Stricker hangs on to win at Riviera
Golf Betting Lines
02/07/2010 - Pacific Palisades, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After entering the final round with a six-stroke lead, Steve Stricker managed a one-under 70 Sunday to win the Northern Trust Open by two strokes.
Stricker, who had led by seven late in the third round, which was completed earlier Sunday, completed his eighth PGA Tour title at 16-under-par 268.
With the victory, Stricker moved past Phil Mickelson to become the No. 2 ranked player in the world rankings.
"It feels great. I remember where I was and where I am now, you know, it doesn't get any better," said Stricker, who collected $1,152,000 for the victory. "That was hard today. I aged a lot out there today. It was a grind from the get go."
Luke Donald twice got within two of Stricker's lead, but could not get any closer. The Englishman closed with a five-under 66 at Riviera Country Club to take second at minus-14.
J.B. Holmes (67) and first-round leader Dustin Johnson (66) shared third place at 13-under-par 271.
Mickelson entered as the two-time defending champion, but never threaten on the weekend. He closed with a two-over 73 to share 45th at two-under-par 282.
Twelve players finished their third round earlier Sunday. Friday's second round was pushed into Saturday by rain causing the delay in the middle rounds.
Stricker parred the first three holes before missing the green on the par- three fourth. That led to a bogey dropping Stricker to 14-under. He led by three, but Donald was making a charge.
Donald got off to a fast start with birdies on one and three. He poured in a six-foot birdie try on the fifth to get within two at 12-under.
However, Stricker made a run in the middle of the round that gave him a four- stroke cushion. At the eighth, Stricker rolled in a birdie effort from five feet and made it two in a row with a nine-footer on the ninth.
Stricker moved to 17-under with a birdie putt from just inside 13 feet on the par-five 11th. Donald also birdied the 11th and was four back.
Both Stricker and Donald faltered to bogeys on the par-four 12th. Donald got back within three with a four-foot birdie putt on the 13th. The Englishman narrowed the gap to two with a short birdie putt on 17.
Stricker scrambled down the stretch as he missed two of five greens between 13 and 17, but got up and down for par both times. The other three holes he two- putted for par to maintain his lead.
At the last, Donald had a birdie effort from 31 feet, but came up short. Stricker had three putts for the win, but took just two as he two-putted for par for the third straight hole to seal the victory.
"I didn't make birdie on No. 1 and made bogey on No. 4 and kind of let some other players into the tournament," Stricker said. "I knew it was going to be tough today. I am not too familiar with having a six-shot lead too many times, so I knew it was going to be hard. I just tried to grind it out.
"I didn't hit it the greatest, but at times my short game saved me and my putting saved me a few times too."
Donald was denied his first win since the 2006 Honda Classic.
"I tried to keep making good swings and give myself birdie chances. Obviously, I missed a couple of chances on six and seven, but I can't really complain," Donald said. "I hit a lot of quality shots and made Steve think about it a little. There is no one more annoyed. I haven't been in the winner's circle coming up on four years now. I feel like I am good enough to be there."
Paul Goydos (65), Steve Marino (68), George McNeill (69) and Andres Romero (70) shared fifth place at 10-under-par 274. Ricky Barnes was one stroke back at minus-nine after closing with back-to-back 69s.
NOTES: Goydos led a list of five players, that also included Jason Bohn, Marc Leishman, Webb Simpson and K.J. Choi, to shoot 65 in the final round...Johnson will defend his title next week at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kansas City Chiefs guard Brian Waters was named the 2009 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year in a ceremony prior to Super Bowl XLIV. Waters, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, is the fifth Chiefs player to w
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Bowden'
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Montreal, QC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tuukka Rask posted 36 saves for his third
shutout of the season and Boston broke a 10-game losing streak, one game short
of the franchise record, with a 3-0 win over Montreal at the Bell Centre.
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Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Peyton Manning capped a 96-yard drive with a 19- yard touchdown pass to Pierre Garcon, giving the Indianapolis Colts a 10-0 lead over New Orleans after one quarter of Super Bowl XLIV. The Colts are off to a great
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Stanford, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kayla Pedersen had 18 points and 14 rebounds
as second-ranked Stanford crushed USC, 77-39.
Nnemkadi Ogwumike had 16 points and 13 rebounds, Jayne Appel added 15 points
and 13 rebounds while Rosalyn Gold-Onwude
Colts use goal-line stand, lead Saints at halftime >>
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different quarters, but Indianapolis, vying for a second title in four years,
has managed to hold a 10-6 lead at halftime on the New Orleans Saints.
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Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Joseph Addai's four-yard touchdown run in the
third quarter has helped the Colts grab a tenuous 17-16 lead over New Orleans
heading into the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLIV.
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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.
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Academy Award Betting Odds for Best Picture Offer Great Value
If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture. Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet).
For value, take a look at MySportsbook.com Oscars betting odds on my personal favorite, The Queen - a remarkable 12 to 1 long shot. The film hasn't won any pre-awards for Best Picture (compared to The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine), but there is a tremendous following and it is a strong enough film to warrant a surprise win.
TV Guide advises Oscar watchers should be cautioned not to discount the drama "Babel" with its strong social themes about overcoming communication gaps among people of different cultures.
"While 'Babel' lost several guild awards to 'Sunshine' and 'Departed,' it still enjoys loyal support, and historically Oscar voters favor dramas with social messages over comedies like 'Sunshine' and violent crime movies like 'Departed'."
"It hasn't done well in the guilds, which means there isn't much industry support," said Tom O'Neil of awards site TheEnvelope.com, "But several critics are expecting it to win, and that gets my attention." Babel had 7 to 2 odds at press time.
Who is to say independently produced Little Miss Sunshine won't be this year's Crash. Last year, Crash won for Best Motion Picture, shocking those who bet on gay cowboy flick, Brokeback Mountain, as the favorite to win.
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