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2019 Presidents Cup: Golf Odds and Predictions

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Presidents Cup History

Of course, the Ryder Cup is the marquee team event in golf, but that is held in even-numbered years these days and features the Americans facing players from Europe. The Presidents Cup debuted in 1994 – shifted to odd-numbered years starting in 2003 – as a way for golfers outside of Europe to face the USA in a similar team competition.

Eight players on each team qualify through a points system, the Team USA players through the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup points list and the Europeans through the world golf rankings. The captains chose the other four players this year, and the captains are Tiger Woods – who picked himself as one of the four players – and World Golf Hall of Famer Ernie Els of South Africa. The first-time captains faced off in many a Presidents Cup.

This year the event is held at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia for the third time. In 2011, the Americans prevailed 19-15 there and in 1998 the International Team won for the first and only time 20.5-11.5. There can be a tie (happened in 2003), and in that case the defending champion would retain the Presidents Cup. The Americans won 19-11 in New Jersey in 2017.

The schedule features five matches of fourballs (better ball) or foursomes (alternate shot) on Thursday morning Australian time, five matches of whichever format wasn’t used Day 1 on Friday morning, four foursomes and four fourballs spread across Saturday and then 12 singles matches on Sunday. Each player will be required to play a minimum of one match prior to final-round singles. Captains choose all the pairings, etc.

It’s all match play and matches can be halved. Royal Melbourne plays to a par 71 in stroke play and is about 7,050 yards.

Presidents Cup Betting Odds

2019 Presidents Cup

  • USA -228
  • Draw +1300
  • Internationals +208

The most points a player could possibly earn is five. World No. 1 Brooks Koepka won’t play for Team USA due to a knee injury. He was replaced by Rickie Fowler.

The favourite as the overall-leading scorer at +800 is Justin Thomas, who is also the +450 leader to top the Americans. He was 3-1-1 in 2017 for 3.5 points, tied for second-most on Team USA and overall behind Dustin Johnson’s 4.5. DJ is +600 as top American and +900 as No. 1 overall scorer. Tiger is +1200 to lead Team USA and +2200 to lead the event.

Co-favoured to lead the International Team in scoring are Aussie Adam Scott and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama at +450. Matsuyama is +1200 to lead the tournament in points and Scott at +1400.

The lone Canadian on the International Team is Adam Hadwin, who was a captain’s pick of Els. Hadwin was 0-2-1 two years ago, losing to Phil Mickelson (not playing this year) 2&1 in Sunday singles. Hadwin is +1400 to lead his team in points and +4000 to lead the event.

One of Els’ captain’s assistants is Canada’s Mike Weir, who also was an assistant captain in 2017 under Nick Price. Hadwin and Weir are the only players from the country to play on more than one International Team. The only other Canadian to play in the event was Graham DeLaet in 2013. Hadwin, from Abbotsford, British Columbia, and Weir, from Brights Grove, Ontario, first met when both were playing the 2013 Farmers Insurance Open. Weir played in five Presidents Cups and complied a 13-9-2 record.

Presidents Cup Predictions

Team USA cruises to another Presidents Cup. Patrick Reed leads the Americans (+900) and tournament (+1600) in points, while Louis Oosthuizen (+600) tops the International Team.