This Week in Golf -- January 19th through January 22nd
Golf Betting Lines
01/16/2012 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - PGA TOUR - HUMANA CHALLENGE, La Quinta Country Club, PGA West (Palmer Course), Nicklaus Private at PGA West, La Quinta, California - The PGA Tour bids aloha to Hawaii and heads to the mainland for the Humana Challenge.
This event was formerly known as The Bob Hope Classic, but the PGA Tour, Humana and the William J. Clinton Foundation entered into an eight-year agreement.
Hope's legacy remains with the tournament as the winner will be awarded the Bob Hope Memorial Trophy.
The name wasn't the only change for the 2012 championship. This event used to be five rounds, but it's been trimmed to four. La Quinta Country Club, PGA West Nicklaus Private Course and PGA West Palmer Private remained part of the rotation, but SilverRock Resort was dropped.
The format is the same, with professionals playing with amateurs. They team for three rounds, rotating among the three courses, then the 54-hole cut is made and the guys making money play on Sunday.
Since this is the first mainland America event, bigger names were bound to enter the field. Why travel all the way to Hawaii? But this year, with the Clinton Foundation and the helm and Pres. Clinton making some calls, the star power is pretty impressive.
First, Pres. Clinton called upon his buddy Greg Norman. The Hall of Famer hasn't played a PGA Tour event since the 2009 British Open Championship and only teed it up once when this was the Bob Hope Classic. That came way back in 1986.
Phil Mickelson also committed to the field. He's a two-time champion (2002, 2004) and is making his 2012 PGA Tour debut.
Also beginning his season is Dustin Johnson, who sat out the Hawaii swing after knee surgery.
Last year, an intriguing rookie stepped up for career victory No. 1.
Jhonattan Vegas parred the second playoff hole to defeat 2011 FedExCup champion and 2010 Hope winner Bill Haas and Gary Woodland. Vegas was a fourth- round co-leader with Woodland and both had three-under 69s on Sunday.
Haas was knocked out on the first playoff hole, then Vegas' par on the second extra hole was enough to get the win.
Golf Channel has the telecast.
Next week is the Farmers Insurance Open, which was won by Bubba Watson in a thrilling finish. He bested fellow left-hander Mickelson by a single stroke.
EUROPEAN TOUR
VOLVO GOLF CHAMPIONS, The Links at Fancourt, George, South Africa - This event features an exclusive field of proven winners, although the defending champion is not in South Africa.
Paul Casey won the inaugural tournament one year ago, but he is out of action thanks to a shoulder injury. He dislocated his right shoulder in a snowboarding accident in Colorado. Casey will be on the sidelines for at least two months.
Despite the absence of Casey, several stars lined up for this championship, which is reserved for European Tour players who won an event on last year's European Tour schedule.
The winners of the first two events this year are also invited but Louis Oosthuizen, the Africa Open champion, was already in the field. Branden Grace, who captured the Joburg Open, gained admittance on Sunday.
Current tour Members, under the age of 50, with more than 10 European Tour victories are also invited.
Casey won by a stroke last year over Peter Hanson and Miguel Angel Jimenez. At the The Royal Golf Club's Montgomerie Course in the Kingdom of Bahrain, Casey parred the last hole after Hanson made bogey. The win was the Englishman's 11th European Tour victory.
Golf Channel will carry the action.
Next week is the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship and the top-ranked players in the world will be there, including Tiger Woods, Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, world No. 1 Luke Donald and defending champion Martin Kaymer.
CHAMPIONS TOUR
MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CHAMPIONSHIP AT HUALALAI, Hualalai Golf Course Kaupulehu-Kona, Hawaii - The Champions Tour begins its 2012 campaign in the 50th state.
John Cook captured last year's season-opener thanks to an amazing back nine. He fired a six-under 30 on the second side and overcame a three-shot deficit to win by two over 2011 Player of the Year, Tom Lehman.
Cook, who recorded just one bogey over the 54-hole tournament, collected his sixth Champions Tour title and his second in a row. He became the first player on the elder circuit to win the last event of one season, then the first event of the next in almost 15 years.
The field is loaded with Champions Tour stars, including Cook and Lehman.
Golf Channel will broadcast the tournament live all three rounds.
The Champions Tour is back Feb. 10 with the Allianz Championship in Boca Raton, Florida. Lehman won the first of three Champions Tour titles last year and will be back to defend.
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The last time the Bruins and Panthers met, Florida was dealt its worst shutout loss in franchise history. Boston will look for a repeat of that dominating performance as it tries to avoid losing back-to-back road games for
<< Red Wings shoot for home record against struggling Sabres
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Red Wings and Buffalo Sabres couldn't be
heading in more opposite directions right now.
The Red Wings close out a three-game homestand this evening looking to set a
franchise record with a 15th straight home vi
<< Ontiveros leads Pachuca past Puebla
Pachuca, Mexico (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pachuca grabbed its first win of the season
on Saturday as Marco Bueno Ontiveros scored two goals in the final 15 minutes
of a 3-1 win over Puebla.
The two sides traded goals in the first half and enter
<< Stars head to St. Louis without Benn
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Though there is still plenty of time left in the season,
the Dallas Stars don't want to wait too much longer before making a run up the
Western Conference ladder.
Losing their leading scorer won't make going on a hot strea
<< Sens go for fifth straight win in clash with Jets
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The sizzling Ottawa Senators will take aim at a fifth
consecutive victory tonight when they host the struggling Winnipeg Jets at
Scotiabank Place.
