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2009 President’s Cup Predictions

Jack Jones — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:28:57 +0000

This Thursday, October 8th, 2009, the PGA Tour hosts the President’s Cup. Held at the Harding Park Golf Course in San Francisco, CA, the President’s Cup is somewhat like the Ryder Cup, as pits the best in the world, that is the entire world outside of the United States, against the best in the United States. The Ryder Cup is between the U.S. and the Europeans. The President’s Cup is between the U.S. and the rest of the world. If you want to bet on this event, check out the $500 match bonus offered to our readers by BetUS Sportsbook!

Winning the President’s Cup should be harder than winning the Ryder Cup, right? Probably not. We’ve got Tiger and Phil and they have both been lights out lately. With, arguably, the two best golfers in the world on your side, its little wonder why the Americans are -350 in the sportsbook to win the President’s Cup.

Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Steve Stricker, Kenny Perry and Sean O’Hair on the American side should have no trouble dispatching of a team led by Geoff Ogilvy, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh and Angel Cabrera.

In the last four PGA Events, which made up the FedEx Cup Playoffs, the Americans were stunning. Mickelson won the Tour Championship. Woods won the BMW Championship. Stricker won the Deutsche Bank Championship and finished second in The Barclays. That means that the Americans hold all of the cards as Ogilvy, Els, Singh, Cabrera and every other golfer on the International side just hasn’t done much in the past two months.

Odds To Be Found on Top American and Top International

The sportsbook is offering terrific odds on Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Kenny Perry and Steve Stricker to be the Top American in the President’s Cup. El Tigre is going off at +350 which are the best golf odds on him in a long time. Mick is going off at +550, Stricker at +750 and Perry at +1200. My pick is Steve Stricker at +750. He’s been awful in his past two events which means that he comes up big in this. Stricker is the kind of golfer that plays two unbelievable events, two bad events, another unbelievable event, etc. He’s due for an unbelievable event and at the odds, he’s the bet.

On the International side, the sportsbook is offering the same odds, +650, on Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and Geoff Ogilvy. Vijay Singh is going off at +750, but I like a long shot to be the high scorer on the International side. The odds on Tim Clark are +1200 to outscore his fellow International Team players. Clark has had a decent 2009 even though he’s been under the radar for most the year. His golf odds are just too good to pass up.

Top Combined Points Scorer Comes Down to Mick, El Tigre and Steve Stricker

Tiger Woods is the favorite, of course, to be the Top Combined Points Scorer in the BetUS online sportsbook. The odds on El Tigre are +500. Phil Mickelson at +700 and Steve Stricker at +1000 are better wagers than Tiger, though. Mick was fantastic when winning the Tour Championship and as I wrote above, Stricker is due for a terrific outing. Golf bettors should seriously think about betting on Phil or Stricker in the Top Combined Points Scorer category.

2009 PGA Championship Odds & First Round Update

Jack Jones — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:24:48 +0000

It should come as no surprise to anyone that Tiger Woods came out firing at the last major of the season. After going winless in the first three of the season, he fired a first round 67 on Thursday to move to 5-under. Woods is one shot up on his playing partner, and the man he beat last week, Padraig Harrington. Harringing came into the event as one of the favorites himself as Bodog had him listed as a +800 favorite.

This was the first time that Woods has managed to break 70 in the opening round of a major since the British Open two years ago. It’s been since the 2005 British Open at St. Andrews that Woods left the course as the first round leader, and he’s won the last four times he’s sat on top of the perch. He was already a -140 favorite at Bodog heading into the event, but now you have to like his chances of bringing home the season’s last major even more.

Phil Mickelson got off to a rough start with a 74 yesterday, and now that he is seven shots behind the leader he’s being given +3500 odds to win. The US Open winner Lucas Glover is at +5000 after opening up with a 71, while Masters champion Angel Cabrera’s 76 puts him out of contention. Stewart Cink won the British Open last month, but he’s at +7000 now after two double bogeys and a round of 73.

