Woodland leads by two in Tennessee

Golf Betting Lines

08/27/2010 - Farragut, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Gary Woodland fired a seven-under 65 Friday to grab a two-stroke lead after two rounds of the Knoxville Sentinel Open.

Woodland, who split time between the Nationwide and PGA Tours this year, completed 36 holes at 11-under-par 133.

Brady Schnell also carded a 65 to move into second place at minus-nine. He was joined there by PGA Tour veteran Kirk Triplett (68), William McGirt (68) and Brian Stuard (67).

John Daly, who entered round two tied for second, struggled to a one-over 73 to slide into a share of 32nd at minus-four.

Woodland did little on the front nine after opening with a birdie. He parred seven consecutive holes from the second before stumbling to a bogey on the ninth at Fox Den Country Club.

"I hit it close all day, but didn't make anything on the front side," said Woodland, who Monday-qualified to earn a spot in the field. "I kept telling myself that if you knock on the door long enough, it will open."

And he was right.

After making the turn in even-par for his round, Woodland poured in three straight birdie efforts from the 10th to jump to minus-seven. He parred the 13th, then dropped in back-to-back birdie tries from the 14th.

Woodland moved to the top of the leaderboard with birdies on 17 and 18.

"It's been frustrating because I feel like I've been playing pretty good this year, but I haven't scored very well," Woodland admitted. "We looked at my stats from this year to last year and all of the numbers were better, but the scores weren't there. Finally, we got a score to go low Monday and now everything is going the right way."

First-round leader Zack Miller posted a two-under 70 and dropped into a tie for sixth at eight-under-par 136. He stands alongside Ken Duke (66), Andrew Svoboda (69), Jim Herman (67) and Skip Kendall (69).

NOTES: This is the first time Woodland has led after any round on either the PGA or Nationwide Tour. In fact, he had never been in the top-10 after any round before this week...The cut line fell at three-under-par 141 with 66 players moving on to the weekend...Among those that missed the cut were 2002 PGA Champion Rich Beem, last week's winner Hunter Haas, Martin Piller, Bobby Gates, Tag Ridings and D.J. Brigman.

Mysportblog Golf Betting News

<< Report: Dodgers put Lilly on waivers
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Lefty Ted Lilly is reportedly the latest Dodger to be put on waivers, according to a FOX Sports report. The move can only be viewed as part of a larger plan by general manager Ned Colletti of protect

<< Twins acquire reliever Fuentes from Angels
SEATTLE (AP) -The twins have acquired left-handed reliever Brian Fuentes from the Los Angeles Angels for a player to be named later.Twins manager Ron Gardenhire says the Twins will use the former Angels closer as a set-up reliever for closer Matt Ca

<< Kane Hanson moves in front at Canadian Tour Championship
St. Catharines, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - American Kane Hanson posted a six-under 64 on Friday to move in front at the halfway point of the Canadian Tour Championship. Hanson finished 36 holes at St. Catharines Golf & Country Club at

<< Rockies shuffle roster with four moves
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Colorado Rockies re-tooled their roster Friday, making four separate moves that included disabling right-hander Manuel Corpas and calling up lefty Franklin Morales from Triple-A Colorado Springs. Infiel

<< SMU signs Jones to extension
Dallas, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - SMU head football coach June Jones has signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him with the school through the 2014 season. The Mustangs finished 8-5 under Jones last year and e

Twins acquire P Fuentes from Angels >>
Seattle, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Twins have acquired left-handed reliever Brian Fuentes from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for cash or a player to be named later. Fuentes was 4-1 with 23 saves and a 3.52 earned run aver

Wie still three clear in Canada >>
Winnipeg, MB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Michelle Wie posted a three-under 69 Friday to maintain her three-stroke lead after two rounds of the Canadian Women's Open. Wie completed 36 holes at 10-under-par 134. She is looking to pick up her secon

Bruce's three-homer, five-RBI night leads Reds past Cubs >>
Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jay Bruce slammed a career-best three home runs and Chris Valaika also homered to back eight innings of one-run ball from Johnny Cueto as Cincinnati crushed Chicago, 7-1, to open a three-game set at Great A

