Ryder Cup Picks, Props, Predictions: USA vs. Europe Best Bets

Brian Giuffra, Iain MacMillan | Sep 24, 2025

It's USA vs. Europe for the Ryder Cup and we have our best bets for it. / Sports Illustrate

Hyperbole runs rampant around the Ryder Cup. It always has. The result of decades of animosity injected into the veins of hyper-competitive golfers once every two years, I suppose. 

You could say the same is true in betting for me (Brian Giuffra) and Iain MacMillan. We both love the event and are ardent supporters of the U.S.A. and Europe, respectively. We’re also both convinced our side will win this year, and we’re willing to put our money where our mouth is. 

Below, we’ll break down all our best bets for the 2025 Ryder Cup. Before that, here’s some background. 

The U.S. is the betting odds favorite. Home field advantage is the primary reason why. Home teams have won the last five cups. None of the matches have been particularly close. 

Europe returns all but one player from the team that handled the U.S. in Rome two years ago. The one replacement is the twin brother of the player he’s replacing. This is a battle-tested group hellbent on getting a win on U.S. soil, especially Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy, who might not get this chance again. 

The U.S. is top-heavy. Scottie Scheffler is the unquestioned best player in the world, but he can’t play every match. Will he even play all five sessions? You have to assume so. Behind him is a solid group of players, but almost all of them have question marks on form coming in. They’re certainly not as seasoned as the Euros. 

This year feels bigger than ever. Having New York City as a backdrop plays a role. Bethpage Black is a big brute in itself. The course will get plenty of attention throughout. 

Yet, it’s the reality either team can win, the mounting pressure on the U.S. team to prove its mettle, the desire of the Euro’s old lions to steal one on foreign soil, the bulletin board material provided by players and pundits alike that really elevates this year’s match. 

Enough talk. Time to bet. Here are the picks. 

Ryder Cup Top Rookie 

Giuffra: Russell Henley +120 (FanDuel) 

You’ll notice a theme for me here. I think U.S. captain Keegan Bradley is going to ride his top horses this week, much as past European captains have. For me, Henley is one of them. It seems certain he will pair with Scottie at minimum twice in the team events, probably more. Overall, Henley should play in four sessions. I don’t think Cam Young, Ben Griffin or J.J. Spaun will play that many times. While that numbers game is part of the thought process, Henley was amazing down the stretch of the PGA Tour season. Even though he’s shorter off the tee, his approach and putting will make up the difference at Bethpage. Playing with Scottie should also help get some points.  

MacMillan: Ben Griffin +430 (FanDuel)

Ben Griffin might be the most underrated player in this year’s Ryder Cup, and I think Team USA may use him more than people think. He comes into this week ranking third on Team USA in total strokes gained over the past six months behind only Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau. He’s also relatively long off the tee, so the length of Bethpage Black won’t hurt him as much as it may affect some other golfers. Let’s remember Griffin was the one to give Scheffler a run for his money more than once this season, including finishing runner-up to him at the Procore Championship just a few weeks ago.

Ryder Cup Leading Point Scorer Prediction 

Giuffra: Scottie Scheffler +500 (FanDuel)

The leading point scorer tends to be someone who plays all five sessions. That really narrows down the field. My guess is the only Europeans who get that consideration are Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood. On the U.S. side, it’s Scottie Scheffler and maybe Bryson DeChambeau, though him playing alternate shot twice would be surprising. Scottie is the safe bet given his outstanding play and passion for the event. He’ll want to make amends for Rome, when he went 0-2-2 overall. If I was backing a European, it would be Fleetwood at +1300 (FanDuel).

MacMillan: Tommy Fleetwood +1300 (FanDuel)

There’s a reason the Europeans have a chant for Tommy Fleetwood at the Ryder Cup. The Englishman has been a Ryder Cup hero, sporting an impressive 7-3-2 record over the years. Now, with the confidence of a PGA Tour win under his belt, he should be coming into this year’s edition of the tournament with as much confidence as ever. Fleetwood is second on the team in true strokes gained over the past six months behind only Jon Rahm. It’s also worth noting he played in four of five sessions at the 2023 Ryder Cup.

Ryder Cup Final Score Prediction 

Giuffra: USA 16, Europe 12 +1100 (FanDuel) 

My personal belief is the U.S. will have more success in fourball this event. Scheffler and Henley are a perfect pairing. DeChambeau should be electric, and the U.S. has plenty of birdie machines for that format. If they hold par on foursomes, or even give a bit back, I still think they head to Sunday with a lead. There, I’m confident the team finishes the job with a raucous home crowd cheering them on in what will become a bit of a lopsided finish. 

MacMillan: Europe 15, USA 13 +1200 (FanDuel)

We’re going to witness the fall of Team USA at this year’s Ryder Cup. The assumption the Americans will always be the betting favorite will stop after Europe gets the job done on enemy soil. Their advantages of years past have been depleted. They no longer have significantly better depth than Europe and they no longer can set a course up to favor a “bomb and gouge” style of play, leaving their opponents with no ability to keep pace. Europe’s roster is as deep as ever, and they're just as long as the Americans off the tee, with four of the top seven longest drivers this week being on Team Europe. We’ll have a close finish on Sunday, but ultimately it’ll be Europe that comes out on top.

Ryder Cup Best Bet 

Giuffra: USA Tournament Fourballs Winner -105 (FanDuel) 

Listen, if I think the U.S. is going to win the event, you better be sure I’m backing them to win fourball. DeChambeau will play both sessions and should get another birdie machine like Cam Young to partner with and get points. Scheffler and Henley should get at least one point or more. Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay are a perfect pairing and should get another point. All we need is 4.5 to win this bet. I think they get that fairly easily. If not, all my bets are in trouble. Might as well go down with the ship. 

MacMillan: Robert MacIntyre More Points Than Collin Morikawa (+112)

Robert MacIntyre was the unlikely hero of the 2023 Ryder Cup, racking up 2.5 points while going 2-0-1 in his matches. Whatever the “clutch” gene is, he has it and he seemingly brings his best in the biggest moments. In this bet, we can bet on him to finish with more points against Collin Morikawa, who has been playing even worse golf than he was in 2023 when he went just 1-3 in his matches. Not only has Morikawa had a terrible season, ranking last amongst all members of Team USA in total strokes gained over the past six months, but his lack of length off the tee makes him a terrible fit for Bethpage Black. I can’t believe we can bet this prop at plus-money.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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