02/25/2007 - Christchurch, New Zealand (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nicholas Thompson parred the first playoff hole Sunday to defeat David Morland IV and win the New Zealand PGA Championship.
Morland closed a bogey-free round with a birdie on the 18th to get into the clubhouse at eight-under-par 280 after a final-round 68. Thompson carded back- to-back birdies from the 17th to shoot 68 himself and force the playoff.
On the first extra hole, Thompson two-putted par to down Morland, who tripped to a bogey as he could not save par from a greenside bunker.
"It feels wonderful. I wasn't nervous at all today," admitted Thompson. "I was swinging good and I played so well on the last 11 holes. I had a look for birdie on every one of them."
Thompson entered the final round at Clearwater Resort two strokes behind third-round leader Ryan Howison. Thompson slipped further back with a bogey on the par-four third.
The 24-year-old recovered that lost stroke with a birdie on the par-four eighth. Thompson moved into contention thanks to back-to-back birdies from the 10th.
Thompson parred his next five holes to remain at six-under. He birdied each of the final two holes, including the 18th from four feet out, to tie Morland and force the extra session.
"For nerves, you couldn't have had two better putts," said Thompson of his six- and four-foot birdie putts on 17 and 18. "They were both up the hill and inside the hole. You put a good stroke on it and you can't miss."
Morland got going with five straight pars. He birdied the sixth and eighth to climb to minus-six.
The 37-year-old Morland again ran off five straight pars. He moved into a share of the lead at minus-seven with a birdie at 14. Morland grabbed the lead by himself for the first time with a birdie on 17 before he was caught by Thompson.
Michael Letzig, who held a share of the lead after round two, closed with a seven-under 65 to end in a tie for third at seven-under-par 281. He ended alongside Lee Williamson (69). James Nitties was one stroke further back at minus-six after a closing 71.
Mark Brown, Jason Day, Howison and Sal Spallone tied for sixth place at five- under-par 283.
<< No. 23 Ducks drop Huskies
Eugene, OR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Aaron Brooks scored 30 points on 10-of-14
shooting and dished out six assists, as No. 23 Oregon downed Washington,
93-85, at McArthur Court.
Tajuan Porter added 19 points for the Ducks (22-7, 10-7 P
<< No. 11 Nevada holds off Boise State
Boise, ID (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nick Fazekas posted 28 points and eight rebounds,
as the 11th-ranked Nevada Wolf Pack clinched at least a share of their fourth
consecutive Western Athletic Conference regular season title with a 95-81 win
over th
<< Oklahoma State edges Nebraska
Stillwater, OK (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Andrea Riley scored 17 points to lead
Oklahoma State past No. 25 Nebraska, 63-60, at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Rashidat Sadiq added 16 points for the Cowgirls (19-9, 7-8 Big 12), who gave
Kurt Budke his
<< Jazz top Celtics
Salt Lake City, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Derek Fisher netted 21 points on 8-of-11
shooting from the field to lead a shorthanded Utah Jazz squad to a 105-87
victory over the Boston Celtics at EnergySolutions Arena.
Gordan Giricek stepped
Youzhny downs Ljubicic for Rotterdam title >>
Rotterdam, Netherlands (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Russian Mikhail Youzhny registered a
straight set win over third-seeded Croatian Ivan Ljubicic on Sunday to capture
the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament.
Youzhny, who staved off three match point
Blue Devils in the Big Apple to take on Red Storm >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 18th-ranked Duke Blue Devils are
playing with a tremendous amount of confidence, and they will take
on the St. John's Red Storm this afternoon in non-conference action
from N
Striving for perfection in Conference USA >>
Memphis, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The seventh-ranked Memphis Tigers continue
to plow through their Conference USA schedule, and they will attempt to
avoid an upset this afternoon as the Houston Cougars come to town.
Houston ro
Tar Heels set to take walk through College Park >>
College Park, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The fifth-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels
appear to be the class of the ACC, and they will take on the Maryland
Terrapins this evening in College Park.
North Carolina has won two straight ga
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
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