Tiger Woods betting favorite at The Masters

This past calendar year, the NFL, college football and college basketball have posted their best TV ratings in years. This has not been the case with the PGA Tour, down 15-20 percent in 2010 viewership. That all changes starting Thursday on ESPN and CBS pray’s it lasts deep into the weekend.

A fellow named Tiger Woods has been in the news since Thanksgiving for a lifestyle that brought unwanted attention to him. While he normally doesn’t play in many tournaments to start the year, Woods has been involved in many well-documented activities to alter his life and he hopes to be involved with his children and hopefully his wife looking ahead.

Tiger was well-known in the sporting world and most people that had no interest in golf were at least familiar with him as the best golfer in the world. That for now at least has changed.
Everyone knows about his escapades and he will be doing something that would be stupendous even for Tiger, winning the Masters with no prior tournament exposure since the end of last season.

Golf wagering is poised to see unprecedented numbers according to sources both off-shore and on the Las Vegas Strip. A good friend of yours truly who works at a sportsbook at the south end of the Strip said he’s “expecting record golf handle” for this Masters. He shared with me that the number of wagers placed is almost 40 percent higher than the 2009 Masters and that dollar volume was up nearly 30 percent as of this past Sunday evening.

Woods is a +350 favorite at DiamondSportsbook.com, well ahead of the second choice Phil Mickelson at +1000. I spoke to Chip Stewart, a professional gambler from Nevada, about what he thought of the odds for Woods to win.

“Tiger’s talent is immense, but to just walk out onto Augusta National and win with no prior playing pressure, that would even be a stretch even for him. Off the top that would be like Tim Lincecum throwing a complete game two-hit shutout with no spring training, just playing catch with friends in his first start of the year.”

Stewart went on to say we would play props, mostly against Woods. “I’d be amazed if he finished in the Top 10. He’s going to have to earn back his invincibility against the Tour. More than one tour player views him as just another “hound” that got caught and will not be above gamesmanship to see how Tiger reacts.”

Among the most disappointing players that have played this season is Mickelson, who wasted a perfect opportunity to be the best player in the world. Maybe he needs a foil like Woods to motivate him. Mickelson has one Top 10 finish (8th at AT&T Pebble Beach) in seven starts and has broke 70 once in last eight rounds.

Players garnering more of the attention are Ernie Els, Andy Kim and Camilo Villegas.

Els is No.1 on the money list, thanks to wins at the WCG at Doral and Arnold Palmer Invitational, along with three other Top 12 finishes. Els is healthier than he’s been in years and admits to attitude change, after “stinking it up” as he put it the last couple of years. Els is +1200 at the moment.

Kim has regained his touch and is a noted “hot” player who can stay in the zone for extended period. His last three starts are a second, 22nd and winner last week at the Shell Houston Open. Kim is 21st in driving distance on the tour and 14th in birdies. He’s an intriguing +2000.

Villegas started the year white hot, finishing 3rd and 8th in opening starts before winning the Honda Classic. He followed that up with 16th place finish at the WCG and took a few weeks off from the tour and missed the cut at Bay Hill. Maybe he will be recharged and he’s got the game to be a factor, ranking third in birdies and sixth in driving distance at 297.7 yards. Villegas is +2500 to win.

Others receiving hits are familiar names across the golf world if not necessarily in the United States. Padraig Harrington (+1500), Lee Westwood (+2000) and Retief Goosen (+2000) are the usual suspects whose names come up when the Majors start.

For those that follow the PGA Tour more regularly, Jim Furyk (+2500) has the grinder mentality needed to play four days of pressure-packed golf and won the Transition Championship three weeks ago and has five rounds in the 60’s out of previous eight.

Steve Stricker is second on the money list, with his career rejuvenation. The 43-year old has four Top 10’s, with a win at the Northern Trust and can get white hot with the flat stick.
If Tiger is not as sharp as many experts believe, here are value priced matchups to consider.

Els +130 vs Woods -160
Mickelson +125 vs. Woods -155

Because of Tiger’s return, the prop bets this year are out in record numbers, many centered on Eldrick. Here is a list of some of the possibilities besides winning The Masters.

