You can have 7/2 on Rory McIlroy top scoring for Europe at the Ryder Cup with bwin.com, but there are mounting reasons to abandon the world number one and favourite in this market, and instead lump on Ian Poulter’s 7/1 odds at Gleneagles.
Read on for the best of them…
McIlroy is messing around with his equipment
After changing from Titleist to Nike clubs in 2013 McIlroy clearly struggled, missing numerous cuts at the start of the season and failing to make the top 20 in any of the first three majors.
Comparisons with Phil Mickelson’s dreadful 2004 Ryder Cup, when he switched from Titleist to Calloway and secured just one point from four, have already been made following news that McIlroy is likely to go with a new driver for the first time competitively at Gleneagles.
McIlroy has brushed such theories aside, but the move is an odd one from a golfer with two 2014 majors in his back pocket and a third-place finish in the end of season FedEx Cup standings. Why risk a change now?
Whether the 25-year-old really cares about this ‘exhibition’ is questionable
McIlroy may have enjoyed being involved in Europe’s last two wins (he seemed beyond ecstatic at Medinah), but he won’t be able to escape comments made with regard to the Ryder Cup five years ago for some time:
“It’s not a huge goal of mine…It’s an exhibition at the end of the day. In the big scheme of things it’s not that important an event for me”
And on qualifying for Celtic Manor in 2010:
“If I play well enough I play well enough. And if I don’t, then so be it.”
The Northern Irishman is yet to top score for Europe in two Ryder Cups
A four-time major winner he may be, but McIlroy’s record in this team tournament reads nine matches played, five points gained.
That’s not form to suggest McIlroy should be clear favourite in this market at 7/2, with Sergio Garcia next best at 11/2.
…and finally, yet most compellingly, Poulter has been Europe’s top player at the past three Ryder Cups
The Hertfordshire native managed to best McIlroy’s totals in each of the last couple of renewals, despite turning out the same number of times in 2010 and once fewer two years ago.
Poulter’s record over the last three Ryder Cups reads played 13, points gained 11. You couldn’t be on a better candidate in Scotland at 7/1.
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