Betting tips: Who to back at the Solheim Cup
Starting to think about Solheim Cup betting? Our expert Steve Carroll has a few tips for you…
Solheim Cup betting: Steve’s top tip
There’s been much talk about a changing of the guard on the European team but seven of this outfit were part of Liselotte Neumann’s squad that crushed the American’s 18-10 in Colorado four years ago.
That was the first time Europe won across the pond and 21/10 seems very attractive for a repeat performance in Des Moines.
The likes of Suzann Pettersen, Charley Hull and Anna Nordqvist are hardy veterans and always seem inspired by the patriotic nature of the matchplay competition.
Pettersen, in particular, has a point to prove following the Gimmegate scandal two years ago that changed the momentum of the entire match in St Leon Rot.
Importantly, though, many of this side also seem in relatively good touch.
Jodie Ewart Shadoff is coming off an impressive week at Kingsbarns at the Women’s British Open, where she finished runner up, as is Caroline Masson.
Georgia Hall has been in nice touch all year, and Florentyna Parker picked up her third LET victory earlier in the season.
The Annika effect can not be underestimated, either. One of the all time greats of women’s golf, the Swede was the heartbeat of many a European-winning side and tales of her effect in the team room are legendary. Her players will be determined to ensure she goes home as a winning skipper.
The American’s seem much more in transition. Captain Juli Inkster ruffled feathers when leaving out some of the high profile stars – Angela Stanford and Paula Creamer to name but two.
The latter has snuck in after injury to Jessica Korda but I’m not sure that’ a positive. There was a reason Creamer, justifiably, was left out in the first place.
She’s missed seven cuts this season the LPGA and her best finish is tied 7th. She’s ranked 115th in putts per GIR this year – not good in a format that comes down to who performs best on the greens.
Creamer is among five players on this US team – Austin Ernst, Stacy Lewis, Michelle Wie and Lizette Salas are the others – who haven’t won a tournament since 2014.
Wie, at least, is showing some better form in recent weeks after recovering from yet another injury and you’re always surprised when Lexi Thompson isn’t in contention.
It’s important not to get carried away. A lot of these results can be put down to the Asian domination of the LPGA Tour – Thompson is the only player in the world’s top 10 in either Solheim Cup side.
And though the odds suggest, according to My Top Sportsbooks, this will be a clear United States win, I think it will be a close enough encounter to make the price on Europe clear value.
Solheim Cup betting: Top European
Charley Hull has a Solheim Cup record that dreams are made of, with six wins from eight matches. She’s likely to play in every match and at 6/1 seems a natural selection.
So I was actually surprised to see her only a second favourite in this market to Suzann Pettersen.
After a couple of top 10s earlier in the season, Hull’s form has tailed off a bit but she looked better at Kingsbarns and, in a market that pays a quarter of the odds each way to three places, she seems a shoe-in to contend.
Solheim Cup betting: Top American
No surprise to see Lexi Thompson leading the way but, at 7/2, I don’t think she represents worthwhile value.
She played exceptionally over the first two days at Kingsbarns but looked a bit lost when things started to go wrong on the weekend. Her putting, in particular, looked very shaky.
You can pass that off as one bad experience but I felt this was the latest in a series of misfortunes after the notorious penalty that robbed her of the ANA Inspiration.
I’ll plump for Gerina Piller at 9/1. Having not picked up a point from her first Solheim experience in 2013, the American was a star two years ago – holing the winning putt and picking up three wins and a half from four matches as she claimed the leading scorer market.
Her partnership with Stacy Lewis in foursomes and fourballs was particularly effective and, if they can strike up a repeat, she won’t be far away.
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