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06/05/2007 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - LPGA TOUR - MCDONALD'S LPGA CHAMPIONSHIP, Bulle Rock Golf Course, Havre de Grace, Maryland - Last year, Se Ri Pak knocked her approach shot within inches on the first playoff hole to set up a birdie that beat Karrie Webb at the McDonald's LPGA Championship.
It was Pak's fifth major championship -- and the second consecutive thrilling finish to a women's major after Webb holed out for eagle on the 72nd hole of the Kraft Nabisco Championship and then beat Lorena Ochoa in a playoff.
A year later, the women's golf landscape looks a little different.
Ochoa, with eight wins over the last 14 months, has overtaken Annika Sorenstam for the world's No. 1 ranking. With Sorenstam battling back and neck injuries, the Mexican star has even cemented her spot at the top.
But one thing Ochoa doesn't have -- something Sorenstam has 10 times over -- is a major championship. Her previous No. 1 goal was overtaking Sorenstam. Now, it has got to be to win a major.
Pak, Webb, Sorenstam and Ochoa will be joined in the field this week by the usual LPGA stars, including 17-year-old Michelle Wie, who will be looking to bounce back from her disastrous return -- and withdrawal -- at last week's Ginn Tribute.
The Golf Channel will have three hours of coverage of all four rounds this week, beginning at 12:30 p.m. (et) on Thursday and Friday and at 4:00 p.m. on both weekend days.
The tour's next stop is in two weeks at the Wegman's LPGA, where Jeong Jang won last year.
PGA TOUR
STANFORD ST. JUDE CHAMPIONSHIP, TPC Southwind, Memphis, Tennessee - When he won last year, Jeff Maggert became the first champion of the Stanford St. Jude Classic not to reach double digits under par since the tournament moved to TPC Southwind in 1989.
Maggert shot a five-under 65 Sunday to beat Tom Pernice, Jr. by two shots at nine-under 271.
The PGA Tour's Memphis stop was pushed back two weeks this year in a schedule re-shuffle ahead of the U.S. Open. It may have taken a hit already after Phil Mickelson withdrew from last week's Memorial with a left wrist injury.
As of Monday, Mickelson's name was still listed in the field. But in a release posted on his Web site last Friday, he said his chances of playing this week were "50-50."
Without Mickelson, the highest-ranked player in the field this week would be No. 4 Adam Scott, who was one of a handful of players edged by K.J. Choi at the Memorial on Sunday.
The Golf Channel will have live coverage and replays of the first two rounds, and CBS will broadcast the weekend action.
Next week is the season's second major, the U.S. Open at Oakmont. Geoff Ogilvy won last year's U.S. Open after Mickelson's now-infamous collapse on the 72nd hole at Winged Foot.
EUROPEAN TOUR
BA-CA GOLF OPEN, Fontana Golf Club, Vienna, Austria - Ireland's Padraig Harrington won the Irish Open. Welshman Bradley Dredge nearly claimed his own national title at the Wales Open. This week, Markus Brier will be attempting to accomplish something a little different.
The Austrian will be looking to defend a history-making title he won last year.
"I had tears in my eyes on the 18th green," Brier gushed after last season's BA-CA Open, where he beat Soren Hansen by three shots with a three-under 68 on Sunday.
Not only was it Brier's first European Tour win -- he had won the event twice when it was part of the Challenge Tour -- but it was also the first win of any kind by an Austrian on the circuit's international schedule.
Since then, Brier has won the Volvo China Open (in April) and posted a handful of other top finishes to make a berth in the next Ryder Cup a real possibility.
He would be the first-ever Austrian member of the Ryder Cup.
"To play in The Ryder Cup would be a dream come true and the wins have brought me nearer to believing I can do it," he told the European Tour. "When I came on tour seven years ago I was far away from even winning a tournament, but you have to keep believing in yourself and that is what I have done."
This week, he will be joined in the field by three members of the last European Ryder Cup team: Darren Clarke, Colin Montgomerie and Lee Westwood.
The Golf Channel will have coverage of all four rounds. Next week, the European Tour schedule has two official events: the U.S. Open and the Aa St. Omer Open.
CHAMPIONS TOUR
PRINCIPLE CHARITY CLASSIC, Glen Oaks Country Club, West Des Moines, Iowa - The Principle Charity Classic is a new event on the Champions Tour schedule this year. It replaces the old Allianz Championship, which relocated to Boca Raton, Florida.
Gil Morgan won the Allianz last year with rounds of 66-64-67 at Glen Oaks, beating Loren Roberts by one shot for his 24th Champions Tour title and first victory in two years.
Only Hale Irwin and Lee Trevino have won more times on the Champions Tour.
