After just 12 months we’ve got a quick return match in the Solheim Cup with the two same captains and two relatively similar teams – but will we get the same result?
The 14-14 tie at Finca Cortesin prompted calls for a format change, but that was the first tie in competition history – and history is being adhered to as again if the scores are level after the singles Europe will again retain the trophy.
Whether you agree or not, it’s something to be factored in if you fancy a wager on the Solheim Cup – where you can bet on either side to win (or another tie!) or just on which team will walk away with the silverware.
As they showed last year, there’s not much between the sides even with a few tweaks to each team – but Team USA go into the clash as odds-on favourites to lift the trophy at 8/15 with Europe the 6/4 underdogs.
Solheim Cup team news
Just five different players from the 24 that took part in Spain last year, with two new faces for Suzann Pettersen’s Europe and three changes for Team USA captain Stacy Lewis.
For Europe, two rookies come in with Esther Henseleit and Albane Valenzuela replacing Caroline Hedwall and Gemma Dryburgh.
German Henseleit won silver at the Paris Olympics while Switzerland’s Valenzuela is a three-time Olympian who will feel right at home as she was born in New York, went to Stanford University and now lives in Dallas.
Angel Yin, Cheyenne Knight and Danielle Kang are absent from the USA team in Spain, with Lauren Coughlin and Sarah Schmelzel coming in as rookies and Alison Lee returning for her second Solheim Cup.
Who will win the Solheim Cup?
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Odds to win the Solheim Cup: USA 8/15 | Europe 2/1 | Tie 12/1
Odds to lift the trophy: USA 8/15 | Europe 6/4
Team USA have a few things going for them – most obviously of course they’re playing at home with the fans behind them and a course that should suit.
Pettersen herself said the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club suited the bombers a bit more after they cut the rough down ahead of the tournament – as is the home captain’s prerogative.
Rankings-wise, the USA have three of the world’s top 10 and five of the top 20, with a lowest ranking of 61 while Europe have just two in the top 20 and lowest ranked of 103.
This is matchplay though, and rankings count for nothing here – and the one huge negative for the United States is them coming up empty handed in the last three Solheim Cups.
They’ve got just two players on this team who know what it’s like to lift the trophy, and a slow start will only serve to pile the pressure on.
Team Europe have the experience, with their players combining for 31 Solheim Cup appearances compared to 22 for the Americans – and although USA are at home there have been three away wins in the last six meetings.
Europe have won two of their last three visits to the USA as well, so the home factor is not as big as it is in the Ryder Cup – perhaps with fans not so raucous and intimidating as they are in the men’s event.
So Europe being 2/1 outsiders, they’re probably being a bit underrated when you take recent meetings and their individual performances into account – not to mention they come into this as trophy winners of the last three.
Back Europe to win the Solheim Cup at 2/1.
Value either way in a tight contest
Whatever way you see it going, you could be better looking at a different market than just the outrights and look into the winning margin betting.
Three of the last four winning scores have been by just a point or two, followed by last year’s tie, so it should be another close contest between two sides evenly matched in this format.
There’s been a couple of lob-sided wins in the United States which could be a worry, but throw in the fact they played each other last year, have similar sides and the same captains and that just makes for a tighter contest.
So if you’re backing a home or away win throw in a winning margin of no more than three points for some added value.
USA to win by 1-3 points is 7/2 and Europe to win by 1-3 points is 5/1.
Top European points scorer
Leona Maguire was Europe’s top scorer at the 2021 Solheim Cup
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Charley Hull is the superstar in the European team and she’s got a great record with 12 wins from 22 matches and has won this before in 2015. She’s vying for favouritism for top European points scorer with Linn Grant with both around the 6/1 mark.
The good news for Europe is the team is packed with options – Carlota Ciganda, Leona Maguire, Georgia Hall, Celine Boutier and Anna Nordqvist have all been top European scorers in a Solheim Cup, but that makes it even trickier picking a winner this time.
Ciganda was a perfect 4-0 on home soil in Spain and at 14/1 is a big price for such a scrappy matchplayer, who also recorded a perfect 3-0 in the 2013 event.
But I think Ireland’s Maguire fits the bill here at 7/1. A fearsome matchplayer, Maguire has played all five matches in both her Solheim Cups, winning seven of those 10 for the best winning percentage in the team.
She was also Europe’s top scorer when they won the last Solheim Cup in America, so just loves mixing it up as the underdog – this looks the perfect setting for her.
Back Leona Maguire top European points scorer at 7/1
Top USA points scorer
Nelly Korda and Alissen Corpuz went 2-0 in the last Solheim Cup
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I don’t think there’s as many options for this among the USA team with Nelly Korda the clear favourite in my book.
She’s just a slight bookies’ favorite at 4/1 with Lilia Vu 5/1 but the World No.1 and six-time winner this year looks to have the eye of the tiger this week and after three Solheim Cups and zero wins, she’ll be fighting tooth and nail to change that.
Korda has seven wins from 12 and after playing four matches in each event she’s guaranteed at least that many again.
Megan Khang at 10/1 is worth a look as she’s improved in all three Solheim Cups going from a half-point debut to an unbeaten 3.5-point haul in Spain last year – she’ll be tough to beat on home soil.
But for a bit of added value, what about Nelly Korda’s foursomes partner Allisen Corpuz? She could have a good shout as a 12/1 outsider – winning both matches playing with Korda in Spain she got another half in fourballs and lost a tight singles with Maja Stark.
If she partners the World No.1 again they look unstoppable and she’s more than capable of picking up points on her own as well.
Back Allisen Corpuz top USA points scorer at 12/1.