Pelfrey pitches Mets past streaking Astros >>
Flushing, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mike Pelfrey worked eight scoreless frames as the New York Mets took a 2-1 win over the Houston Astros in the opener of a three-game set. Pelfrey (13-7) gave up just six hits and two walks while striking o

Price fires 63 to lead Boeing Classic >>
Snoqualmie, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nick Price had two scoring bursts Friday en route to a nine-under 63 and the first-round lead of the Boeing Classic. Price, who has already won twice this season, posted his low round of the year. Tom Per

Pro Football Odds : NFC SOUTH BETTING ODDS

NFL Sports Betting

NFL betting action is back! At MySportsbook, all of the pro football odds are posted for the NFC North. Check out how we see the four teams in this cloudy division stacking up this year in the chase for the playoffs! Green Bay Packers (+125) - With QB Aaron Rodgers leading the offense and DC Dom Capers working his magic on defense, the Packers are a real force to be reckoned with.

Virtually nothing changed on this offense for Green Bay from last year to this year, save for the addition of rookie OT Brian Bulaga to the bunch. Expect more huge numbers from the Pack, and a relatively favorable schedule should get them over the hump and into the playoffs once again this season. My NFL Betting Predictions: 11-5, 1st place in NFC North Minnesota Vikings (+130) - There are still too many unknowns about the Vikes this year. There is a huge difference between QB Brett Favre and either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels under center. Plus, is Favre comes back, is he really going to be able to keep his pick total under double digits again? Depth at running back looked like it might have been an issue with RB Chester Taylor fleeing in free agency, but drafting RB Toby Gerhart should pick up the difference. This defense is still suitable, but with a first place schedule, making the playoffs is going to be very tough regardless of whether #4 comes back or not.

There is a huge difference between QB Brett Favre and either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels under center. Plus, is Favre comes back, is he really going to be able to keep his pick total under double digits again? Depth at running back looked like it might have been an issue with RB Chester Taylor fleeing in free agency, but drafting RB Toby Gerhart should pick up the difference. This defense is still suitable, but with a first place schedule, making the playoffs is going to be very tough regardless of whether #4 comes back or not. Play this weekly NFL Football Contestto see if you can win.

Chicago Bears (+350) - The Bears are probably a bit of an overhyped team once again this year.No, we don't think it is plausible for QB Jay Cutler to have as bad of a season as he did last year, and we do think the additions of RB Chester Taylor and DE Julius Peppers are going to help immensely, but there's still something in the water in the Windy City that we aren't so sure about. Maybe Chicago finds its way to .500... but then again, maybe it doesn't. If Favre comes back, Cutler might be the worst quarterback in this division this year.

Detroit Lions (+1500) - The Lions are probably once again going to be the whipping boys for the rest of the teams in the NFC North, but they aren't just going to roll over and die once again. There is some real talent amassing on this team offensively, as the combination of QB Matt Stafford, RB Jahvid Best, WR Calvin Johnson, and TE Brandon Pettigrew should put a bunch of points on the board if the offensive line can even remotely hold up. The questions really lie on defense, where it feels like DT Ndamukong Suh is going to be trying to stop opposing teams all by himself. This year should show some marked improvement in the Motor City.

The Patriots will make NFL betting fans a lot of money this season, get in early and enjoy the cash.

NFL Betting

To visit this sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your NFL football betting needs.

Horse Betting

(This is an update of a sportsbook for the May 4th issue of ESPN The Magazine).

The Kentucky Derby's post-position draw happened on Wednesday. And, as is always the case, shortly afterwards, a buzz raced around Churchill Downs. It was a low rumble at first, nothing that the squares in the mint julep crowd pick up right away. But by the time the sun set over the twin spires, the chatter was impossible to ignore. Everyone -- sharps, trainers, owners -- was talking about one thing: the wise guy horse, the pre-draw long shot us mopes didn't have on our radar until it was too late.