In addition to winning four in a row, the Senators have also gone nine
str
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pittsburgh Pirates closer Joel Hanrahan has agreed to a one-year contract, avoiding arbitration. Financial terms weren't released, but ESPN has reported the deal to be worth $4.1 million. Hanrahan and
No. 1 Syracuse takes aim at historic win >>
Syracuse, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Needing just win to establish a new record for
the best start in school history, the top-ranked Syracuse Orange will try to
turn the trick when they entertain the Pittsburgh Panthers tonight at the
Carrier Dome i
Louisville visits Marquette in Monday matinee >>
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A couple of Big East Conference squads pay
their respects on Martin Luther King Day the best way they know how as the
Louisville Cardinals and the Marquette Golden Eagles get together for a
special Monday aftern
Aggies and Tigers mix it up in Big 12 action >>
Columbia, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Texas A&M Aggies will attempt to be the
second team this year to take down the Missouri Tigers as the Big 12
Conference rivals meet in an early evening showdown at Mizzou Arena.
This will be just the 2
Baylor and Kansas tangle in pivotal Big 12 bout >>
Lawrence, KS (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Baylor Bears put their undefeated record
on the line as they head to legendary Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence for a Big
12 Conference showdown with the Kansas Jayhawks.
This bout marks the 19th meeting betwe
Eastern Conference Playoff Betting Trends
We all know by now that the “public” loves to put their money on the FAVORITES and the OVERS. Just by taking a quick glance at Sportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends” it appears as is this tendency will continue as far as the Eastern Conference games are concerned. For the inaugural games of the first round, 69% of the early money is on Toronto -4.5; 59% of bettors prefer Chicago -4.5; 84% are backing Detroit -9; and 56% think Cleveland -11.5 is the way to go. As far as TOTALS are concerned, the only UNDER the “public” is backing is the Cleveland/ Washington game in which 83% are pounding the UNDER (190). Remember, there is no better way to predict a possible line change than by monitoring MySportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends”. By determining who the “public” is backing, you can get the most ideal line for your bet. For example, if you are siding with the public you better place your bet before the line moves in the wrong direction. On the other side of the coin, if you prefer the team that the “public” is betting against; you might be able to get and extra ½ or even more by placing your bet a bit later. Under the “Betting Trends” section, Sportsbook.com also provides plenty of statistical data and trends in order for the bettor to make the most informed pick. Below are some extremely important trends for the first round opponents of the Eastern Conference match-ups, more can be found at MySportsbook.com
New Jersey Nets vs. Toronto Raptors
Toronto was the most reliable covering team this season with a 48-33-1 ATS record but covered the OVER only 41.5% of the time.
The last 20 times these teams have played, the TOTAL has gone UNDER 16 times.
Versus Eastern Conference teams, Toronto is 33-19 ATS including 17-9 at home.
New Jersey has covered four games in a row while Toronto has failed to cover their last four games.
When playing a team with a winning record during the second half of the season, New Jersey was just 5-13 ATS this season.
After scoring 105 points or more, Toronto has covered the OVER only 28% of the time this season.
Miami Heat @ Chicago Bulls
Miami has failed to cover their last 7 games whereas Chicago has covered 6 out of their last 8 games.
Miami has covered the UNDER in four of their last five games whereas Chicago has covered the UNDER in five out of their last six.
When playing on Saturdays, Miami covered 80% of their games this season.
Away from home, Chicago is just 16-25 ATS this season.
At home, Miami covered the UNDER about 66% of the time whereas Chicago covered the UNDER about 61% of the time.
The last 13 times these teams have played each other, Chicago has covered 9 times.
In Miami’s last 11 road games, the UNDER covered 9 times.
Orlando Magic @ Detroit Pistons
Detroit has covered 5 out of their last 6 games.
Away from home, Detroit is 28-13 ATS but just 14-26-1 ATS at home.
At home, Orlando covered the UNDER 64% of the time while Detroit covered the UNDER in 63% of their away games.
The last five times these teams have played in Detroit, the OVER covered each time.
Versus Eastern Conference teams, Detroit is 8-17-1 ATS at home but 17-9 ATS away.
Detroit covered the spread 5 out of the last 6 times they played Orlando.
After a Division game, Orlando covered the UNDER 87% of the time this season.
Washington Wizards @ Cleveland Cavaliers
In a home game where the TOTAL is between 190 and 194.5 points, Cleveland is 9-1 ATS this season.
Washington has covered the UNDER in their last 6 games and in 8 of their last 9 games.
The last 6 times these teams have played each other, the UNDER covered each time.
When playing on 3 or more days of rest, Washington is just 18-37 ATS since 1996.
Since 1996, Washington is 28-16 ATS versus Cleveland including 11-5 over the last 3 seasons.
In their last 7 road games, Washington is 6-1 ATS.
Versus Eastern Conference teams at home, Washington is just 6-18-2 ATS.
For even more betting trends for not just the NBA but for all of the major sports, log on to Sportsbook.com and click on “Trends”. With only two months left in the NBA betting season it is important to be as well informed as possible in order to maximize your profit. Also for all of you poker players, check out MySportsbook.com’s “WSOP Low Bid Auction”. You could be on your way to Vegas to play against the world’s best poker players for under a buck.
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