While your brains are still limber from last week’s FedEx Cup workout, I thought I’d post another selection of probabilities and forecasts, this time courtesy of an overseas-based bookmaker Bovada.
The golf market is, of course, notoriously volatile, but pre-tournament odds function as a useful, if slightly oblique, gauge of public opinion.
Given how finely balanced this year’s exhibition appears to be, what follows is less revelatory than hmm-worthy (as in, deserving of quiet, beard-stroking contemplation).
Odds on winning the 2012 Ryder Cup
USA -140 (5/7)
Europe +120 (6/5)
To hit opening American tee shot
Most likely: Tiger Woods, 4/1
Least likely: Bubba Watson, 16/1
To hit opening European tee shot
Most likely: Rory McIlroy, 7/2
Least likely: Peter Hanson, Nicolas Colsaerts 28/1
Top American points scorer
Lowest: Tiger Woods, 5/1
Highest: Jason Dufner, Zach Johnson, 14/1
Top European points scorer
Lowest: Rory McIlroy, 5/1
Highest: Paul Lawrie, 25/1
Top Debutant
Jason Dufner, 11/4
Webb Simpson, 11/4
Keegan Bradley, 3/1
Brandt Snedeker, 7/2
Nicolas Colsaerts, 11/2
Zach Johnson’s ludicrous undervaluation in the “Top American points scorer” market certainly catches they eye.
Conor Nagle
*Update: Just for kicks, I’m adding all the “odds and ends” in this email I received from Bovada via Jimmy Shapiro. Basically, you can place a bet on every possible stat or situation in the Ryder Cup — it’s kind of fun and interesting to check out. Plus, if you’re a golf fan, you’re probably a golfer, which means by default, you’re a massive gambler. –S. Wei
Top American Points Scorer
Tiger Woods 5/1
Steve Stricker 8/1
Phil Mickelson 8/1
Dustin Johnson 9/1
Jim Furyk 11/1
Matt Kuchar 10/1
Bubba Watson 10/1
Keegan Bradley 12/1
Webb Simpson 12/1
Brandt Snedeker 12/1
Jason Dufner 14/1
Zach Johnson 14/1
Top Combined Points Scorer
Tiger Woods 8/1
Rory Mcilroy 10/1
Lee Westwood 14/1
Luke Donald 14/1
Dustin Johnson 14/1
Ian Poulter 14/1
Steve Stricker 16/1
Graeme McDowell 16/1
Matt Kuchar 16/1
Phil Mickelson 16/1
Sergio Garcia 16/1
Justin Rose 16/1
Jason Dufner 20/1
Keegan Bradley 20/1
Webb Simpson 20/1
Bubba Watson 20/1
Zach Johnson 22/1
Jim Furyk 22/1
Francesco Molinari 33/1
Nicolas Colsaerts 33/1
Brandt Snedeker 33/1
Martin Kaymer 33/1
Peter Hanson 50/1
Paul Lawrie 50/1
Correct Score
USA 14 5 – 13 5 Europe 9/1
USA 15 – 13 Europe 10/1
USA 15 5 – 12 5 Europe 11/1
USA 16 – 12 Europe 12/1
USA 16 5 – 11 5 Europe 18/1
USA 17 – 11 Europe 20/1
USA 17 5 – 10 5 Europe 25/1
USA 18 – 10 Europe 28/1
USA 18 5 – 9 5 Europe 40/1
USA 19 – 9 Europe 50/1
USA 19 5 – 8 5 Europe 80/1
USA 20 – 8 Europe 100/1
USA 20 5 – 7 5 Europe 150/1
USA 21 – 7 Europe 200/1
USA 21 5 – 6 5 Europe 250/1
USA 22 – 6 Europe 300/1
Tie 14 – 14 10/1
Europe 14 5 – 13 5 USA 10/1
Europe 15 – 13 USA 11/1
Europe 15 5 – 12 5 USA 12/1
Europe 16 – 12 USA 14/1
Europe 16 5 – 11 5 USA 16/1
Europe 17 – 11 USA 25/1
Europe 17 5 – 10 5 USA 33/1
Europe 18 – 10 USA 50/1
Europe 18 5 – 9 5 USA 80/1
Europe 19 – 9 USA 100/1
Europe 19 5 – 8 5 USA 125/1
Europe 20 – 8 USA 150/1
Europe 20 5 – 7 5 USA 200/1
Europe 21 – 7 USA 300/1
Europe 21 5 – 6 5 USA 400/1
Europe 22 – 6 USA 500/1
Woods v McIIroy – Most Points
Tiger Woods +110 (11/10)
Rory Mcilroy +125 (5/4)
Tie +400 (4/1)
Who Will Hole The Winning Putt?
