Given their undoubted overall supremacy at Gleneagles, it’s no surprise that bookmakers have Europe as hot favourites to successful defend the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine in Minnesota in 2016.
Coral are still offering 4/6 against Europe lifting the famous trophy again in two year’s time as speculation begins to mount over who will captain the side in succession to Paul McGinley. A tie would, of course, be enough – BetVictor will lay you Evens about an outright victory. The smart money to be European captain is going on Darren Clarke and the Ulsterman is now a best 1/3 (Ladbrokes, Unibet, William Hill and 888sport). Clarke played on four successful Ryder Cup teams between 1997 and 2006. He was also a non-playing vice-captain in 2010 and 2012 and has received an endorsement from Rory McIlroy, which won’t have done his chances any harm. Miguel Angel Jimenez, one of McGinley’s vice-captains this year, is another leading candidate. The Spaniard played in successful Ryder Cup teams in 2004 and 2010 and was also a vice-captain in 2012. The cigar-toting 50-year-old is 8/1 with Skybet to lead Europe at Hazeltine with Thomas Bjorn at 10/1 with BetVictor and on betfair.
America’s challenge this year ended in acrimony with senior player Phil Mickelson questioning captain Tom Watson‘s tactics and player management in the USA‘s eighth defeat in 10 Ryder Cups. There is already a call for Paul Azinger, who oversaw the Americans’ last victory in 2008, to be reinstated in charge of team affairs in 2016 (9/2 with Skybet). Mickelson himself is 16/1 with Paddy Power while Jim Furyk, who was playing in his ninth Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, is 9/1 with the same firm who have David Toms as their favourite at 9/2. Steve Stricker would be a viable alternative at 11/2 with Skybet.
You can also have an early bet on who will or won’t make the European team in 2016. I just got the impression that Gleneagles was probably the Ryder Cup swansong for Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter so I would be interesting in BetVictor’s quote of Evens that Westwood isn’t at Hazeltine and the 2/1 about Poulter missing out. But there may still be time for Luke Donald to reclaim his place with the former world number one receiving a 13/8 quote from Boylesports that he’s on the plane. With the Americans at such a low ebb and no sign of a respite in sight, you can get 8/1 with William Hill about Europe keeping hold of the trophy until at least 2024.