The Golf Channel will have two hours of coverage Friday, then three hours on both weekend days. Next up for the Champions Tour is the Bank of America Championship in two weeks. That event was cancelled last year because of flooding.
NATIONWIDE TOUR
REX HOSPITAL OPEN, TPC Wakefield Plantation, Raleigh, North Carolina - Brendan Pappas will return to defend his first Nationwide Tour win this week at the Rex Hospital Open.
Pappas had three runner-up finishes on the Nationwide Tour before he broke through at this event last year. He fired four rounds in the 60s to edge Charlie Wi by one shot.
This is the 14th year for this tournament and its seventh straight at the TPC Wakefield Plantation.
Next for the Nationwide Tour is the Showdown at Somerby.
<< Clemens has scar tissue injury, but still hopeful for Saturday
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Roger Clemens has been diagnosed with a scar
tissue injury in his right groin, although the Yankees are still hoping the
seven-time CY Young Award winner will make his first start of the season on
Saturda
<< Castrale up to No. 22 in world rankings
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nicole Castrale defeated Lorena Ochoa in a
playoff Sunday to win the Ginn Tribute and moved up 20 places to No. 22 in the
latest Rolex Rankings for women's golf.
Ochoa remained No. 1, trailed again by
<< Hawpe named NL Player of the Week
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Colorado Rockies right fielder Brad Hawpe has
been honored as the National League Player of the Week after compiling a .955
slugging percentage for the period ending June 3.
Hawpe topped the NL with eight
<< Seattle activates Reitsma from DL
Seattle, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Seattle Mariners activated relief pitcher
Chris Reitsma from the 15-day disabled list on Monday. To make room on the
roster, the club optioned pitcher Ryan Feierabend to Triple-A Tacoma.
Reitsma has b
Florida's four-run fifth downs Braves >>
AAtlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Wes Obermueller outpitched Tim Hudson
and
Aaron Boone knocked in a pair of runs as Florida downed Atlanta, 6-4, in
the first of a four-game series at Turner Field.
Looking 5 1/2 games up to Atlan
Garland, White Sox hold off Yankees >>
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jon Garland pitched into the ninth inning and
the White Sox got homers from Jim Thome and Paul Konerko in a 6-4 win over the
New York Yankees in the opener of a four-game series.
Garland (4-3) won for the
Lowe helps Dodgers over Pirates >>
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Derek Lowe no-hit the Pirates through six
innings, and the Los Angeles Dodgers held off a late rally to take a 6-5 win
over Pittsburgh, winning three of four over the Bucs.
Lowe (6-5) finished up allo
Penner's goal in third moves Ducks to brink of Cup >>
Ottawa, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dustin Penner scored the game-winning goal early
in the third period and Andy McDonald added two goals and an assist as the
Anaheim Ducks are one win away from their first championship after a 3-2 win
over t
Oddsmakers have released the odds for the 2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award and Seattle Seahawks linebacker Aaron Curry has been made the opening favorite.
Seattle took Curry with the fourth overall pick in April's NFL draft and plan on inserting him into its starting lineup right away. The Hawks traded linebacker Julian Peterson in the offseason, so Curry is expected to have a significant role in Seattle's defense next year and that's one of the primary reasons he is the favorite to win the NFL ROY Award.
Oddsmakers from online sportsbook MySportsbook.com have made Curry a 5/1 favorite to win this year's NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. Given that he was the best defensive prospect in this year's draft and how he'll have plenty of opportunities to make plays in '09, Curry offers a ton of value at 5/1.
Another thing working for Curry is the position he plays. A linebacker has won the defensive ROY award six straight times and eight of the last nine years. Jerod Mayo, Patrick Willis, DeMeco Ryans, Shawne Merriman, Jonathan Vilma, Terrell Suggs, Kendrell Bell and Brian Urlacher were the most recent linebackers to take home the award.
Following Curry at 5/1 are Tyson Jackson (Chiefs) at 7/1, James Laurinaitas (Rams) at 8/1, Brian Orakpo (Redskins) at 10/1, Rey Maualuga (Bengals) at 10/1 and Jerry Peria (Falcons) at 10/1.
All the players mentioned above are expected to start for their respective teams, but Jackson and Peria are going to have a tough time being recognized on a national level given they're both defensive linemen. D-linemen rarely put up the numbers that it takes to win an individual award like the ROY.
A couple of players with some value are Clay Matthews (Packers) at 12/1 and Larry English (Chargers) at 15/1. Matthews is expected to start at outside linebacker in Green Bay's new 3-4 defense and could rack up a ton of tackles. English, who was an impressive player at Northern Illinois, is expected to be a situational pass rusher for the Chargers and could rack up a ton of sacks.