"You think you're hearing the scoop," says handicapper Lane Gold. "Then you get to the window, the odds are short, and you missed it."

Recognizing a wise-guy horse early is as hard as picking a Derby bonnet. That's because handicappers don't like hype (see ya, I Want Revenge). They want Thoroughbreds who look good losing prep races like the Santa Anita Derby. They eye horses who ate up the field after starting wide or made an easy transition from synthetic tracks to dirt. They look for ponies who showed muscle gain race to race and those who ran hard after several weeks' rest.

"A wise guy," says John Avello, a bookmaker at Wynn Las Vegas, "looks for a horse who can improve."

When I first wrote Horse Betting for The Mag, which I turned in a three weeks before Wednesday's draw, I predicted these three horses had wise guy potential:

CHOCOLATE CANDY (15-1 in mid-April, currently 20-1 according to Avello): His second-place finish at Santa Anita, following a seven-week layoff, proved two things: He can run after resting, and -- by losing a high-profile prep race -- he wouldn't be overhyped.

DESERT PARTY (15-1; 15-1): He was upset in the UAE Derby by a horse he had beaten twice. The public remembers his loss, but the wise guys his wins.

PIONEEROF THE NILE (8-1; 4-1): The big favorite at Santa Anita struggled to win, so he initially got less hype than Quality Road and I Want Revenge.

You may have noticed that the odds on Pioneerof the Nile have been cut in half, from 8-1 to 4-1. Which means the wise guys took a shine to him long before the post-position draw. But, to be honest, this is one of those years with four elite horses getting everyone's attention, squares and sharps alike.

"You're not gonna get a lot of chatter about a horse that isn't in that group, which includes Pioneer, I Want Revenge, Dunkirk and Friesan Fire," Avello told me Wednesday. "We don't have a group of horses behind those top four who look like real legit contenders."

Come Derby week, the final two elements in picking a wise guy horse are how he's working out and what gate he's coming out of.

(By the way, picking a Preakness favorite is a whole different bale of hay, partially based on how horses finish in the Derby. You can see my analysis of who has the best shot at Pimlico on Insider Sunday morning.)

Well, early in the week I Want Revenge, Pioneerof the Nile and Friesan Fire were working out better than anyone. Some thought Friesan Fire, currently 6-1, might have run too fast, burning a five-furlong run in :57 4/5. "When you are running that fast you have the sense that it took something out of him," says Gold. "The Derby is longer than any horse has run, and if they need that extra surge you worry they won't have it because they burned it in the workout."

But, Gold points out, Friesan Fire's trainer is Larry Jones, Two years ago his horse Hard Spun did a five-eighths workout in :57 3/5 and then went on to finish second, behind Street Sense, in the Derby. "Every trainer has different methods," says Gold. "And clearly he knows what he's doing."

Now, as for starting position, Gold says to remember this: Churchill Downs traditionally has 14 starting gates. For the Derby, it brings out auxiliary gates and between the original 14th gate and the new 15th gate, there is a little more space than there is between gates 1-14. "That 15 position will give you a precious second or two to sort out what's happening to your inside," says Gold. "Sixteen is also okay because you can follow the horse in front of you."

Dunkirk, one of the race favorites, is coming out of gate 15. In 16 is Baffert's Pioneerof the Nile. I Want Revenge drew 13, where Smarty Jones won from in 2004, and Friesan Fire picked the sixth position. "He doesn't have a lot of speed to the inside of him," says Gold. "So he will get a clear shot to be near the front."

All the jibber-jabber means this: Pioneerof the Nile has leapfrogged from 8-1 to being the second favorite, along with Dunkirk, behind I Want Revenge. Meanwhile, Friesan Fire, with a good trainer, a strong week of training and a decent post position, is still at 6-1. "By Saturday, it's possible he could go from fourth to the favorite," says Gold.

In other words, meet Friesan Fire, your 2009 wise guy horse.

"Now," says Avello, "it's time for action."

To visit this horse betting site go to MySportsbook.com for all your horse racing betting needs.