Tiger Woods Not Fined for Comments at Bridgestone

Jack Jones — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 21:11:30 +0000

Yahoo! Sports originally reported on Monday that Tiger Woods would be fined by the PGA Tour for comments he made about a rules official for putting he and Padraig Harrington on the clock on the 16th hole. A tour official reportedly said there would be a fine for Woods saying to Harrington, “I’m sorry that John got in the way of a great battle”. However, Woods has now said, “I’ve heard from the tour and there’s no fine. That was an erroneous report”.

The John he was referring to is European Tour chief referee, John Paramor, who was the official who put the pair on the clock, which Woods believed caused Harrington to rush on the par 5-16th, resulting in a triple bogey, helping to solidify Woods’ victory at the Bridgestone Invitational.

Paramor made the decision because the two were 17 minutes out of position and had been playing well behind on most of the back 9.

Woods added about the ruling, “I don’t think that Paddy would have hit the pitch shot that way if he was able to take his time, look at it, analyze it, but he was on the clock, had to get up there quickly and hit it.”

According to section VI-D in the PGA Tour’s player handbook: “It is an obligation of membership to refrain from comments to the news media that unreasonably attack or disparage tournaments, sponsors, fellow members, players, or the PGA Tour.”

The good news for Woods is that Ty Votaw, spokesman for the tour, has confirmed that no fine is forthcoming, saying, “The information that was conveyed to the reporter was inaccurate. There has been no process started with respect to any disciplinary action. Based on the reports we have read, Tiger’s comments related to the impact of the decision. We did not read them as being an unreasonable attack or disparaging.”

Harrington has be gracious in defeat, not using the ruling as an excuse for finishing behind Tiger. “I reacted poorly to the situation, and that’s my own fault,” he said.

The next big tournament for the tour is the PGA Championship, starting August 14th. Not surprisingly, Tiger Woods is the overwhelming favorite over the rest of the field, being listed at +150 odds. Other notables include Phil Mickelson at +1500 and Padraig Harrington at +2500. You can bet on who will win the 2009 PGA Championship at Sportsbook.com.

2009 Buick Open Betting Odds & Preview

Jack Jones — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:35:43 +0000

This week’s sportsbook Buick Open odds are easier to handicap than your typical golf odds. Why? Because Tiger Woods is playing and, for whatever reason, no one else is. I can’t remember the last time Tiger faced a field this poor. How bad is it? He and Jim Furyk are the only members of the World Golf Top 30 playing in the tournament. Let’s break down the best picks for what should be a cakewalk.

THE FAVORITE: Tiger Woods (+165)

If the weak field isn’t reason enough to pick Tiger, try these numbers on for size. Tiger has won the Buick Open twice; the host course, Warwick Hills, yielded the second lowest scoring average on Tour in 2008, and Tiger leads the 2009 Tour in scoring average. We also know Warwick Hills favors long hitters; Vijay Singh has two wins of his own here. Do you really need any more reasons to pick Tiger?

THE CONTENDERS: Jim Furyk (+1215), Justin Leonard (+2250)

Fury and Leonard both have Buick Open titles under their belts, so they’re solid betting picks this week. Furyk especially looks good, as he has eight top 10s in this event in 14 starts. Justin Leonard hasn’t played as well as Furyk there but did look good at the British Open two weeks ago.

THE SLEEPERS: Brian Gay (+3050), Nick Watney (+3550)

Warwick Hills is all about low scores, so Brian Gay could be a good choice this week. He’s third on Tour in scrambling, fourth in putts per round and fifth in scoring average. The handicapping software analysis thus should spit Gay’s name at you. Nick Watney is probably the most intriguing sleeper of all this week. He’s a bomber off the tee and he has three top-four finishes this season. One of those was a win at the other Buick-sponsored event, the Buick Invitational.

