This Week in Golf - November 18th through November 23rd

Golf Betting Lines

11/17/2008 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - LPGA TOUR - ADT CHAMPIONSHIP, Trump International Golf Club, West Palm Beach, Florida - This week's ADT Championship marks the end of a season -- and, more importantly perhaps, the possible end of an era.

Although she has left the door open for a comeback, Annika Sorenstam is still set to retire at the end of the year and this week's event could mark her last appearance on the LPGA Tour.

Sorenstam has won 72 titles on the LPGA Tour, including three this season. The Hall of Fame Swede, who turned 38 last month, has won this tournament four times (1997, 2002, '04, '05).

The LPGA Tour will spend the week looking back at her 15-year career on the circuit while following her final rounds. The dream scenario, of course, would end with Sorenstam challenging for one final win on Sunday.

But she must run a gauntlet of cuts to get there.

The tournament whittles the field of 32 down to just eight players by the final round based on a progressive cut, with those eight players beginning Sunday with a fresh scorecard. The player among the eight finalists who posts the best score on Sunday will win the $1 million first-place prize.

Lorena Ochoa, the world No. 1 and two-time defending Player of the Year, fired a final-round 68 last year to beat Natalie Gulbis by a shot for her first ADT Championship victory.

Sorenstam and Ochoa lead a field of players who qualified based on the LPGA Tour's playoff system, which splits the season into two parts. Fifteen players qualify from each half, and two wild cards are added before the tournament.

The Golf Channel will have coverage of the first three rounds beginning at 2 p.m. (et) each day. NBC will broadcast three hours of coverage for the final round Sunday.

EUROPEAN TOUR

HONG KONG OPEN, Hong Kong Golf Club, Fanling, Hong Kong - This week marks the 50th anniversary of the oldest sporting event in Hong Kong and the second event on the new European Tour season.

The 51st playing of the tournament will take place next November, one week before the 2009 season-ending $10 million Dubai World Championship.

Although the event was first played in 1959, it didn't become part of the European Tour schedule until 2002, the year Jose Maria Olazabal won. Olazabal will be joined in the field this week by fellow major champions Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, John Daly, Michael Campbell and Paul Lawrie. Langer won the tournament in 1991, before it was an official European Tour event.

Miguel Angel Jimenez beat K.J. Choi, Robert Karlsson and Thongchai Jaidee by a shot last year to win the title -- his second at the event since 2005. Jose Manuel Lara and Colin Montgomerie, the 2005 and '06 champions will also be on hand this week.

The Golf Channel will have very early morning coverage (et) for all four rounds, and also a re-broadcast later in the morning. Next week is the Australian Masters, where Aaron Baddeley won last year.

CHAMPIONS TOUR

NATIONAL QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT FINALS, TPC Eagle Trace, Coral Springs, Florida - Champions Tour Q-School ends this week with 78 players vying for playing privileges next season.

Last year, former major league pitcher Rick Rhoden shared medalist honors with Thomas E. Jones, with both players earning about $25,000.

The 2007 co-medalists had different levels of success in 2008: Jones finished 19th on the money list with more than $1 million, while Rhoden played in only one event while battling a neck injury.

This year, the qualifying tournament finals return to the TPC at Eagle Trace for the third year in a row. It is the 18th time the event has been played in Florida.

The top 30 players and ties will have a chance to Monday qualify for nine spots in full-field Champions Tour events next season. The top 30 and ties will also receive a portion of the $200,000 prize money.

The tournament begins on Tuesday and ends with the fourth and final round on Friday.

Wwwdonbest Golf Betting News


<< Drogba admits FA charge, faces suspension
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has admitted a charge of violent conduct relating to the coin-throwing incident during last week's Carling Cup defeat by Burnley. The Ivory Coast striker was charged by

<< FCS weekly honors go to Gowins, Barnes, Parent and Warner
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Edwin Gowins, Ryan Barnes, Matt Parent and Larry Warner have been named The Sportsbook Betting Lines's FCS national players of the week. OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK Edwin Gowins, Stony Brook, 5-10, 220, Freshman

<< Falcons' Dubnyk named AHL Player of the Week
Springfield, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Springfield Falcons goaltender Devan Dubnyk has been named the American Hockey League Player of the Week for the period ending on Sunday, it was announced on Monday. In three starts this week, Du

