Fresh off last year’s resounding Ryder Cup win, the best golfers from the United States are preparing to once again exert their dominance on the international stage with the upcoming 2017 Presidents Cup to be held from September 28 – October 1 in Jersey City, New Jersey. Newly-minted FedEx Cup champion Justin Thomas and Open winner Jordan Spieth will headline the American contingent to battle against the very best of the rest of the world (excluding Europe), who will have Hideki Matsuyama leading the way.
Read on for our preview of this biennial international golf event. And for more of our Presidents Cup coverage, check out the purse breakdown for this tournament here.
Roster: Daniel Berger (1st Presidents Cup), Kevin Chappell (1st), Rickie Fowler (2nd), Charley Hoffman (1st), Dustin Johnson (3rd), Kevin Kisner (1st), Brooks Koepka (1st), Matt Kuchar (4th), Phil Mickelson (12th), Patrick Reed (2nd), Jordan Spieth (3rd), Justin Thomas (1st)
It isn’t a complete surprise to see the Americans installed as heavy favorites for this year’s Presidents Cup. They have totally dominated their International counterparts, winning nine of the previous 11 installments of this prestigious team event. Expect that dominance to continue with this year’s squad once again oozing with talent. Captain Steve Stricker has an embarrassment of riches with major champions Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Dustin Johnson forming the cornerstones of his lineup. The aforementioned trio has recorded a whopping 12 victories in the 2016-17 season, including two major titles (Thomas – PGA Championship, Spieth – British Open).
The Americans have their fair share of first-time participants with Thomas, Daniel Berger, Kevin Chappell, Brooks Koepka and Charley Hoffman about to make their debuts on the international team stage. Stricker, however, can rely on Phil Mickelson to provide the much-needed experience for this young group. Lefty, who was named as a captain’s pick for the second time, is the only golfer to play in all 12 editions of the Presidents Cup.
The Americans are pegged at -400to lift the 2017 Presidents Cup trophy.
Roster: Jason Day, Australia (4th Presidents Cup); Branden Grace, South Africa (3rd); Emiliano Grillo, Argentina (1st); Adam Hadwin, Canada (1st); Si Woo Kim, South Korea (1st); Anirban Lahiri, India (2nd); Marc Leishman, Australia (3rd); Hideki Matsuyama, Japan (3rd); Louis Oosthuizen, South Africa (3rd); Charl Schwartzel, South Africa (4th); Adam Scott, Australia (8th); Jhonattan Vegas, Venezuela (1st)
The Internationals may have lost each of the last six editions of the Presidents Cup but they will head to Liberty National with the knowledge that they can stand toe-to-toe with the powerhouse Americans. They came close to snatching a famous victory in Incheon two years ago, losing by just a single point to Team USA.
Majority of that 2015 team will be back in action this week with Adam Scott, Jason Day and Hideki Matsuyama the notable names returning at Liberty National. Branden Grace, however, is the one veteran campaigner the US team should be wary of. He went 5-0 for the Internationals in the 2015 edition of the Presidents Cup, teaming with Louis Oosthuizen to sweep both foursomes and four-balls. Expect captain Nick Price to once again utilize that winning duo this week. The Internationals have incorporated new blood as well with PLAYERS champion Si Woo Kim heading a list of four talented rookies that include Emiliano Grillo, Adam Hadwin and the hard-hitting Jhonattan Vegas.
The Internationals are pegged at +300to lift the 2017 Presidents Cup trophy.
Writer’s Prediction
The US (-300) continues its dominance over the Internationals with a 17-13 win. Create a betting account now and cash in on some exciting international golf action.
