

Over the last three months, each of these teams have five players inside the top 10 in SG: Total. Scottie Scheffler leads the way and is followed by Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy in 2^nd and 3^rd, whilst Russell Henley is 4^th.

It’s exactly the same when we look at approach play and putting. Although, the Americans do dominate recent driving stats – possessing six of the top 10 and eight of the top 12 – which I believe will be a huge factor this week.

I also think the European team is a little top heavy. Fleetwood, McIlroy and Jon Rahm all sit inside the top four for the season, but then they also have five of the bottom six. Ludvig Aberg and Viktor Hovland aren’t quite at their blistering best and there are serious question marks over the form of Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka.

The USA team just looks that little bit more solid throughout. Each of the four rookies are playing brilliantly at present and when we look at their players of concern, they either have terrific Ryder Cup records (Justin Thomas) or are hitting the ball with quality (Collin Morikawa).

When we also counter in the fact that eight of the last nine editions of the event have gone the way of the home team I just fancy Team USA to come out on top, and I’m going to combine the 15 – 13 and 15 ½ - 12 ½ scores in their favour this week.

2 pts Patrick Cantlay Top USA Points Scorer @ 15/2

1 pt Patrick Cantlay Top Overall Points Scorer @ 14/1

There is no player on Team USA that has been more reliable in the last two editions of the Ryder Cup than Patrick Cantlay. He’s finished 2^nd in the individual standings for the Americans in both of those events, picking up three-and-a-half points in 2021 and two points in 2023.

As mentioned, he’s never lost a singles match across either the Ryder or Presidents Cup and if that once potent partnership with Xander Schauffele fails to impress again, he has shown an ability to adapt to a variety of pairings.

Cantlay’s also got better form at this course than anybody else due to that 3^rd-place in the 2019 PGA Championship. Showing positives right through his game in recent starts, I expect this cool-and-calm customer to be among the top performers for the home side.

2 pts Ludvig Aberg Top European Points Scorer @ 8/1

1 pt Ludvig Aberg Top Overall Points Scorer @ 14/1

Ludvig Aberg played four matches on debut in 2023 when less than five months an amateur, and now with two years further experience under his belt, he may well play all five this time around.

Of course, his combo with Viktor Hovland stole the headlines there, as they won each of their foursomes matches. However, I believe he just has the edge over the Norwegian here due to his ability to drive it long and straight – something that will make him a valuable partner for anyone at Bethpage.

Aberg is also one of the strongest players in the world with approaches over 200 yards, ranking 2^nd on the PGA Tour this season. That is another major asset at this venue and alongside Rory and Rahm, he’s one of the most well-suited players on Team Europe.

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