08/17/2008 - Greensboro, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carl Pettersson caught fire in the middle of the back nine Sunday to pull away from Scott McCarron and win the Wyndham Championship by two shots.
Pettersson tripped to a bogey at the last to close a round of two-under 68. That gave him a tournament record score of 21-under-par 259. The previous mark of 265 was set by Jesper Parnevik in 1999. Pettersson also set new 36- and 54- hole scoring records along the way.
McCarron took the lead after Pettersson bogeyed 10 and 11 at Sedgefield Country Club, but played the last seven holes in plus-one to close a round of two-under 68. He ended alone in second place at 19-under-par 261.
This was the last event before the FedEx Cup playoffs so players were trying to battle their way into the playoffs.
Former PGA Champion Rich Beem made the cut on the number Friday, then carded back-to-back rounds of seven-under 63 to end alone in third at minus-17. That secured his spot in the playoffs.
J.J. Henry (62) and Martin Laird (63) shared fourth place at 16-under-par 164. Both players played their way into the playoffs.
McCarron birdied two of the first three holes to tie Pettersson in the lead at minus-19.
Pettersson responded with a seven-foot birdie putt on four and a 20-footer for birdie on five. McCarron moved back within one as he rolled in a 16-foot birdie effort at the sixth.
Around the turn, Pettersson began to stumble. He came up short at the 10th, then putted to seven feet. He missed the par-saving putt, then bogeyed the 11th as well to slide to 19-under, where he trailed by one.
Momentum swung back in Pettersson's favor at the 12th. McCarron could not save par on the par three and fell back into a share of the lead.
"I felt great on the front nine, then started the back nine with two bogeys," said Pettersson, who earned $918,000 for the win. "My caddie gave me a great read on 12 and I made a long putt for par and that kind of turned things around. That was a momentum swing there and I played solid coming in."
Pettersson responded with an eight-foot birdie putt at 13 to grab the lead at 20-under. He two-putted for birdie on the par-five 15th, then sank a seven- footer for birdie at 16 to move three clear of McCarron.
McCarron fell four back with a bogey on the 17th.
Pettersson came up short at the last and chipped to 22 feet. His par putt stayed above ground, but he tapped in for his third PGA Tour win.
For Pettersson, this was basically a homecoming for him since he went to college at North Carolina State and has lived in the Tar Heel State for some time now.
"I was born in Sweden, but only lived there for 10 years," Pettersson stated. "I know I'm Swedish, but this is home to me. I've really enjoyed the crowds this week. It's been fantastic. To win my home tournament is unbelievable."
McCarron kicked in a four-footer for birdie at the last to cut the winning margin to two.
Tim Clark and John Senden both closed with rounds of four-under 66 to join Kevin Streelman (68) in a share of sixth place at 15-under-par 265.
Jerry Kelly, Briny Baird, Shane Bertsch, Mark Wilson, Bob Sowards and Michael Letzig were one stroke back at minus-14.
Justin Bolli closed with a five-under 65 to end in a tie for 15th, which helped him make his way into the FedEx Cup playoffs. Lee Janzen got up and down for par at the last to share 15th with Laird and three others. That par helped Janzen move from 154th to the 144th and into final spot in the playoffs.
Among those knocked out of the playoffs were Gavin Coles, Tag Ridings and former British Open champion Todd Hamilton.
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MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.
Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.
According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).
Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.
''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.
Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.
''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''
Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.
”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.
For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
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