The United States team is a big favorite to continue their dominance of the International team in the Presidents Cup, which begins on Thursday in New Jersey. The U.S. is 9-1-1 in this event since it began in 1994 and they have never lost on home soil, going 6-0. All 12 of the U.S. players are ranked in the Top 30 in the world, while the International team has only two players ranked in the Top 10. The average ranking for the U.S. players is 15.5, while the average ranking for the International players is 31.5. Let’s look at this event, odds and predictions.
Presidents Cup Odds
United States -300
Internationals +300
Tie +1200
Top Combined Scorer
Dustin Johnson +850
Jordan Spieth +850
Hideki Matsuyama +950
Jason Day +950
Adam Scott +1150
Justin Thomas +1250
Louis Oosthuizen +1250
Rickie Fowler +1250
Patrick Reed +1450
Branden Grace +1850
Brooks Koepka +1850
Matt Kuchar +1850
Charl Schwartzel +2050
Marc Leishman +2050
Phil Mickelson +2050
Charley Hoffman +3050
Daniel Berger +3050
Kevin Kisner +3050
Emiliano Grillo +3350
Jhonattan Vegas +3350
Kevin Chappell +3550
Adam Hadwin +4050
Si Woo Kim +4050
Anirban Lahiri +5050
Odds Analysis
United States -300
The United States roster is definitely loaded with talent but five of their 12 players will be making their Presidents Cup debut. The question that has to be asked is how motivated the U.S. will be to win this event. Thomas, Spieth and Johnson are coming off competing for the TOUR Championship and now they take what can only be considered a step down in competition in this event.
U.S. Captain Steve Stricker said recently to the media that he hopes his guys have one more week in them. “Our guys have really played well this year, and you just hope that they can continue it for one more week. You hope they don’t run out of gas,” he said. “I know what it’s like. The hope is that once they get there, adrenaline kicks in and they are good for one more week.”
The International team is definitely not as strong as the U.S. team but they do have more experience. Only four players will be making their Presidents Cup debut. The International team also features Branden Grace who won all five of his matches two years ago.
There is no question that the United States should win this event but I can’t lay 3-1 on a team that might not have much motivation. I’ll take a closer look at the highest scorer odds to see if there is some value there.
Jordan Spieth +850
I think there is some value in taking Spieth at these odds simply because he may want to prove something simply because he lost the FedExCup to Thomas. Spieth has a match record of 5-4 in the Presidents Cup.
Louis Oosthuizen +1250
Why not Oosthuizen as the top overall scorer? He and Grace were superb two years ago and there is no reason they can’t excel again. Oosthuizen has the length to do well on this course and he definitely won’t be affected by the pressure.
Branden Grace +1850
I think Grace is worth a shot at these odds, as he has been excellent in this event. He didn’t lose a match two years ago, as he teamed with Oosthuizen to win four times and Grace also won his singles match.
Course: Liberty National Golf Club is a par 72 that measures 7,328 yards. It features some great views of the Statue of Liberty and New York City and it is a course that does have some tricky winds and tough greens.
Notes: Two years ago in South Korea it was a close contest that the United States pulled out 15.5 to 14.5. It may not be close this time around, as the U.S. team features Spieth, Thomas and Johnson. That trio alone has combined to win 12 times this season, while the entire International squad has eight wins.
TV Coverage: NBC and Golf Channel
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker.eu. The Presidents Cup is scheduled for September 28 – October 1, 2017. Liberty National Golf Club will host the event and NBC and Golf Channel will televise it.