Daily sports pick: Tiger Woods. As tempting as Watney’s value is, you can’t bet against Tiger when he has an opportunity like this against a thin field. He could win by five shots.

2009 New Mexico Lobos NCAA Football Predictions

Jason Lowry — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:00:21 +0000

The New Mexico Lobos finished up the 2008 season at just 4-8 overall and were only 2-6 in Mountain West Conference play. It was the first time the Lobos finished with a losing record in conference play since they went 3-4 back in 2000. Heading into the 2009 season the Lobos will have a much different look to them, as long time head coach Rocky Long is no longer with the team. In comes new head coach Mike Locksley who will try and lead the Lobos to a winning year with just 9 starters back from last season.

On offense the Lobos will be making the switch to a high tempo no huddle offense that will spread out opposing defenses. The new offense could cause a mix up at the quarterback position as senior Donovan Porterie and sophomore Brad Gruner were recruited to run the option and might end up moving aside for true freshmen Darren Jones and Emmanuel Yeager. At running back the team is hoping that sophomore James Wright will have what it takes to be the feature back this season, but don’t expect the Lobos to run like they have in years past, as they will throw the ball a lot more. That means the Lobos are going to need solid play out of the receiver positions, and with the 3 top receivers from 2008 back, it looks as though the Lobos should get some solid production out of guys like senior Chris Henderson, junior Bryant Williams, and senior Roland Bruno. Also keep a close eye on redshirt freshman tight end Lucas Reed. As for the offensive line the Lobos have to replace both starters on the left side, and heading into the fall it looks as though senior Ivan Hernandez will be the new left tackle, while junior Maurice Mears takes over at left guard. The line should be just fine, as they have a great leader and one of the best lineman in the conference at center in senior Erik Cook. It’s going to be very hard for this team to adapt to the new offensive style right away, especially since many of the players were not recruited for this type of offense. Look for the Lobos to really struggle moving the football to start the season. Bet the New Mexico Lobos this season at Sportsbook.com.

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On defense the Lobos were very solid last season, allowing just over 17 points a game in conference play, but will have to make it work with just 3 starters back this season. The new defensive coordinator is former LSU assistant Doug Mallory, who should be a great fit for this school. Up front the Lobos have to replace all four starters on the defensive line, and that is never a good sign for a defense. Senior DeAndre Davis and sophomore Jaymar Latchison figure to have the edge at the two end positions, while senior Kendall Briscoe and junior Peter Gardner are expected to take over the two tackle spots. At linebacker the Lobos bring back a very solid player in senior middle linebacker Clint McPeek, but he will have to play alongside a very inexperienced group, as sophomore Carmen Messina and redshirt freshman Joe Harris are expected to start at the two outside spots. In the secondary the Lobos bring back the safety duo of seniors Frankie Solomon and Ian Clark, but must replace both starters at corner. Senior Frankie Baca and sophomore Anthny Hooks look like they will be the opening day starters, but they could get a push from sophomore Bubba Forrest and junior Alex Bustos. With so little experience back for the upcoming season, I think its pretty safe to say that this side of the ball could see a dramatic drop off in 2009. Bet the Mountain West Conference this season at Sportsbook.com.

My Prediction: 9th in MWC (0-8) Overall (1-11)
There is a good chance I will be wrong with my prediction here, as its never easy to pick a team to win just 1 game, but the Lobos have little talent coming back and are implementing new schemes on both sides of the ball. The two teams I think the Lobos could give trouble in conference play are Wyoming and San Diego State, but they play both those teams on the road. That leaves the only real winnable game for this team at home against Colorado State towards the end of the year. In non-conference play I don’t see the Lobos stacking up well at all with the likes of Texas A&M, Tulsa, and Texas Tech, but I do think the Lobos will secure at least 1 win with a win at home over New Mexico State.

