Ryder Cup Odds 2012: USA vs Europe, Individual Prop Bets Breakdown

As we get set for the 2012 Ryder Cup, Team USA is gunning to reclaim the trophy after Team Europe stole it away in 2010.

There are plenty of intriguing prop bets to sort through, and many tough predictions to make. Here's a look at some of the biggest prop bets heading into the tournament (odds via Bovada).

Top European Points Scorer

Not surprisingly, Rory McIlroy is the favorite in this category, sporting 7-2 odds. 

Luke Donald comes in second (11-2), while Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell, Justin Rose and Ian Poulter come in third (7-1).

It's pretty hard to go against McIlroy at this stage, given his impressive play lately. He has 10 top-10 finishes and four victories on the PGA Tour, including a win at the PGA Championship. 

There's a reason McIlroy's ranked No. 1 in the world right now.

Top American Points Scorer

As for the Americans, you have Tiger Woods ahead of Steve Stricker and Phil Mickelson in the odds. Woods holds 5-1 odds and Stricker and Mickelson sport 8-1 odds.

Mickelson has appeared in the tournament eight times in his career, and was part of the 1999 and 2008 championship squads. Stricker was part of the 2008 championship team.

Still, Stricker and Mickelson (particularly Mickelson) aren't the same players as they once were, which is why I find it strange they would be ranked so highly in the odds.

Woods is understandably the favorite here, given his history in the tournament and the fact that he has notched nine top-10 finishes and three victories on the PGA Tour this year.

Top Englishman Player

This is a fun prop bet to hypothesize about.

You have Luke Donald (9-4) and Lee Westwood (5-2), who are ranked No. 3 and No. 4 in the world respectively. Then you have world No. 5 Justin Rose (3-1) and Ian Poulter (5-2), who placed in the top 10 at the Masters, British Open and PGA Championship.

Given Donald's track record, it's hard to pass on the 34-year-old. He's not only ranked above the other three golfers, he holds an 8-2-1 record at the Ryder Cup.

Top Debutant

With a strong of cast featuring Jason Dufner, Webb Simpson, Keegan Bradley, Brandt Snedeker and Nicolas Colsaerts, it's hard not to like this group of first-timers.

The odds favor Dufner and Simpson (11-4), but, call me crazy, I'm liking Brandt Snedeker's chances in this one.

Despite holding 7-2 odds, Snedeker is coming off a victory at the TOUR Championship and he has three top-10 finishes in his last four tournaments.

Snedeker is still inconsistent, but he's risen from No. 38 in the world to No. 10 within a year and he's currently playing solid golf.

I like the 31-year-old from Nashville to shock the group.

Who Will Hole the Winning Putt?

I'm ultimately taking the Americans to reclaim the Ryder Cup championship, based on the team's depth this year.

I know Phil Mickelson hasn't played as well this year, but he has three top-15 finishes in his past three tournaments, he has experience at the Ryder Cup and he's the best putter statistically on the American team beyond first-timer Brandt Snedeker (ranked seventh this year, per PGATour.com).

Tiger Woods is ranked first in the odds (12-1) and Mickelson, Bubba Watson and Jason Dufner rank second (14-1), but I like Mickelson here.