Day1 of the famous British Open Golf championship tees off today in what many golf betting fans are claiming to be the most open competition in recent years with over 40 players having a real chance of winning. The weather will undoubtedly play its part as the first day of action has seen wet and windy condition that has seen some of the best in the business struggle to break par.
Well, the Tiger looked lame over the first couple of days. Still apparently in pain from a knee operation two months ago, Tiger Woods expressed a mixture of frustration and pain as he mingled modestly among the usual suspects inhabiting the mid-leader board. Starting day three one shot off the pace, to the consternation of US Open Golf betting enthusiasts, the maestro dropped two shots at the first. Another shot was lost on the fourth and, although he picked one up on the seventh, the knee seemed to be more trouble than ever and his driving was all over the place.
In fact, it was a duff drive on the 13th that heralded the onset of one of the most miraculous turnarounds a major golf tournament has seen in a long time. Barely recovering from his drive, with an approach that left him 60 feet from the pin, the Tiger then did what only the Tiger can do and sank the mammoth putt for an eagle, causing joy to spread across his face and a crescendo of worship to emanate from the crowd. More pain and a dropped shot on the fourteenth seemed only to emphasise the miracle that was occurring when, after a couple more pars, he chipped in for another eagle at the eighteenth to take the lead going into the final round.
Lee Westwood, the British hope was only one shot behind Woods overnight but unfortunately missed his putt on the 18th. Woods, meanwhile, birdied the 18th to force a play-off against fellow American Rocco Mediate. While the Tiger is still suffering, you might not want to risk betting against that level of tenacity.
Another fantastic Masters from Augusta with all the nail biting, joy and disappointment that this event never fails to bring. Sports betting fans will salute a superb achievement from Trevor Immelman in his domination of the tournament from the opening tee shot. A day of joy for the bookies and disappointment for Tiger Woods fans after the favourite failed to find his zone and produced a series of critical errors. It is worth observing, though, that while producing some of the weakest play we have seen from Woods in recent times, the great man still came second, only three shots off the pace.
It was also a depressing time for English players who have, once again, shown that they are unable to maintain the focus to capitalise on early outstanding performances and achieve a placing inside the top ten. This was particularly notable with Paul Casey who looked like an achiever until the final day when he buckled. Lee Westwood maintained his standard of play but couldn’t putt while Justin Rose succumbed to frustration and played himself out of contention. Ian Poulter fell away too.
It’s also great to see that intense sport can be played with an old fashioned observance of rules, etiquette and modesty without diminishing in the slightest degree the fantastic excitement of the competition.
Online betting fans will now be looking to the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on 17-20th July. Tiger’s hopes of a Grand Slam are now out of the window but he will still want another major in the bag in his quest to be all time number one. Immelman will be there but you wont get 260/1 on him again I’m afraid
The US masters is upon us once again and the golf betting world is relishing the prospect of as good a tournament as there ever has been. Records abound with Tiger Woods going for his fifth green jacket to overtake Arnold Palmer and match Jack Nicklaus, the Golden Bear. What’s more, Woods took the Masters in 2001 having won the last three majors of 2000 and this year he’s going for all four in the same year. It’s fifty years since Palmer first won here and fifty years since Amen Corner was christened by golf writer Herbert Warren Wind. Gary Player is competing in a record fifty one Masters thus breaking the record he shares with Palmer for the most consecutive appearances.
The Augusta National, sometimes called the ‘Holy Grail’, is not just THE most beautiful golf course it is also America’s best attempt at the perfect golf course. In American terms it has achieved its aims with a massively challenging test of each aspect of the golfer’s game from tee to final put. Its sheer distance demands the longest drive and approaches have to be pin-point accurate. Pin placement draws the maximum focus from the player who must use near divinely imaginative weight and direction to hole the ball.
Augusta’s excellence has been achieved through science and reason, mathematics and geometry. Very different from a British approach where St. Andrew’s Old Course and Turnberry Ailsa Course spring to mind. These courses were designed using intuitive mechanics based on wind and natural contour, rough and bunker. A canny eye would be brought to bear in favour of the slide rule.
Weather will be a big factor at Augusta. If it’s wet the long hitters, such as Woods and Mickelson, Els and Goosen will be to the fore. Long carry will be vital if the approach is to be accurate. Experience is an issue too with Justin Rose, Luke Donald and Ian Poulter having been here a few times and hitting well right now. Last years winner, Zach Johnson has shown the steely nerve to negotiate the infamous Amen Corner four times in four days and display the skill and timing to unseat Tiger Woods.
