FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – It’s a short list – just 37, to be exact.

As the European Ryder Cup Team noted on their social media channels earlier in the week, debuting a video geared toward motivating the 12 men lining up in blue and yellow this week at Bethpage State Park, only 37 European players have experienced a Ryder Cup victory on foreign soil. It’s a list that encompasses the 1987, 1995, 2004 and 2012 teams – the last of which featured both Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose, who will tee it up this week on the Black Course in hopes of giving their other 10 teammates a taste of what they experienced at Medinah.

But it’s admittedly a steep hill to climb. Save for that memorable Sunday in 2012, when the Euros erased a 10-6 deficit outside Chicago, the road team hasn’t won the Ryder Cup in 20 years. The last two road efforts for Team Europe have gone from bad to worse: First, a drubbing in 2016 at Hazeltine, when a third of the team didn’t register a single point, followed by a record-setting 19-9 romp at Whistling Straits four years ago. Since Medinah, no road team has come within five points.

On paper, the Euros have one big factor on their side this time around: continuity. Former world No. 1 Luke Donald is back as captain after a successful stint in Italy, and the team from Marco Simone remains the same, except for a change in the initial, as Høgaard twin Rasmus has replaced his brother, Nicolai.

Donald’s squad is a clear underdog in the betting markets, listed at +170 according to oddsmakers at FanDuel Sportsbook in the three-way (with tie option) market. That price slims down to +124 in the two-way market, where bets would be refunded in the event of a 14-14 tie.

So what is the best way to approach betting on the Europeans, whether you predict the team upset or want to profit off some select performances? Let’s take a look at some bets and markets that stand out, with matches set to begin Friday.

Day 1 Foursomes winner: Europe (+170)

The American team boasts more depth, so the general line of thought is that the longer the tournament goes, the more that aspect will play into their favor. But what about a smaller sample size? Keegan Bradley opted to start with Foursomes in the morning, a format that has typically favored the Europeans. Expect both teams to lead with strength, but the Europeans are almost assuredly going to roll out stalwarts like Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm in addition to FedExCup champion Tommy Fleetwood, who boasts a 4-0-0 career record in Foursomes. FanDuel oddsmakers have listed the Euros at the same underdog price in a three-way market as they are to win the whole thing. Knowing the Americans will be dealing with just as many first-tee jitters as the visitors, I like the idea of backing the top of Europe’s lineup to deliver some early points in their preferred format.

Matt Fitzpatrick 1.5 points or fewer (-125)

If Europe breaks through for the upset, it likely won’t be driven in large part by the former. U.S. Open champ. Fitzpatrick’s Ryder Cup record sits at a dreary 1-7, dating back to his debut at Hazeltine in 2016. He is 0-5-0 all-time in Ryder Cup matches played on American soil and has never played more than three matches in any of his three prior Ryder Cup appearances.

The Englishman played only in Four-ball among the team sessions for Luke Donald two years ago in Rome, and if that trend continues, he’s likely to sit Friday morning. Fitzpatrick has played well this summer, including seven top-10 finishes in his last nine starts, but he rarely looks comfortable on this stage. Given the likelihood that he plays no more than three matches, I’ll project Fitzpatrick to get no more than 1.5 points out of a possible three.

Rory McIlroy more points than Scottie Scheffler (+118)

I’m siding with the Europeans in this star-studded head-to-head. While I don’t anticipate Fitzpatrick to play more than three, I do think McIlroy has a strong chance of going the distance and playing all five sessions – or at least four. Dating back to his 2010 debut, McIlroy has sat out just two sessions total while playing an average of 4.7 matches. He is both one of Europe’s stars and one of its workhorses, and he’ll look to shoulder a significant load once again this week.

By contrast, I’m not sure that Scheffler will play all five sessions for the Americans, having played three times in 2021 and four in 2023. Yes, he’s a more dominant force this time around, but individual success has not yet parlayed into team match-play points for the world No. 1.

If they play the same number of matches, I think Scheffler could have the slight edge. But a combination of a plus-money price and the chance that McIlroy could get an extra rep has me leaning to the Ulsterman in this matchup, where a tie would result in a refund.

Note: Click here for more information on the Ryder Cup Fantasy game, a free-to-play offering where fans can win a trip to the 2027 Ryder Cup in Ireland.

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