Golf betting: Fantastic Friday for the U.S. makes Europe a nearly 9-1 underdog to win

The United States’ Ryder Cup odds shrunk like a cheap shirt in a hot dryer after the first day.

The U.S. won each of the Friday sessions 3-1 to take a 6-2 lead on Friday. And that big lead means that the Americans have gone from -190 to win ahead of the tournament to -900 to win after the first of three Ryder Cup days.

The United States needs 14.5 points to win the Ryder Cup, meaning 8.5 points over the next 20 matches will get the job done. There are eight matches on Saturday — in the same format as Friday — and then 12 singles matches on Saturday.

Europe needs 14 points to retain the Cup. Its poor showing on Friday means the Europeans’ odds are now +850 to win. A tie is an even bigger longshot at +1600. If the two teams tie at 14-14, Europe keeps the Ryder Cup.

Jordan Spieth was the only player to fail to score a point for the United States on Friday as he and Justin Thomas lost the first alternate shot match of the day to Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia. Spieth didn’t play in the afternoon fourball session while Thomas and Patrick Cantlay got a half point against Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland.

Every other U.S. player who played got at least one point. And two players got two. Both Dustin Johnson and Xander Schauffele got two wins. Johnson and Collin Morikawa won their alternate shot match and then Johnson and Schauffele teamed up to win in the afternoon.

That means that Johnson and Schauffele are the only two players who have the chance to win five points in the Ryder Cup. If you think that Johnson will play in and win both sessions on Saturday and his singles match on Sunday, he’s at +450 to score all five points. Schauffele is at +500. Rahm, who tied his afternoon match while teamed with Tyrell Hatton, entered the tournament as the favorite to score five points.