<< Pair of Capitals lead list of NHL's Three Stars
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Washington Capitals forwards Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Ovechkin, along with Nashville Predators goaltender Dan Ellis, were selected as the NHL's 'Three Stars' for the week ending November 16. Backstrom

<< Pujols named NL MVP
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols has been named the National League's Most Valuable Player, as voted on by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Pujols, who won this award in 2005

Sorenstam back to No. 2 in rankings >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Annika Sorenstam moved back to No. 2 in the world rankings after tying for second place behind Angela Stanford at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational on Sunday. Sorenstam moved up one position this week,

Bucs RB Graham likely done for season >>
Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Earnest Graham is likely done for the season with a right ankle injury suffered in Sunday's 19-13 win over the Minnesota Vikings. Bucs head coach Jon Gruden addressed

Huskies are unanimous No. 1; LSU unranked >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Connecticut remained the top team in the latest Associated Press women's college basketball poll, but LSU's lengthy streak in the rankings came to an end. The Huskies (1-0) are a unanimous pick this

Runners-up Harrington and Els get bump in rankings >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Padraig Harrington and Ernie Els got bumps in the world rankings this week after they tied for second place behind Jeev Milkha Singh at the Singapore Masters on Sunday. Tiger Woods remained No. 1, of c

Pro Bowl safety John Lynch retires >>
Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pro Bowl safety John Lynch announced his retirement at a news conference Monday afternoon. Lynch was selected to nine Pro Bowls at the safety position during his 15-year career with Tampa Bay and Denver.


Sportsbook betting odds favor Europe in Ryder Cup

September 19, – Despite holding a decided edge in the all-time series, with 24 wins, 2 ties and 10 losses, Team USA is the underdog again heading into the Ryder Cup in Kidare, Ireland this weekend, according to MySportsbook.com.  The Europeans have captured four of the past five editions, including their largest victory ever, an 18 ½ to 9 ½ thumping in Michigan in 2004. Current Ryder Cup betting odds favor the Europeans to continue their winning ways; they are a 4-5 bet to take the title, compared to 6-5 for the Americans. 

Despite being knocked out in the first round of World Match play by Shaun Micheel, Tiger Woods is predicted to lead the US charge and be their highest point scorer for the week, with odds listed at 9-4 that he outpoints all other American players, including Jim Furyk, Phil Mickelson and Chris DiMarco to  name a  few.  Team USA has four relatively unknown players on the roster but all four are 2007 tournament winners and have posted some of season’s best performances, each earning over $1.5 million on the PGA TOUR.  They include Zach Johnson, Vaughan Taylor, JJ Henry and Brett Wetterich.

The experienced European squad includes the likes of Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, Jose Maria Olazabal and Darren Clarke, who’s emotions will be tested after the passing of his wife to a battle with cancer.  Donald and Garcia are in particularly good form and each is a 5-1 bet to lead the European squad in the points race. Donald has proven he can go head to head with Woods at a major event after a run for the $1.2 million purse at the PGA Championship. Garcia’s Ryder Cup credentials prove he’s ready for battle too.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your golf sportsbook needs.

Ryder Cup Odds

Europe
Tie
USA
4-5
10-1
6-5


Ryder Cup Top US point scorer
Tiger Woods
Jim Furyk
Phil Mickelson
Chris DiMarco
David Toms
Stewart Cink
Chad Campbell
Scott Verplank
Zach Johnson
Vaughan Taylor
JJ Henry
Brett Wetterich
9-4
4-1
5-1
7-1
8-1
12-1
15-1
15-1
25-1
30-1
30-1
50-1


Ryder Cup Top European scorer
Sergio Garcia
Luke Donald
Padraig Harrington
Colin Montgomerie
Darren Clarke
David Howell
Lee Westwood
Paul Casey
Henrik Stenson
Jose Maria Olazabal
Paul McGinley
Robert Karlsson
5-1
5-1
6-1
13-2
8-1
9-1
9-1
11-1
12-1
12-1
20-1
25-1

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com








Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.

Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.

MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .

''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''

Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.

He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.

''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''

Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.

Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.

With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.

Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.