* Making the Cut
* First hole score (Par or other)
* Leader at the end of any round
* 1st Round score (72)
* 1st round score on front or back nine
* How many holes before first birdie or eagle
* 1st round position, plus highest and lowest round, along with Over/Under on final total strokes

Woods has only missed one Major cut in his career, but brings a real unknown into his initial appearance of 2010, even as the betting favorite. The Masters is annually the most watched golf event on TV and this one could break all the records.

British Open Betting Preview

The oldest and most prestigious major golf championship to those golfers around the world commences Thursday, with Tiger Woods commanding the lion’s share of attention, but not all of it. Though Mr. Woods is a decided favorite, several other top golfers are being considered for this weekend’s action, as potential champions in the third major tournament of the year.

Woods has three wins and eight top 10 finishes since returning to stroke play events in 2009, coming off knee surgery. It has been evident Tiger has not always trusted his full arsenal of shots this year, however with each tournament played; his confidence in different aspects of his game has grown.

DiamondSportsbook.com has Woods as +180 money line pick and links golf plays into his greatest strength, his mind. No professional golfer has a better imagination to develop shots and with his ability to execute; this is the reason why he is always the top choice to be champion. Don’t look to see the driver much from Woods, looking to keep the ball out of the deep rough.

Maybe it’s because Tiger hasn’t nailed down a major in 2009, but several different golfers are being given a chance to win the British Open.

One difference is just the fact it is a links course, making it more difficult to predict a winner by the ever-changing conditions one could see at Turnberry. Those who arrived early to play practice rounds have seen the weather fairly normal (sun, rain, sun and more rain), however the wind has blown from three different directions in three days.

Retief Goosen, Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia are listed as +2000 choices to walk away with the Claret Jug. Goosen is always mentioned in any major, since his game is steady and he’s always at or near the top of the leaderboard. Poulter has been a little more erratic this season, with four Top 10 finishes, yet he’s finished below 50th in two of his last four starts. What can you say about Sergio? He’s only had one Top 10 finish in the States this season, as his balky putter continues to haunt him. One aspect in his favor, the greens at Turnberry are relatively flat, which should help, as he strives to finally win the “big one”.

The next group at +2500 is a cauldron of players and styles, which is as perplexing and wonderful as you will find. Padraig Harrington tried to improve his swing after winning the British Open and PGA Championship last year. To say it hasn’t worked as planned is similar is to saying former baseball star Lenny Dykstra has a few financial difficulties. Harrington recently won the Irish Open and even he wasn’t sure what this has done for his confidence, as he has two Top 20 (no Top 10’s) finishes in 13 other starts, with seven missed cuts.

Hunter Mahan is being given a chance to be solid contender, based on his last three tournaments in which he’s finished in order T6th, T4th and 2nd. The 6th place finish was at the U.S. Open and he fired a closing round 62 at the AT&T National, having the clubhouse lead until Tiger passed him with birdie late in his last event.

Rory Mcllroy gathers a great deal of attention as a young golf prodigy at 20 years old. Mcllroy has immense talent and if he can play well for first three days, he’s shown the pedigree of being able to knock down a good number on Sunday’s.

Lee Westwood has been playing consistent golf for over a year and is off two Top 10 finishes, making him a contender.

Martin Kaymer of Germany falls into the darkhorse category at +3000. Kaymer has quietly moved up to 11th in World Rankings with consecutive wins in the French Open and Barclays Scottish Open this past week. Kaymer’s short game is Top 10 material and he’s shown grace under pressure when leading.

Though 18 years older, Steve Stricker has a lot in common with Kaymer, besides the same odds to win the British Open. Sticker has four Top 3 finishes in 2009, including winning two of his last four starts. His win at the John Deere continues his career resurgence and he can roll the ball with the best of them with flat stick when confidence is at top level.

Geoff Ogilvy, Henrik Stenson, Jim Furyk and Paul Casey all deserve mention; nonetheless it all starts with El Tigre.

Tiger has won three previous British Opens, but as Mark Reason writes in the Sunday Independent, Woods’ wins have come on dry and more burned-out links courses. Turnberry has thick, lush rough and similar courses like Birkdale, Lytham, Troon, St George's and Carnoustie, have all kept him out of the winners circle.

Turnberry is in a remote part of Scotland and was used as an air-base for World War II. Now it will face the assault of the world’s best golfers, hosting the Open Championship for only the fourth time.