Slowly but surely, odds makers at Caesars Sportsbook have swung the betting line ever more in favor of the United States team as action prepares to get underway at the 2022 Presidents Cup. Featuring 12 players who find themselves inside the top 25 of the Official World Golf Rankings, the Americans have a substantial advantage on paper in terms of experience and skill.

That talent disparity is reflected in the betting odds at Quail Hollow as the U.S. is listed as heavy favorites to successfully defend the Presidents Cup. However, it wasn’t always this skewed.

Opening months ago as 1/3 favorites, the U.S. was given an implied probability of 75% to raise the Presidents Cup for the 12th time in only 14 editions of this team event. With news reverberating throughout the golf world of players making the jump to LIV Golf — and thus forgoing their opportunity to play in the Presidents Cup — odds began to move in the direction of the home team.

2022 Presidents Cup odds

To win

• United States team: 2/15
• International team: 7-1
• Tie: 18-1

Louis Oosthuizen was the first international stalwart to make the switch in tours, yet lines remained steady throughout June. The South African was thought to be one of the leaders for his captain and fellow countryman Trevor Immelman. Instead, with his departure and the subsequent opening of the floodgates to LIV, the United States has since become even heavier favorites.

Along with Oosthuizen, Abraham Ancer, Cameron Smith and Joaquin Niemann were all in line to participate for the international side. Each inside the qualifying criteria at the time of their leave, the loss of these top players has been felt by Immelman’s squad. 

Avid bettors took notice of the rumors circulating about the Champion Golfer of the Year and Niemann potentially exiting the PGA Tour, and they were afforded a much more favorable price on the U.S. side in September. While never sexy to lay $500 to profit $100, the imminent news of these big names to LIV Golf made the juice worth the squeeze for those who indulged.

Top points scorer

• Scottie Scheffler: 15/2
• Xander Schauffele: 15/2
• Patrick Cantlay: 8-1
• Justin Thomas: 17/2
• Max Homa: 9-1
• Collin Morikawa: 10-1
• Sam Burns: 12-1
• Tony Finau: 12-1
• Jordan Spieth: 14-1
• Cameron Young: 18-1

The first 10 names on this list are all American. Perhaps the most surprising is Homa at 9-1 as it will be his Presidents Cup debut, and yet, he checks in five points shorter than Spieth, who is the most experienced member of the U.S. The name of the game in top points scoring is playing in all five sessions and one would expect Spieth to be paired with his good friend Thomas for the majority of them.

• Sungjae Im: 18-1
• Hideki Matsuyama: 18-1
• Tom Kim: 20-1
• Adam Scott: 25-1
• Corey Conners: 28-1

The five men listed above likely will play in each session for the international team. Without the depth of its U.S. counterpart, the international team’s path to victory is extremely narrow and reliant on its top players. This does allow for an interesting angle into the top points scoring market as Im has been one of the best players in the world over the last few months and Matsuyama has previously thrived at Quail Hollow — they’re my two favorite picks.

• Billy Horschel: 35-1
• Si Woo Kim: 35-1
• Cam Davis: 40-1
• Kevin Kisner: 50-1
• Taylor Pendrith: 55-1
• Christiaan Bezuidenhout: 60-1
• K.H. Lee: 70-1
• Sebastian Munoz: 70-1
• Mito Pereira: 70-1

Like picking names out of a hat, one needs to decipher who will be the 2022 version of Ancer and Im in 2019, both of whom captured 3.5 points and were top points scorers alongside Thomas. If I had to take a stab, Lee would be my guess as a relatively under the radar name who could play in four sessions. The South Korean was brilliant in the FedEx Cup Playoffs and can make birdies in bunches.

