Dubai Desert Classic

Westwood injury blow

gambling guru — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 21:12:21 +0000

Lee Westwood last night withdrew from the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and next week’s USPGA Championship.

Montgomerie unlikely to pick Garcia

gambling guru — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 20:10:51 +0000

Europe (8/15 favourites for the Ryder Cup in the ante post market) captain Colin Montgomerie has admitted that he is unlikely to select Sergio Garcia as one of his three wildcard picks for the upcoming Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor.

The European captain now has an extra wildcard and will confirm his selections, and the automatic qualifiers, at the conclusion of the Johnnie Walker Championship on August 29.

However, Monty admits that it is looking increasingly likely the 30-year-old Garcia will not be participating for the first time since making his debut at Brookline in 1999.

When asked about the possibility of including the Spaniard, Montgomerie replied: “At this stage, it is not looking likely, no.”

Garcia has not been in the best of form of late, having not won a tournament for nearly two years, and will take a two-month break after the end of the US PGA Championship.

He has been inspirational for Europe though when taking on the USA (15/8, 9/1 the tie), having never lost a foursomes match and holding a career record of 14-6-4 in the event.

Montgomerie admits he is relieved to be able to now concentrate on the European contenders after carding an 11-over-par 83 to fall to 18-over in his fog-delayed second round at the US PGA Championship on Friday.

“It has been a very long two days, a very long week unfortunately,” Monty said. “I’m looking forward to getting the Ryder Cup team picked, and it’s good to see a few [players] are doing well [here].”

Upbeat Tiger bounces back

gambling guru — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 20:19:56 +0000

Tiger Woods (10/1 in USPGA In-Play Betting) recaptured some form on day one of the USPGA Championship at Whistling Straits, but once again failed to break 70.

Many pundits were writing off the world number one, who has won this tournament on four previous occasions, after his struggles in recent weeks.

But Woods (Woods 11/10, Singh 11/5, Yang 11/5 – 2nd 3-Ball Betting) responded with an opening round 71 to leave him on one-under-par, three shots off the lead after a weather-affected day one.

Fog delayed the start in Wisconsin before bad light brought Thursday’s action to an end, with many players still to complete their first rounds.

Italy’s Francesco Molinari and in-form American Bubba Watson hold the clubhouse lead after first rounds of 68.

But Woods is safely in the clubhouse and feeling a bit better with his overall game, describing golf as a “fickle game”.

He added: “It’s not where I want it, but it’s better. It felt good to be a little bit more steady. I felt so much more comfortable with the putter – I got my lines back.”

Woods also has a battle on his hands to stay top of the rankings, with closest challengers Phil Mickelson and Steve Stricker (20/1 in Outright Winner Market) are also one-under-par, after 11 and 13 holes respectively.

Ryder Cup news

gambling guru — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 21:05:05 +0000

Tiger Woods now says he will play in the Ryder Cup if American captain Corey Pavin offers him a wild card.

McIlroy upbeat ahead of USPGA

gambling guru — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 21:01:00 +0000

Rory McIlroy, a 14/1 shot for the title, admits he is getting better and better as he prepares to take on an open field in this week’s USPGA Championship at Whistling Straits.

The Northern Irishman, who won the Quail Hollow Championship earlier this year – his first PGA Tour win, is in good form and is expected to benefit from the fact that the Wisconsin course bares several similarities with the familiar Royal Portrush venue on which he honed his skills as a teenager.

The 21-year-old admits patience is the name of the game for him in the tournament but is confident he is improving all the time as he has an eye on sealing his place among the elite with a maiden major victory this weekend.

“You’ve got to be really patient in this game and I realise that,” he said in a pre-USPGA press conference.

“Sometimes it is hard for me to accept that you’re not going to have a good day all the time. I think that’s something that I’m still learning how to do.

“But that all just comes through experience and I feel as if I’m getting better at it.”

McIlroy is joint third favourite for the title with Padraig Harrington also at 16/1. Phil Mickelson is the current 12/1 favourite with out-of-form Tiger Woods on offer at 14/1.

