iBet: Back Luke Donald to be the top points scorer at the Ryder Cup

Ryder Cup, starts today

Back Luke Donald to be Top Ryder Cup Points Scorer at 12.5/1 with Betfair and back him to be the Top European Points Scorer at 6/1 (generally available).

With the favourite going off at 10/1 with Betfair, the betting for the top Ryder Cup points scorer would appear at first glance to be wide open, but history suggests otherwise. A look at previous Ryder Cups shows that every winner or joint winner of this market this century has played the full quota of five matches, and that rules out many of the 24 players straight away.

Tiger Woods (10/1) is the jolly and although some say he has been talking a good game in the build up, he seems to be putting too much emphasis on himself and on ‘getting’ to Rory McIlroy (11/1) for my liking. He loses as many as he wins at the Ryder Cup and although his game has been coming back together, he is passed over. Dustin Johnson is the only other American at under 20/1 but he lost three matches at the last Ryder Cup, and there’s a suggestion that US skipper Davis Love III might mix and match things more than Olazabal. Of the other Europeans likely to play five times, Garcia’s putting is a bit too fragile and Lee Westwood has been too out of form.

Graeme McDowell is solid and will interest some at 19/1, but for my money the value lies with Like Donald at 12.5/1. The world No3 was Europe’s joint top points scorer last time around with Ian Poulter (both scored three points). He has won eight of his 11 Ryder Cup matches, picking up an average of 0.77pts per game, has a 100% record in the foursomes he’s taken part in (six from six) and perhaps most importantly of all he is based locally in the States and knows the Medinah course inside out.

Advices

If you think there will be a hole in one, several firms will offer you 4/1.

If you can predict not only who will win but what the score will be, you will get at least 10/1, with USA beating Europe 14.5 to 13.5 the favourite.

Betfair gives you better value. To see how much more you can win go to www.betfair.com/betchecker

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