This September sees two of the biggest team competitions in golf take place within the space of a couple of weeks of each other.
First up the best of the United States women’s team will face off against their European counterparts in the Solheim Cup.
Then a few weeks later it is the turn of the male players from the US and Europe to lock horns once again in the 2023 Ryder Cup.
These two events, alongside the annual majors, are amongst the most popular golf betting events and there is sure to be plenty of money wagered on both competitions.
As always, the latest odds are shown from bet365 Sport for both these huge team golf events in September. You should remember that while correct at the time of writing, these odds may change in the meantime.
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Let’s now take a closer look at both events in a bit more detail.
Solheim Cup
- Date – 22nd to 24th September 2023
- Venue – Finca Cortesin Golf Club, Malaga, Spain
- Record – USA Wins – 10, Europe Wins – 7, Draws – 0
Next year the Solheim Cup will switch back to even numbered years to avoid colliding in the schedule with the Ryder Cup. Both the US and European teams have already named their teams for this year’s competition and they are outlined in more detail below.
The United States hold a 10-7 lead over Europe in Solheim Cup wins, but Europe are the current holders of the trophy having won at both Gleneagles in Scotland in 2019 and also at the Inverness Club in Ohio in 2021.
European Team News
- Captain – Suzann Pettersen
- Selection Format – Eight Qualifiers, four captain’s picks
- Vice Captains – Laura Davies, Caroline Martens, Anna Nordqvist
Team Europe Qualifiers & Picks
Qualifiers
- Celine Boutier
- Maja Stark
- Linn Grant
- Charley Hull
- Carlota Ciganda
- Georgia Hall
- Anna Nordqvist
- Leona Maguire
Captain’s Picks
- Caroline Hedwall
- Madelene Sagstrom
- Gemma Dryburgh
- Emily Kristine Pedersen
Europe have a much more experienced Solheim Cup team with only two players aged below 27, plus they have only three rookies selected in their team. With 31 appearances in the tournament combined, they are almost twice as experienced as the US team.
United States Team News
- Captain – Stacy Lewis
- Selection Format – 9 Qualifiers, three captain’s picks
- Vice Captains – Morgan Pressel, Natalie Gulbis, Angela Stanford
Team USA Qualifiers and Picks
Qualifiers
- Lilia Vu
- Nelly Korda
- Allisen Corpuz
- Megan Khang
- Jennifer Kupcho
- Danielle Kang
- Andrea Lee
- Lexi Thompson
- Rose Zhang
Captain’s Picks
- Ally Ewing
- Cheyenne Knight
- Angel Yin
This is a youthful American team with five Solheim Cup rookies, plus no player on the team is over the age of 30. Between the 12 players, they have just 17 Solheim Cup appearances between the dozen.
Latest Betting Odds
- Europe to win – 10/11
- Draw – 12/1
- United States to win – 11/10
Our Pick
The last two tournaments have been close and Europe have come through both times. I think the edge Europe has in experience may be key here and despite having the top two ranked players in the world on their team, I think the USA will go down to a narrow loss here once again.
Ryder Cup
- Date – September 25th to October 1st 2023
- Venue – Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, Rome, Italy
- Record (since 1979) – USA Wins – 9, Europe Wins – 11, Draws – 1
Prior to 1979, the United States faced a team from Great Britain or Great Britain and Ireland in the first 50 years of competition. The Americans had won 27, lost 14 and drawn 2 of the 43 matches played between these teams before the British and Irish team was expanded to include all of mainland Europe in 1979.
European Team News
- Captain – Luke Donald
- Selection Format – 6 players qualify, 6 players selected by captain
- Players Confirmed On Team – Rory McIlroy (Q), Jon Rahm (Q), Viktor Hovland (Q), Tyrell Hatton (Q)
- Players In Contention to Qualify – Robert MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood, Yannick Paul, Adrian Meronk, Matt Fitzpatrick, Sepp Straka
Potential Captain’s Picks
Luke Donald’s six picks will be influence by who clinches the final two automatic qualification spots on the team. MacIntyre and Fleetwood hold those positions at present and I am going to assume they hold onto those positions to earn a spot in the team.
With the six qualifiers now confirmed, Donald would then have six further picks to fill out his team. Matt Fitzpatrick will likely be a definite selection as a major winner and I think the form of Sepp Straka would mean he is likely to be a choice too.
Shane Lowry is another I feel would be an obvious pick leaving just three. If Donald goes on form, then Adrian Meronk, Alex Noren, Yannick Paul would be in with a chance.
Experience though is key in Ryder Cup battles, so I feel in the absence of a number of LIV Golfers, Justin Rose would get a call up with the other spots taken by two of the previously mentioned three in form players.
Assuming MacIntyre & Fleetwood Qualify my guess at the picks would be – Matt Fitzpatrick, Sepp Straka, Shane Lowry, Justin Rose, Adrian Meronk and Alex Noren.
United States Team News
- Captain – Zach Johnson
- Selection Format – 6 Qualifiers, 6 Captain’s Picks
- Players Confirmed On Team – Qualifiers – Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman, Patrick Cantlay, Max Homa, Xander Schauffele. Captain’s Picks – Sam Burns, Rickie Fowler, Brooks Koepka, Collin Morikawa, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas
- Players In Contention to Qualify – N/A
Potential Captain’s Picks
N/A – Zach Johnson has already named his 12-man team for the tournament this past weekend.
Johnson already knew his six qualifiers and named six more players this past weekend to complete his United States team.
Keegan Bradley was the unfortunate man to miss out this time, after two wins on tour this season saw him as the 11th ranked American in the qualifying list.
However, instead Johnson went with players lower down the rankings in the shape of Fowler, Spieth and Thomas.
The US team includes four Ryder Cup rookies in Burns, Harman, Clark and Homa while no player has played in more than 4 Ryder Cup events in this youthful US team.
Vice captains are Stewart Cink, Fred Couples, Jim Furyk, Davis Love III and Steve Stricker.
Latest Betting Odds
- Europe to win – 11/8
- Draw – 12/1
- United States to win – 8/11 favourites
Our Pick
This is shaping up to be a very close one with two well-matched teams. It will be interesting to see who Luke Donald picks as his six captain’s picks and they could make or break Europe’s chances of a win here.
I expect a close battle between the two but I am going for Europe’s greater experience to perhaps be the key to a narrow win for the home team.
