In part one of our Ryder Cup betting angles with Betolimp, WADE PRETORIUS takes a look at the USA rookies and makes his bet.
It seems like ‘fake news’ to have ‘rookie’ and ‘Justin Thomas’ alongside each other but it’s true. The reigning Player of the Year – he’s also nominated for this season’s Player of the Year award – and last season’s FedExCup winner is a rookie. But he does have competitive (winning) experience as part of the USA side that crushed the Internationals in the Presidents Cup.
Thomas is battling a little tendinitis in his right wrist but the injury isn’t expected to limit his play significantly. As part of the powerful and deep USA side, it was unlikely that he would play in all five sessions regardless of how he starts.
I don’t expect Bryson DeChambeau or Tony Finau to play in all five either. The former could play in three but that’s the number JT will rack up with Finau only really looking like two outings, one of those being in Sunday’s singles.
One of JT’s strengths is that he has a number of clear-cut partners waiting to tee it up with him, including expected pairings alongside Tiger Woods, Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth. DeChambeau looks pencilled in to play a match with Woods and one with Phil Mickelson; the latter duo, to my thinking, cannot guarantee a point.
So with a number of matches expected, form and compatibility, it looks like the favourite in this market is JT all the way.