Tiger Woods 12/1
Bubba Watson 14/1
Phil Mickelson 14/1
Jason Dufner 14/1
Rory Mcilroy 16/1
Graeme McDowell 16/1
Dustin Johnson 16/1
Lee Westwood 16/1
Ian Poulter 16/1
Steve Stricker 16/1
Jim Furyk 18/1
Luke Donald 18/1
Keegan Bradley 20/1
Webb Simpson 20/1
Zach Johnson 20/1
Sergio Garcia 20/1
Justin Rose 22/1
Matt Kuchar 22/1
Brandt Snedeker 22/1
Francesco Molinari 25/1
Peter Hanson 28/1
Nicolas Colsaerts 28/1
Martin Kaymer 28/1
Paul Lawrie 28/1
Top Debutant
Jason Dufner 11/4
Webb Simpson 11/4
Keegan Bradley 3/1
Brandt Snedeker 7/2
Nicolas Colsaerts 11/2
Top European Wildcard
Ian Poulter 4/11
Nicolas Colsaerts 2/1
Top American Wildcard
Steve Stricker 15/8
Dustin Johnson 2/1
Jim Furyk 12/5
Brandt Snedeker 10/3
Top Wildcard
Steve Stricker 11/4
Dustin Johnson 3/1
Jim Furyk 10/3
Ian Poulter 7/2
Brandt Snedeker 5/1
Nicolas Colsaerts 15/2
Top American Rookie
Jason Dufner 5/2
Keegan Bradley 5/2
Webb Simpson 11/4
Brandt Snedeker 3/1
Biggest Winning Margin
10 And 8 400/1
9 And 8 200/1
9 And 7 100/1
8 And 7 16/1
8 And 6 22/1
7 And 6 7/1
7 And 5 10/1
6 And 5 3/1
6 And 4 7/2
5 And 4 11/4
5 And 3 9/1
4 And 3 14/1
4 And 2 40/1
3 And 2 100/1
3 And 1 250/1
2 And 1 500/1
2up 1000/1
1up 2000/1
Total Points by Golfer
Tiger Woods
0-1.5 points 4/1
2-3 points 1/1
3.5 or more points 11/8
Tiger Woods
No Points 16/1
Tiger Woods
5 Points 16/1
Rory McIlroy
0-1.5 points 10/3
2-3 points 11/10
3.5 or more points 7/5
Rory McIlroy
No Points 16/1
Rory McIlroy
5 Points 16/1
Sergio Garcia
0-1.5 points 5/2
2-3 points 11/10
3.5 or more points 7/4
Luke Donald
0-1.5 points 11/4
2-3 points 11/10
3.5 or more points 13/8
Lee Westwood
0-1.5 points 5/2
2-3 points 11/10
3.5 or more points 7/4
Graeme McDowell
0-1.5 points 2/1
2-3 points 11/10
3.5 or more points 9/4
Ian Poulter
0-1.5 points 5/2
2-3 points 11/10
3.5 or more points 7/4
Justin Rose
0-1.5 points 2/1
2-3 points 11/10
3.5 or more points 9/4
Steve Stricker
0-1.5 points 15/8
2-3 points 11/10
3.5 or more points 12/5
Phil Mickelson
0-1.5 points 2/1
2-3 points 11/10
3.5 or more points 9/4
Dustin Johnson
0-1.5 points 5/2
2-3 points 11/10
3.5 or more points 15/8
Matt Kuchar
0-1.5 points 6/5
2-3 points 1/1
3.5 or more points 5/1
Bubba Watson