If you are looking for some help with your NCAA football picks this season, be sure to check back for the very best in NCAA football predictions and the latest college football odds for every game at Betfirms.

2009 Buick Open Predictions

Jason Lowry — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 21:57:54 +0000

The PGA Tour is coming off an exciting finish to the Canadian Open last week, where Nathan Green Was able to hold off Retief Goosen in a playoff. This week the tour heads to Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club for the 2009 Buick Open. This could end up being the final year of the event, as GM is debating on not sponsoring the event next year. To win at Warwick Hills golfers must score low, as this course had the second-lowest scoring average for single course hosted events in 2008. For example Tiger Woods shot 24 under in 2006 to win the event, and won by just 3 strokes. Last year it was Kenny Perry who came away with the trophy, but he will not be in action to defend his title this weekend. I do however have three golfers in play this weekend that I feel have a great shot to win.

Tiger Woods +120 to win at Sportsbook.com: After really surprising a lot of people with his poor performance at the British Open, where he failed to even make the cut, I think Tiger Woods is going to run away with this event this weekend. Woods has already won 3 times this season, and though none of those were a major victory, he has really thrived in these events. Woods won this event for the second time back in 2006, and after not being able to play at this event last season, I think Woods comes out and takes control of this event and the rest of the field will have little chance to win come Sunday.

Scott Verplank +2000 to win at Sportsbook.com: If Woods is not able to come out and play at the level that I expect him to, I think Verplank is a great option to win this event. While Verplank won this event back in 1988, he has played well at this event over the last few years, with a tie for 4th in 2006 and a tie for 5th in 2007. If you are looking for more reasons to like Verplank this weekend, Verplank comes in ranked in the top 10 in driving accuracy, greens in regulation, and putting average.

Woody Austin +2500 to win at Sportsboook.com: It has not been a good year for the veteran golfer, as Austin has finished in the top 10 just twice all season. But if there is one event that could turn his game around, it’s the Buick Open. Austin won this event back in 1995, and has finished in the top 10 six times in 14 career starts at this event, including his last two starts here where he has finished tied for second. So if you are looking for a guy with some decent betting odds and solid success at this event, Austin is a great pick to play well this weekend.

For those of you looking to do some PGA Tour betting this weekend, be sure to check out our expert PGA Tour picks and the latest golf odds at Betfirms.

2009 RBC Canadian Open Predictions

Jason Lowry — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:00:43 +0000

This week the PGA Tour will stay out of the United States, as many golfers will make the trip from Scotland to Ontario for the 2009 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Course. The Canadian Open is not always held at this course, as this is just the 4th time it has been held at Glen Abbey since 2000, but it will be the second straight season in a row at Glen Abbey. Last year it was Chez Reavie, who came out of no where to win his first and only PGA Tour event. What everyone is waiting to see is a canadian win this event for the first time since 1954 when Pat Fletcher won the title. The best bet to break the streak comes in Mike Weir, who after struggling to play well at this course early in his career, has really played well in his last two starts at this course with a near win in 2004 and a tie for 5th here last season. With just a couple of days until the tournament gets underway, here is a look at my 3 favorites to win this weekend.

Mike Weir +1500 to win at Sportsbook.com: I have already mentioned that Weir has played well at this course lately, but for those who don’t remember this guy had a 3 shot lead going into the final round in 2004, and had numerous chances to win down the stretch and in the playoff against eventual champion Vijay Singh. Weir got off to another fast start in 2008, shooting a 65 on Thursday, but followed it up with a 70 on Friday and never really got back in it. Weir seems to finally have his swing back in order, as he has put together a pretty solid 2009 season. Weir has finished in the top 10 four times this season, including a 10th place finish at the US Open. Weir has been pretty solid off the tee and great with the putter all season, but Weir has had some trouble finding the green in regulation, as he ranks 161st in that category. Either way I really like Weir to come out and play well this weekend, and if he can handle the pressure of winning in his own country he is my favorite to take home the trophy.

