This Week in Golf - December 7th through December 10th
Golf Betting Lines
12/04/2006 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - WORLD GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS - WGC-WORLD CUP, Sandy Lane Resort and Country Club, St. James, Barbados - For players flying in from countries where the official start of winter is just weeks away, the WGC-World Cup will provide a warm-weather respite with an opportunity to make a lot of money.
For those arriving from countries where it's warm right now, well, there's the money.
The World Cup is the fourth and final WGC event of the year. Sanctioned by all the major international PGA Tours, the event is in its 52nd year and seventh as part of the WGC.
Up for grabs at Barbados' Sandy Lane Resort is a $4 million prize purse. Following two rounds of four-ball and two rounds of foursomes, the winning two-man team will split the $1.4 million first-place check.
Last year, Bradley Dredge and Stephen Dodd became the first team from Wales to win the World Cup since 1987. They were declared the winners when the final round was cancelled because of an unrelenting rain.
England's Luke Donald and David Howell and Sweden's Henrik Stenson and Niclas Fasth tied for second place, two shots behind the Welshmen.
Only four of the 24 teams in the field this week have played together before: Donald and Howell for England; Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley for Ireland; brothers Stephen and Robert Ames for Trinidad & Tobago; and defending champions Dodd and Dredge for Wales.
Truly an international competition, the World Cup will be broadcast to more than 200 million viewers in 140 countries. In the States, ESPN will cover the first two rounds and ABC will offer tape-delayed coverage on the weekend.
EUROPEAN TOUR
ALFRED DUNHILL CHAMPIONSHIP, Leopard Creek Golf Course, Mpumalanga, South Africa - Ernie Els won the dunhill championship last year in just his second start back from a five-month layoff for knee surgery.
Els shot a four-under 68 in the final round and benefited from the shocking collapse of third-round leader Ulrich Van den Berg, who had three bogeys and two double-bogeys on Leopard Creek's back nine.
Last year's win was Els' third at the dunhill championship. Another victory this year would put him in exclusive company.
Excluding major championships and WGC tournaments, only three other players have won a single European Tour event four or more times: Bernhard Langer, Nick Faldo and Seve Ballesteros.
Els should feel comfortable over the next month or so as the European Tour plants itself in his native South Africa, where two more events (South African Airways Open; Joburg Open) are scheduled to take place before mid-January.
The Golf Channel will have coverage of all four rounds beginning at 9 a.m. (et) each day. The South African Airways Open is next week.
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - UCLA has strengthened its hold of the top spot in the latest Associated Press college basketball poll. The Bruins (6-0) received 55 first-place votes, 19 more than last week, and a total of 1,781 points fro
<< A youngster and a veteran look to make moves
Brussels, Belgium (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With the winter break around the corner,
Anderlecht defender Anthony Vanden Borre has shown interest in moving to the
Primera Division-squad Betis in January.
The 19-year-old has suited up for the P
<< Kings still trying to find their game
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sacramento should be better than its 8-7 record. The
Kings are tied with the Golden State Warriors for third place in the Pacific
Division, 2 1/2 games behind the first place Los Angeles Lakers.
The Kings have a
<< Seve's back; will join Champions Tour in April
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Five-time major champion Seve
Ballesteros will return to competitive golf in 2007 and will join the
Champions Tour in April.
Ballesteros, who will turn 50 the week after the Masters
<< Huskies and T-Birds meet in Seattle
Seattle, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 13th-ranked Washington Huskies conclude
their season-opening seven-game homestand tonight, when they host the Southern
Utah Thunderbirds in non-conference action from Bank of America Arena.
The Hus
Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - According to a published report, the Cincinnati Reds have re-signed pitcher David Weathers to a two-year $5 million deal. The Cincinnati Enquirer reported on its Web site, citing the reliever who i
Duce cut loose: Steelers release Staley; make other roster moves >>
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Pittsburgh Steelers released 10-year
veteran running back Duce Staley on Monday.
Staley was amid his third year season with Pittsburgh but had failed to be
active since the first game of the sea
Quinn takes over as interim coach at Central Michigan >>
Mount Pleasant, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jeff Quinn has been named the interim
head football coach at Central Michigan and will lead the Chippewas into their
Motor City Bowl matchup against Middle Tennessee State on December 26 in
Detroit
Wizards end Dallas' 12-game surge >>
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Gilbert Arenas erupted for 38 points and
eight assists as the Washington Wizards cooled off the red-hot Mavericks
with a 106-97 victory, ending Dallas' 12-game winning streak.
Antawn Jamison post
Spurs continue domination over Warriors to deny Nelson >>
San Antonio, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brent Barry led eight San Antonio players
in double figures with 18 points, as the Spurs pounded Golden State, 129-89,
denying Don Nelson his milestone 1,200th win for a third straight game.
Beno Udrih
Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds
Super Bowl XLIII, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers.Super Bowl XLIII is now set, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers will meet each other on February 1st in Tampa's Raymond James Stadium to battle it out for the coveted Lombardi Trophy. The game kicks off at 6:00pm ET on NBC with announcers Al Michaels and John Madden covering the on-field action. Super Bowl XLIII betting odds at online bookmaker MySportsbook.com have the Steelers listed as an early -6.5 against the spread favorite.Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds
Pittsburgh earned their passage to the big game by beating their division rival, the Baltimore Ravens, 23-14 in yesterday's AFC Championship Game. The Steelers jumped on Baltimore early, building a 13-0 first half lead, and never let up on their way to a fairly easy win. Although the Ravens did close to within two points in the fourth quarter, it never appeared as if they had enough offense to pull off the upset.
The Steelers dominating defense held Baltimore to a total of 198 yards while allowing them to convert just three third downs in 13 attempts. Pittsburgh also forced quarterback Joe Flacco into three interceptions, one of which safety Troy Polamalu returned fourty yards for a touchdown.
The Cardinals, by far the playoff team with the longest odds to reach Super Bowl XLIII, did so yesterday with a 32-25 upset of the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship. Arizona charged out of the gates and built a 24-6 halftime lead that had the Eagles venerable defense reeling. Quarterback Kurt Warner and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald did most of the damage, connecting on three first half touchdowns.
Arizona, however, could not sustain their momentum and the Eagles took a 25-24 with 10:45 left to play in the fourth. The Cardinals, with the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance hanging in the balance, mounted a fourteen play, 72 yard touchdown drive that consumed 7:52 off the clock. Warner hit running back Tim Hightower on a short screen for the go-ahead, game clinching score that will forever live in Cardinal infamy.
MySportsbook.com's Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds:
Pittsburgh Steelers -6.5 (-110), Over 46.5 (-110), -260 (Money line)
Arizona Cardinals +6.5 (-110), Under 46.5 (-110), +220 (Money line)
Matt Foust won both of his conference championship plays yesterday and he is ready to serve up plenty of Super Bowl action. Each individual play costs $15.00, however, MySportsbook.com recommends purchasing Matt's NFL Playoff Package which includes all of Matt's Super Bowl props and picks from just $45.00.
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