This week’s golf to preview is the bi-annual team competition between the United States and an International Team, so let’s dive right in and find the best at top sportsbooks!
Presidents Cup Pick
- Byeong-Hun An Top International Points Scorer (+1800) at Bet365
Presidents Cup
September 24 – September 29, 2024 at Royal Montreal Golf Club
Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal Golf Club
The Presidents Cup brings two teams of twelve players competing over four days
The International Team has the home-field advantage at the Royal Montreal Golf Club in Quebec. The track was last used for the 2014 Canadian Open when United States captain, Jim Furyk was runner-up to Tim Clark who were both experts in strategic golf which is required here.
The course provides a fiddly test and there is no chance it will be overpowered this week on its smaller-than-average greens. The par 70 at just over 7200 yards is unsurprisingly tree-lined through parkland and was redesigned by Rees Jones in 2004 having been originally designed by Dick Wilson in 1959.
| International Team | United States Team |
|---|---|
| Captain: Mike Weir | Captain: Jim Furyk |
| Hideki Matsuyama | Scottie Scheffler |
| Sungjae Im | Xander Schauffele |
| Adam Scott | Collin Morikawa |
| Tom Kim | Wyndham Clark |
| Jason Day | Patrick Cantlay |
| Byeong Hun An | Sahith Theegala |
| Christiaan Bezuindenhout | Keegan Bradley |
| Corey Conners | Sam Burns |
| Mackenzie Hughes | Tony Finau |
| Si Woo Kim | Brian Harman |
| Min Woo Lee | Russell Henley |
| Taylor Pendrith | Max Homa |
The Format
- Day 1 – five foursomes or fourballs (yet to be decided).
- Day 2 – five foursomes or fourballs, will be the opposite of day 1.
- Day 3 – Four fourballs and four foursomes
- Day 4 – All 12 players play in twelve single matches with the winning team being the first one to reach 15.5 points.
Is the Contest a Closer Call This Time?
After thirty years of United States domination, this time around looks a much closer contest to call. Only once have the Internationals won and the USA team has held the trophy since the Millenium began.
The lean is to have a sporting wager on the International Team at Bet365’s price of +240, so we are going to take a deeper look for the best props bets this week.
Who Will Score the Most Points for The International Team?
The alternatives for the top points Scorer for the International Team are plentiful. There are plenty of imponderables this week so let’s look at what we know.
At the last Presidents Cup, Tom Kim single-handedly lit up proceedings with his ebullience and dynamic play. If he could recreate that, he could whip up the team and the home fans into a frenzy.
Hideki Matsuyama and Adam Scott have been mainstays of the foursomes and fourballs in previous renewals and that status quo will probably be the same this week. We need to recognize that Scott is aging so he may find the schedule tiring, while Matsuyama has the niggling back and neck injuries that require sensible management.
It might be worth taking a flyer on Min Woo Kim to small stakes this week. He is the sort of young buck who could play the inspirational role that Tom Kim did two years ago as he whips up the home support.
But, at the current prices, the undoubted value lies with the complete outsider and long-shot Byeong-Hun An who competed in this event in 2019, winning once and drawing twice.
On writing this he has just played the BMW PGA over on the DP World Tour after a few weeks off and hit the ball better on each day, with his usual elite tee-to-green game looking in strong shape which will be perfect for the foursomes around this course.
Golf Pick: Byeong Hun An Top International Points Scorer (+1800) at Bet365 (check our Bet365 Review)
What About the United States, Who Will Excel?
Standouts for the United States are not so simple to find, as we know Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele, the best players of 2024 will lead the way from the front at very short prices.
The debacle of the Ryder Cup in Rome last year may still be in their minds, so it is easy to pass on their chances.
The one American who came out of that Ryder Cup with credit was Max Homa with 3.5 points, and the thirty-three-year-old from California also won all four points from his only previous Presidents Cup to prove himself something of a Matchplay expert.
The problem for Homa is his poor form, which makes him easy to overlook at +1000 Bet365.
If you want a value play on Top American, maybe the next Ryder Cup Captain, Keegan Bradley is the bet for small stakes at +2500 Bet365, but overall, at Odds Trader we are happy with just the one bet on Byeong-Hun An for the International Team Top Points Scorer.
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