Westwood ready to take on Tiger

gambling guru — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 20:22:06 +0000

Lee Westwood has said he has enjoyed a two-week break from golf and thinks his recent ankle injury will withstand the test of this week’s WGC-Bridgestone Invitational (Westwood 14/1 – Outright).

The Englishman has an opportunity to go to the top of the world rankings this week when he goes head-to-head with Tiger Woods in the first round at Firestone Country Club.

Westwood is aware that he will reach number one in the standings if he wins the WGC event this week and Woods finishes outside the top two.

The world number three could also take top spot if he finishes second, Woods (5/6 to win his 2-ball v Westwood) is worse than ninth and Phil Mickelson does not take the title.

There are lots of ifs and buts, but Westwood is feeling fresh going into the tournament in which he claimed a top-10 finish in 2009.

When asked about his preparations, the Worksop man admitted: “I’ve hardly hit a ball. I’ve just been trying to rest up and keep the rehab going and trying not to do too much. I haven’t played much golf. I’m under prepared really but still could play well.”

Westwood (18/1 to be 1st round leader) starts his first round 2-ball with Woods at 1:50pm (6:50pm BST), while world number two Mickelson will play alongside Rory McIlroy at 9:50am (2:50pm BST).

Mahan moving on up

gambling guru — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 22:28:51 +0000

Hunter Mahan leapt all the way from 10th to second in America’s Ryder Cup table with his victory at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

Open champ targets second major

gambling guru — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 22:27:47 +0000

Louis Oosthuizen says he is targeting multiple Major titles following his Open Championship success and will head into the final major of 2010 (Oosthuizen 66/1 to win USPGA Championship) full of confidence.

The South African surprised the golfing world with his success at St Andrews last month, with his good form continuing since then.

Oosthuizen followed up his success at the Open with a fourth-placed finish at the Scandinavian Masters, before finishing ninth at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational last week.

The 27-year-old finished the WGC event strongly, with rounds of 68 and 65 on the final two days, and will play alongside Masters champion Phil Mickelson and US Open winner Graeme McDowell (Oosthuizen 9/4, Mickelson 5/4, McDowell 15/8 – 1st round 3-ball Betting) for the first two rounds of this week�s major.

Oosthuizen (South Africa 9/1 Winning Nationality) admits winning at St Andrews has given him �confidence� and says he wants a �second and then third� major title.

Speaking about this week�s challenge, the world number 18 said: �I�ve not heard much about the course other than it is tough and windy.

�The windy part I like and I am looking forward to seeing Whistling Straits for the first time.�

Woods on Ryder Cup credentials

gambling guru — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 20:14:29 +0000

Tiger Woods feels his current form does not warrant a place on the US Ryder Cup team after a disastrous showing at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational (USA 15/8 to win Ryder Cup).

The 34-year-old had slipped to ninth in the US Ryder Cup standings and was looking for a couple of decent finishes at Firestone Country Club and in this week’s US PGA Championship to regain his automatic qualification place.

However, he finished on 18 over par in Ohio and will now have to finish near the top of the leaderboard at Whistling Straits on Sunday to force his way into the top eight.

US captain Corey Pavin can select four players of his own choice and so Woods does have another possible route into the line-up but the world number one believes he would be more of a hindrance than a help to the team on current form.

“I wouldn’t help the team if I’m playing like this. No-one would help the team if they’re shooting 18 over par,” he said. “I think I can turn it around. We have lots of time between now and then.”

Woods has never performed at his best in the Ryder Cup and the USA won back the trophy two years ago when he was absent through injury.

There are many in the media who believe that his presence in Wales could be detrimental to the team spirit but Pavin will be under severe pressure to pick a man who has won 14 majors to date in an illustrious career.

Mickelson has work to do

gambling guru — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 20:53:29 +0000

Phil Mickelson failed to capitalise on Tiger Woods’ woeful third round at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational as he looked to close in on the world number one ranking.