For complete odds on the 2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, see below. And for complete odds for the 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, click the link provided.
2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award
Robert Ayers (DEN) 12/1
Ron Brace (NE) 25/1
Everette Brown (CAR) 16/1
Darius Butler (NE) 40/1
Patrick Chung (NE) 30/1
Aaron Curry (SEA) 5/1
Brian Cushing (HOU) 12/1
Vontae Davis (MIA) 30/1
Louis Delmas (DET) 30/1
Larry English (SD) 15/1
Evander Hood (PIT) 25/1
Tyson Jackson (KC) 7/1
Malcolm Jenkins (NO) 25/1
Paul Kruger (BAL) 50/1
James Laurinaitas (STL) 8/1
Sen'Derrick Marks (TEN) 20/1
Clay Matthews (GB) 12/1
Aaron Maybin (BUF) 15/1
Rey Maualuga (CIN) 10/1
Roy Miller (TB) 20/1
Michael Mitchell (OAK) 45/1
Fili Moala (IND) 30/1
Brian Orakpo (WAS) 10/1
Jerry Peria (ATL) 10/1
B J Raji (GB) 7/1
Clint Sintim (NYG) 35/1
Alphonso Smith (DEN) 40/1
David Verkune (CLE) 20/1
Jason Williams (DAL) 30/1
Field (Any Other Player) 6/1
To visit this internet sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs.
Rule No. 1 in the gamblers' handbook states, "Avoid sports betting on meaningless games."
When you're drowning in a sea of baseball monotony, however, things change. Even a hint of pro football betting can persuade the most disciplined bettor to break a few rules.
The NFL preseason is around the corner, with a tempting Hall of Fame match kicking off on Sunday. But bettors must stay vigilant. Wagering on NFL exhibition games is an entirely different beast than the regular season. Most fans don't recognize the players on the field because starters get as much action in August as Warcraft fans get on Prom night.
The only certainty about the NFL this time of year is uncertainty – and yet there are some who say betting in August can be a gold mine.
“I actually feel the NFL preseason presents solid profit opportunities for sharp bettors and handicappers,” Sports Expert Steve Merril explains. “My experience has been that the sportsbooks fear the preseason, which is evident by lower limits and massive moves.”
The line moves are attributed to the limited knowledge available regarding playing-time distribution. One team’s top unit out on the field for one more series has an impact on the pointspread. Setting lines in the preseason often is a shot in the dark.
“We base the betting lines mostly on public perception,” Pete Korner, founder of the Sports Club in Las Vegas, says. “It’s very tough to predict, almost a guessing game.”
The preseason is all about figuring out who’s in and for how long.
“It becomes a race between bettors and oddsmakers to find out how long the quarterbacks are going to stay in,” Korner admits. “If a sharp gets the information first, he could exploit an early line. I’m a full believer in moving the line in the preseason if the books find out something late in the week.”
Determining what each team’s motive is can help bettors handicap. To do this you must pay close attention to the philosophies head coaches employ in exhibition play.
“You need to know what a coach is trying to accomplish,” says Covers Expert Bryan Leonard. “Sometimes a new coach will want to instill a winning attitude. Others just want to make sure their starters don’t get hurt."
So how do you distinguish who’s playing scared and who’s playing for keeps?
“Head coaches on the hot seat or new coaches trying to implement a winning attitude usually try harder to win in the preseason,” Merril says.
Cleveland Browns head coach Romeo Crennel fits this criteria. He’s entering his third season as the sideline boss and has yet to lead the Browns to more than six wins.
Cleveland is an enticing bet as well because of the unresolved quarterback situation. General manager Phil Savage sacrificed the Browns’ first-round pick in next year’s draft for Brady Quinn, but the former Notre Dame quarterback hasn’t signed or reported to training camp yet.
Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson split time at QB last season and it looks like either player (or even Quinn) could be the opening-day starter.
“If a team has quarterback depth and the pecking order hasn’t been decided, it’s a big advantage,” Leonard says.
Even in the third week of the preseason when starters generally play the most, the final outcome of the game is in the hands of fringe players. A team's talent, all the way down to the last man on the roster, is something to consider.
The New England Patriots have long been considered one of the deeper teams in the NFL and coach Bill Belichick has said in the past he’s unafraid of stars getting hurt in games with nothing on the line. He shocked his colleagues in 2003 by playing some of his starters on special teams in the preseason.
“We want to have the team ready to play a tough, physical game and preparation has to go into that and I imagine a certain amount of injuries go with it,” Belichick told the Providence Journal in August 2003.
Bettors can only hope to find more teams that share the Pats' business-like approach to the preseason (New England is 17-9-3 against the spread since 2000) and take advantage of teams who detest the exhibition schedule.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on football needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
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