0-1.5 points 15/8
2-3 points 6/5
3.5 or more points 9/4
Jim Furyk
0-1.5 points 7/5
2-3 points 1/1
3.5 or more points 4/1
Brandt Snedeker
0-1.5 points 5/4
2 points or more 4/7
Zach Johnson
0-1.5 points 11/10
2 points or more 2/3
Jason Dufner
0-1.5 points 1/1
2 point or more 8/11
Webb Simpson
0-1.5 points 5/4
2 points or more /7
Keegan Bradley
0-1.5 points 1/1
2 points or more 8/11
Paul Lawrie
0-1.5 points 1/2
2 points or more 3/2
Francesco Molinari
0-1.5 points 2/3
2 points or more 11/10
Martin Kaymer
0-1.5 points 2/3
2 points or more 11/10
Nicolas Colsaerts
0-1.5 points 8/13
2 points or more 6/5
Peter Hanson
0-1.5 points 4/7
2 points or more 5/4
Day 1 Foursomes
Day 1 Foursomes Correct Score
United States 2.5 – 1.5 Europe 9/2
United States 3 – 1 Europe 10/3
United States 3.5 – 0.5 Europe 16/1
United States 4 – 0 Europe 14/1
United States 2 – 2 Europe 5/2
Europe 2.5 – 1.5 United States 6/1
Europe 3 – 1 United States 9/2
Europe 3.5 – 0.5 United States 25/1
Europe 4 – 0 United States 25/1
Day 1 Foursomes Winner
USA 6/5
Europe 15/8
Draw 5/2
Day 1 Fourballs Winner
USA 6/5
Europe 13/8
Tie 11/4
Who Will Win The Day 1 Foursomes With Handicap?
USA (-1) 13/5
Tie 5/1
Europe (+1) 1/2
Who Will Win Day 1 Fourballs With Handicap?
USA (-1) 12/5
Tie 9/4
Europe (+1) 4/7
Day 1 USA Total Points
0 – 3 Points 9/4
3.5 – 4.5 Points 6/5
5 Points Or More 7/4
Day 1 Europe Total Points
0 – 3 Points 7/4
3.5 – 4.5 Points 6/5
5 Points Or More 9/4
Day 1 Fourballs Correct Score
USA 2.5-1.5 9/2
USA 3.5-0.5 16/1
USA 3-1 4/1
USA 4-0 18/1
Tie 2-2 5/2
Europe 2.5-1.5 5/1
Europe 3.5-0.5 16/1
Europe 3-1 9/2
Europe 4-0 22/1
Day 1 Correct Score
USA 4.5-3.5 5/1
USA 5.5-2.5 8/1
USA 5-3 5/1
USA 6.5-1.5 25/1
USA 6-2 9/1
USA 7.5-0.5 125/1
USA 7-1 40/1
USA 8-0 200/1
Tie 5/1
Europe 4.5-3.5 6/1
Europe 5.5-2.5 14/1
Europe 5-3 13/2
Europe 6.5-1.5 50/1
Europe 6-2 18/1
Europe 7.5-0.5 150/1
Europe 7-1 80/1
Europe 8-0 250/1
Top European Players by Country
Top Englishman Player
Luke Donald 9/4
Ian Poulter 5/2
Lee Westwood 5/2
Justin Rose 3/1
Top Irish Player
Rory Mcilroy 1/2
Graeme McDowell 3/2
Hole in One
Hole in One by Day
Day 1 10/1
Day 2 10/1
Day 3 10/1
Will there be a Hole in One?
Yes 4/1
No 1/7