V.J. Singh, a previous winner is at an amazing 50/1 and Padraig Harrington, on good form, at 30/1 has to be a good bet. Jim Furyk and Steve Stricker will be on the leader board and a little rumour going around says place your bets on rank outsider, Trevor Immleman. But remember this, online sports betting fans, it’s not over until the fat lady sings and, at Augusta, the fat lady is the back nine on the final day.
The third part of the Gulf Swing, the Dubai Desert Classic, starts on Thursday and Tiger Woods, fresh from his resounding eight shot win in the Buick Invitational, has already jetted in. Golf betting nuts are taking note of the maestro’s ominous words that he sees no reason why the four majors should not be within his grasp this year.
Certainly the Augusta Masters, where he has achieved a staggering four wins, is easily within his reach. He is comfortable with British golf courses and loves to play here. Royal Birkdale is one of his favourites. The Buick this year was held at Torrey Pines, the venue of the US Open and the USPGA, at Oakland Hills will be a welcome finale for a man with three majors in the bag. It will not have escaped the attention of online betting fans that Oakland Hills was the venue for the disastrous collapse of the US team in 2004 and revenge might be in the air. A rolling bet on Woods to take all four would not be an unreasonable proposition.
Woods has only won the Dubai tournament once, in 2006, after seven appearances and he will want to remedy this in a year where, according to Faldo, he is playing as strongly as he ever has. If he falters this week, European hopes come in the shape of Lee Westwood, Nick Dougherty, Sergio Garcia, Niclas Fasth, Henrik Stenson and Colin Montgomery. My favourite, South African, Ernie Els has emerged from a dodgy patch and should be right up there with Tiger on the final day. Stacks of free bets are available right now with online betting companies and I’m off to be check out the best. See you there!
It’s a good time to bet on golf as the golf betting fraternity in the UK can follow the rising stars of this country in the form of Justin Rose and currently, Nick Dougherty. Two super players who are improving at a rate of knots and give us hope of an Englishman again claiming one of the big titles in the golfing calendar.
Currently, Nick Dougherty leads after shooting a superb 68 and takes the lead after the first round. But - and it’s a big BUT! - we all know from previous experience, it ain’t over ’til it’s over! These tournaments are about consistency and stamina. I wouldn’t be surprised if, again, the title is settled on the last couple of holes on the final round.
This is where golf betting is so fantastic. You can bet on all sorts of unfolding events and outcomes while in-play and you can keep the bets going until the end is in sight. One of the most exciting finishes in sports is when a tournament enters it’s final stages. Unfortunately, and no disrespect to Nick Dougherty here, it just doesn’t really matter who leads after the first couple of rounds, just as long as you’re in touch.
So on the final day, let’s see who’s in contention. You can bet it will be the hardened usual suspects, Woods, Mickelson (Despite struggling through the first round), Olazabal and Singh.
Betting on the US Masters 2007 finished yesterday with free bets taken up rapidly as punters look for the free money from the bookmakers whilst Zach Johnson works his way to take the green jacket. Well deserved and with some super controlled short game shots demonstrated as to why he is a worthy winner. He takes the coveted jacket over from last year’s winner, Phil Mickelson.
When you listen to Johnson being interviewed after his victory, he comes across as a very likeable guy with an element of shyness to him. Strange then that at the top level of a sport, you find such an endearing character. You can only deduce that Johnson is the kind of player who goes inside himself to establish that focus that gives champions the killer instinct to take a tournament title. A contrast from Tiger Woods, for example, who also is a very amiable man, but has more of a cool, clinical aspect to his persona.
It’s testament to the ambition and drive to these sportsmen that they can blot out everything to gain the tunnel vision required to concentrate, eliminate nerves and make that shot!
We now look forward to Golf Betting on the 2008 US Masters but sooner comes the British Open.
Golf Betting here at Free Betting Online is becoming ever more popular with online betting bookmakers operating free bets offers with further free money for the betting enthusiast on this sport. As the British Open approaches, look out for possibly betting on an outsider, taking into consideration the Scottish weather!
The surge in popularity in sports betting is most probably allied to the growth in the number of people actually playing the game themselves over the past twenty years. The British Open comes to Carnoustie between July 19th and 22nd of 2007 and it promises to be another enthralling encounter. Carnoustie is a tough little cookie of a course and needs a true champion to tame it. If conditions aren’t good, which they often are not there, this can be a gruelling test. Wind and rain, and even low temperatures at that time of year, all add to a huge challenge. Cold hands don’t help a gold swing!
As far as golf betting goes, it’s must be a contest that is worth wagering on an outsider. It goes without saying that Tiger Woods will be up there with the leaders but if the weather is “inclement” in it’s usual Scottish style, you can bet on an upset.
