Ryder Cup 2018: Tee Times, Uniforms, Betting Odds and Predictions

Team USA are favourites with oddsmakers to retain the Ryder Cup when play begins at the 2018 tournament on Friday, but there are reasons to believe Europe can defy the betting.

The holders enter with a strong team headlined by Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson. What USA lacks is experience on the demanding Albatross Stadium course at Le Golf National in Guyancourt, just outside Paris, France.

Europe has the advantage in course experience, as well as in playing on home spoil. USA hasn't won away from domestic shores in a quarter of a century.

Here are the latest odds, per Oddsshark's Stephen Campbell:

• Team USA: -135
• Team Europe: +145
• Tie: +1100

Here's a glimpse at the uniforms:

Golf Magazine rates these as an improvement on some previous years:

Tee Times (BST/ET, per Wayne Staats of the tournament's official website)

Friday, September 28

• Morning pairings: 7:10 a.m./2:10 a.m., 7:25 a.m./2:25 a.m., 7:40 a.m./2:40 a.m, 7:55 a.m./2:55 a.m.
• Afternoon matches: 12:50 p.m./7:50 a.m., 1:05 p.m./8:05 a.m., 1:20 p.m./8:20 a.m., 1:35 p.m./8:35 a.m.

Saturday, September 29

• Morning pairings: 7:10 a.m./2:10 a.m., 7:25 a.m./2:25 a.m., 7:40 a.m./2:40 a.m., 2:55 a.m./7:55 a.m.
• Afternoon matches: 12:50 p.m./7:50 a.m., 1:05 p.m./8:05 a.m., 1:20 p.m./8:20 a.m., 1:35 p.m./8:35 a.m.

Sunday, September 30

Sunday Singles: 11:05 p.m./6:05 a.m., 11:17 p.m./6:17 a.m., 11:29 a.m./6:29 a.m., 11:41 a.m./6:41 a.m., 11:53 a.m., 6:53 a.m., 12:05 p.m./7:05 a.m., 12:17 p.m./7:17 a.m., 12:29 p.m./7:29 a.m., 12:41 p.m./7:41 a.m., 12:53 p.m./7:53 a.m., 1:05 p.m./8:05 a.m., 1:17 p.m./8:17 a.m.

Home Advantage, Course Knowledge will Prove Decisive

USA's advantage in talent is obvious. PGA heavyweights Johnson and Spieth are formidable enough, but the return to form of Tiger Woods is also timely for captain Jim Furyk.

Woods winning recently at the Tour Championship proved the 42-year-old still has plenty left in the tank. The U.S. will need Woods and the other big names on form to help overcome a lengthy drought on their travels.

ERIC FEFERBERG/Getty Images

A 5-0 recent record outside the U.S. isn't intimidating to Spieth, who said neither history nor geography will be on his mind, per Ali Stafford of Sky Sports: "I've won one and lost one. So whether it's here, there, the point is that whoever makes more putts, whoever shoots lower scores typically wins these matches."

Spieth may be confident, but Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post believes the course will be an equaliser. He noted how USA has the edge when it comes to driving power off the tee, but Cannizzarro thinks tighter fairways will challenge the big hitters to be more accurate than usual.

It won't be easy considering how many members of Furyk's team are unfamiliar with playing on Albatross. Cannizzaro noted how six of Team USA will be experiencing the course for the first time, in contrast to Team Europe where every member has played here before.

Ryder Cup debutant Tommy Fleetwood is one team member who knows this course well. The Englishman won the Open de France in style in 2017:

Experience to Make the Difference for Europe

Fleetwood is joined by Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton as Ryder Cup first-timers on Thomas Bjorn's team. One battle-tested veteran Bjorn can rely on is Ian Poulter.

The 42-year-old has experience from five previous tournaments, and while he isn't always successful playing the course, Poulter usually saves his best for the player vs. player nature of the Ryder Cup.

Poulter's already in the mood for competition after missing out two years ago:

Trusting a course they know well and channeling the intensity Poulter will bring to each match can help Europe overcome the odds and reclaim the trophy.

Prediction: Team Europe wins