Anthony Kim +2000 to win at Sportsbook.com: Kim was right in the thick of things at this event last season, as he came out firing with rounds of 65, 69, and 64, but really struggled to make putts in his final round and wound up walking away with a tie for 8th after a miserable 75 on Sunday. Kim might not have played well last week at the British Open, but this is a guy who was really playing well heading into last week, with three straight top 20 finishes including a 3rd place finish at the AT&T National event. Kim is ranked first in birdie conversions this season and 2nd in birdies per round, but in order for Kim to succeed this weekend he has to hit the ball well of the tee. I look for another strong weekend for Kim, as he should once again be right in the middle of things come Sunday.

Steve Marino +3000 to win at Sportsbook.com: Here is a bit of a sleeper odds wise, but a very big threat to win this weekend in my opinion. Marino led all golfers last year with 23 birdies on his way to a tie for 3rd. As good as Marino was a making birdies here, he had his fair share of bogies as he only shot 13 under for the tournament. Marino also has some added confidence heading into the tournament this weekend, as he really played well last week at the British Open. If you are looking for a solid threat to win with great odds, Marino is your man.

For those of you looking for even more help with your PGA Tour betting, head over to Betfirms and check out our expert golf picks and the latest golf odds for the event this weekend.

Odds to Win 2009 Canadian Open

Jack Jones — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 21:05:46 +0000

It’s no college football betting, but the PGA can still provide us with lots of sportsbook fun. Even this week’s Canadian Open is worth wagering on, as it features more good golfers than you may think and has some interesting storylines. Let’s examine a few of the more intriguing picks.

Retief Goosen (+1600)

Why he could win: Few golfers are more consistent than Goosen, who has missed just one cut all season. He’s also cracked the top 25 in four of five tournaments and he was very solid at the British Open, tying for fifth place, just two strokes out of a playoff. Winners at Glen Abbey Golf Club, host of the Canadian Open, typically go low, and Goosen is ninth on Tour in scoring average.

Mike Weir (+1600)
Why he could win: No golfer will have more motivation to win than Weir, a native of Ontario. He has two top-fives at the Canadian Open since 2004 and his good ball striking makes him well-suited to the Abbey. However, he cracked on the final hole of 2004 when he had the win locked up and he’s been inconsistent this season, so he’s not a safe play as far as typical favorites go.

Anthony Kim (+1800)

Why he could win: Kim tore up this course for most of last season and is perhaps the best suited golfer for the Abbey out of this week’s field. He’s a good shotmaker, second on the Tour in birdies, and capable of scoring really low when he’s hot, so he could make real noise this week.

Luke Donald (+2000)

Why he could win: He combines the sturdiness of Goosen and the shotmaking ability of Kim, so he could be the top pick this week. Donald has five top-fives in just 14 starts this season and leads the Tour in putting. Since he offers better value than Goosen and Kim, you have to consider him when making your sports predictions.

Stephen Ames (+3300)

Why he could win: His Canadian citizenship will make him a popular pick among sentimental golf fans, but not according to sportsbook software, as he’s simply not playing well in 2009. He’s as much of a long shot as Josh Barnett against Fedor in Affliction betting, but he certainly has motivation. If you’re feeling lucky, he does offer nice value…

Pick: Luke Donald +2000

2009 British Open Predictions

Jason Lowry — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 23:00:09 +0000

The 2009 British Open is just two days away, and after no Tiger Woods at this event in 2008, another big name is set to miss the action this year, as Phil Mickelson will not play this weekend. This year the Open Championship once again returns to Turnberry golf course, and it marks just the 4th time the tournament has been held on this course, and the first time since 1994 where Nick Price won his first and only British Open. The last two years at the Open Championship have belonged to Padraigh Harrington, as Harrington won his 2nd consecutive title at this event last year at Royal Birkdale. For those of you looking to do some PGA Tour betting this weekend, here is a look at my 3 favorites to win the British Open.