Prop bets

• Day 1 Winner — United States: 4/9 | International: 11/4 | Tie: 25/4
• Day 2 Winner — United States: 4/9 | International: 11/4 | Tie: 25/4
• Lead After Day 2 — United States: 1/3 | International: 7/2 | Tie: 7-1
• Day 3 Winner — United States: 2/5 | International: 29/10 | Tie: 27/4
• Day 4 Singles Winner — United States: 20/67 | International: 15/4 | Tie: 15/2

If keen on the United States’ chances, this is another avenue to explore with prices that are easier to stomach. However, the international side to win Day 1 is intriguing as the U.S. has historically struggled in foursomes (alternate shot), which is the Thursday format. Lineup cards will be announced Wednesday evening, and this line will move one way or another depending on the matchups presented.

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Following its counterpart’s announcement on Tuesday, the United States team revealed its six captain’s selections for the 2022 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow in two weeks. Captain Davis Love III dealt with twists and turns of his own as presumed pick Will Zalatoris bowed out of consideration following his withdrawal from the 2022 Tour Championship due to two herniated discs in his back.

In his place, Love’s selections of Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa, Max Homa, Billy Horschel, Cameron Young and Kevin Kisner will don the red, white and blue in Charlotte. They join the six automatic qualifiers of Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Sam Burns, Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas and Tony Finau, and make up the 12 men responsible for defending the dramatic 2019 triumph at Royal Melbourne led by Tiger Woods.

Burns is the lone automatic qualifier who will be making his team-competition debut, but he is joined by a number of rookies among the captain’s selections. While Spieth is set to compete in his fourth Presidents Cup and eighth team event, this marks the first Presidents Cup for four of the selections. Only Kisner has any prior Presidents Cup experience under his belt, while Morikawa was an integral part of the U.S. Ryder Cup team last fall.

Morikawa collected a 3-0-1 record in the 2021 Ryder Cup victory at Whistling Straits and Kisner was a member of the 2017 Presidents Cup team at Liberty National where he garnered a 2-0-2 record. A native of South Carolina and a staple at the WGC Match Play, Kisner was the likely the last man selected and the beneficiary of Zalatoris’ injury.

“There are a lot of great players who excel in match play, but Kisner thrives off of this format and I know he is eager to compete at Quail Hollow,” said Love. “As a South Carolina native and one of the more popular players on Tour, he will bring some vocal fans with him and help to build an atmosphere that our team embraces.”

Homa enjoyed the strongest season of his PGA Tour career in 2021-22. Winning the Fortinet Championship and the Wells Fargo Championship, he was one of nine multiple-time winners on the season and gained strokes in each area of the game for the first time in his career. Known to play his best golf on long, classical golf courses, the return to Quail Hollow — the site of his first career victory in 2019 — should bring a sense of comfort for the rookie.

Horschel brings a fieriness to the U.S. side that is typically reserved for the likes of Thomas. Not receiving a phone call last fall for the Ryder Cup, the former FedEx Cup champion harnessed this disappointment into a victory at the DP World Tour’s flagship event, the 2021 BMW PGA Championship, the following week. A player capable of making putts in bunches and having won at Muirfield Village this past summer, 35-year-old Horschel will be ready for his debut.

As will Young, who appears to be wise beyond his years. Likely to be bestowed the honors of PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, the former Wake Forest Demon Deacon returns to state of North Carolina with plenty of confidence and game. The 25-year-old finished inside the top three on seven different occasions in his first season on the PGA Tour, including his T3 finish at the PGA Championship and runner-up result at The Open.

2022 Presidents Cup teams

With half the U.S. team boasting zero experience in this particular competition, it will need to lean on their form — of which there is plenty. All but one player — world No. 26 Kisner — find their names inside the top 20 of the Official World Golf Rankings and are led by world No. 1 Scheffler, who will be making his Presidents Cup debut.

This is a stark contrast to an international team that boasts only two top 20 players in the world and featured zero top 40 players in its captain’s selections. With the recent dismissal of Cameron Smith and Joaquin Niemann from the team, the international side has seen its chances dwindle without sticking a peg into the ground.

Previously listed as -330 favorites at Caesars Sportsbook, the U.S. team can now be found at -500. Having won each edition of the Presidents Cup on home soil, oddsmakers believe this one will be no different.

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