Tiger Woods: Okay I am sure no one will be surprised with this pick, but how could you not pick this guy to win after what he has done not only this season but over the course of an amazing career. Woods has won the British Open three times in his career, including back to back wins in 2005 and 2006. This will be the first time Woods has played at Turnberry, along with a lot of players in action this weekend, and that should play to his advantage. The weather at the Open is usually a bit crazy and can be pretty extreme at times, and I think Woods is the best golfer that is capable of handling any weather conditions. For the first time in a long time Woods does not hold one of the four major championships, but he didn’t play at this event or the PGA Championship last season, and it’s not as though he played terrible this year at the Masters and US Open. In fact I think Woods would have won both of the majors this season if he could have got the putter going, and I think that will be the deciding factor this weekend. Woods is pretty much a sure thing to be right there with a chance to win on Sunday, and that is not something you can say for any other golfer on tour right now. Bet Tiger Woods +180 to win at Sportsbook.com.

Sergio Garcia: I still feel like Garcia’s time is coming to win a major, and it could very well be this weekend at Turnberry. Garcia is coming off a very good finish at the US Open where he finished tied for 10th. The British Open is by far Garcia’s best major performance wise, as he has finished in the top 10 six times in the last 8 years, including a second place finish in 2007. I think that Garcia just naturally plays better on courses more similar to the European Tour. I think if Tiger slips up this weekend, Garcia could very well be right there waiting to take home the trophy. Bet Sergio Garcia +2000 to win at Sportsbook.com.

Henrik Stenson: My final pick goes to a guy that many might not have picked to win this weekend, but this is a guy that has proven he is capable of playing with the best in the big events. Stenson’s biggest win of his career likely came this year at the Players Championship, but this is also a guy that won the Accenture Match Play Championship in 2007. Stenson also heads into play this weekend finished in the top 10 in three of the past four major events, including a tie for 3rd here at the British Open last year and a solid 9th place finish a few weeks ago at the 2009 US Open. I think that if there is a surprise this weekend and one of the big names fail to win, it will be Stenson that comes away with his first ever major championship victory. Bet Henrik Stenson +3000 to win at Sportsbook.com.

Be sure to check back over the next couple days for our expert golf picks for the British Open this weekend, and make sure you have the best PGA Tour odds at Betfirms.

Odds to Win 2009 John Deere Classic

Jack Jones — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:11:28 +0000

This week’s John Deere odds don’t exactly showcase the who’s who of the PGA Tour since most of the top golfers are prepping for the British Open odds next week. However, the John Deere Classic does boast a few of the Tour’s hottest players and should come down to the wire. Let’s look at a few strong picks.

KENNY PERRY (+715)

The excellent ball striker Perry sets up well to win this event, as TPC Deere Run plays easy. He won his last tournament and there’s that other little detail of him winning the John Deere last year. He’s back on his feet after slumping post-Masters, so he’s a very solid betting management play this week.

DAVID TOMS (+1615)

TPC Deere Run is a shotmakers course — the last 11 winners there have finished between 16-under and 22-under — and Toms is set up perfectly to be all over the stick. He leads the Tour in driving accuracy, he’s second in scoring average, and he’s playing well, with two second-place finishes in his last three starts. He offers much better sportsbook value than Perry, so you have to consider him.

LUCAS GLOVER (+1615)

The U.S. Open champ looks like anything but a one-hit wonder, as he followed up his win by placing 11th and fifth in his next two tournaments. He’s tops on Tour in total driving and fifth in birdie average, so he could score well.

CHAD CAMPBELL (+5250)

Major long shot here, but don’t count him out. He finished seventh last year shot three straight 67s. In eight rounds at the John Deere classic, Campbell has never finished over par. He flat-out plays well here, so you have to like his huge value.

Best betting management pick: David Toms +1615