107th U.S. Open First Round News and Notes

Golf Betting Lines

06/15/2007 - Oakmont, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Phil Mickelson wore a black brace on his injured left wrist Thursday during the first round of the U.S. Open. He took it off to putt, revealing a bandage underneath.

Mickelson opened with a four-over 74 at Oakmont and was six shots off Nick Dougherty's lead.

"I feel like I hung in there, and I'm excited to still be in it," he said.

Questions about the condition of Mickelson's wrist diverted talk, at least for a day, from his collapse at the 72nd hole at Winged Foot last year. The injury forced his withdrawal two weeks ago from the Memorial and caused him to miss a scheduled start last week in Memphis.

But the wrist looked OK as Mickelson blasted out to within inches from a bunker on the back nine, and he appeared comfortable making putts like the 12- footer he rolled in for par at his 16th hole (No. 7).

"I'm not overly disappointed," he said. "It could have been a round that got away from me."

Mickelson said he may have injured the wrist while chipping from the long rough at Oakmont during a practice round ahead of the Memorial. He was back Thursday, and the rough was just as penal.

Not exactly the place you want to test out an injured wrist.

"This isn't the course you want to do that," Mickelson said. "[The wrist] got a little bit more sore, but I was able to trust that it was okay."

OAKMONT PLAYING EASY?

Not really.

Playing in an early morning tee time, Dougherty made four birdies and two bogeys to take the lead, then said Oakmont was playing "easy." Not that he wanted everyone to know he said that.

"I hate saying it ... Especially if a USGA official picks up on that," he added. "It's still frightfully tough out there."

The scoring average was 75.32, down from 75.98 in the first round at Winged Foot last year but still almost six shots over par, meaning even the players who shot 75 and 76 were right in the middle of the pack.

The only hole that played under-par was the 609-yard, par-five fourth, which played to a 4.974 average. The toughest hole was the par-four 18th, which played to an average of 4.654 shots.

There were 17 scores in the 80s and just two in the 60s (Dougherty's 68 and Angel Cabrera's 69).

Statistically, the first round at this year's Masters was tougher with a 76.188 average.

OPEN NOTES

- A funny thing happened to Tom Byrum at the par-four ninth: He holed out from the fairway ... into the wrong hole. Turns out the No. 9 green is big enough to also serve as the practice green for the championship, and Byrum found one of those holes. Get used to seeing players back there this weekend, but don't get used to seeing players hole out. Even into the wrong cup.

- Defending champion Geoff Ogilvy opened with a one-over 71 and was tied with a large group that included Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk and Vijay Singh. He also opened with a 71 last year at Winged Foot.

- If Ogilvy has hopes of repeating, history isn't exactly on his side. The last player to successfully defend his U.S. Open title was Curtis Strange in 1989.

- There were two eagles posted in the morning wave of tee times -- by Stuart Appleby and Michael Block -- and none by the players who teed off in the afternoon.

- Rhys Davies and John Kelly shared low amateur honors for the first round with four-over 74s.

- There are players from 20 countries and 27 U.S. states competing this week.

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Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament odds  
As of February 9, MySportsbook.com has released its coveted 2007 Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament betting odds. “March Madness betting ” only a month away, the top ranked Florida Gators are favorite at 7-2 to win it all. The defending champs have not disappointed at all this season and currently have a 22-2 record and are undefeated (9-0) in SEC play. The Gators’ thrive off of their extremely balanced, experienced and versatile attack. All five starters started in last seasons National Championship game. What is most impressive with this group is their balance; the five starters all average between 10.7 and 13.6 PPG. The Gators have been on an absolute roll having won 15 straight by an average of 16.4 PPG.

Right behind the Gators are the 5th ranked UNC Tar Heels at 9-2. The Heels (21-3, 7-2) are absolutely loaded with top notch talent and are as deep as any team in the country. A concern for the Tar Heels might be inexperience. Of their top four scorers/ minute earners, three are freshmen and the other is a sophomore. The rest of the regular season, the Tar Heels play only one team that is currently ranked (Duke). Their remaining opponents do combine for an impressive 107-58 record though.

Other teams that the MySportsbook.com members seem to believe will win it all include the west coasts’ top team #2 UCLA (6-1), #3 OSU behind man-child Greg Oden (8-1), and #4 Wisconsin (10-1) behind their defense which has given up 70+ points only three times all season.

Below is a list of some of the favorites to win the 2007 Men’s NCAA Basketball Championship lines. For the full list of teams and March Madness odds be sure to log onto MySportsbook.com. If you want to use your credit card to bet on college hoops or any other event, MySportsbook.com has the highest credit card acceptance rate in the industry.

Arizona 20-1

Butler 20-1

Duke 30-1

Florida 7-2

Georgetown 30-1

Indiana 35-1

Kansas 15-1

Marquette 25-1

Maryland 40-1

Memphis 50-1

Nevada 50-1

UNC 9-2

OSU 8-1

Oregon 30-1

Pittsburgh 15-1

Texas 30-1

Texas A&M 18-1

UCLA 6-1

Wisconsin 10-1

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook betting needs.

Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds

Super Bowl XLIII, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Super Bowl XLIII is now set, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers will meet each other on February 1st in Tampa's Raymond James Stadium to battle it out for the coveted Lombardi Trophy. The game kicks off at 6:00pm ET on NBC with announcers Al Michaels and John Madden covering the on-field action. Super Bowl XLIII betting odds at online bookmaker MySportsbook.com have the Steelers listed as an early -6.5 against the spread favorite.Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds

Pittsburgh earned their passage to the big game by beating their division rival, the Baltimore Ravens, 23-14 in yesterday's AFC Championship Game. The Steelers jumped on Baltimore early, building a 13-0 first half lead, and never let up on their way to a fairly easy win. Although the Ravens did close to within two points in the fourth quarter, it never appeared as if they had enough offense to pull off the upset.

The Steelers dominating defense held Baltimore to a total of 198 yards while allowing them to convert just three third downs in 13 attempts. Pittsburgh also forced quarterback Joe Flacco into three interceptions, one of which safety Troy Polamalu returned fourty yards for a touchdown.

The Cardinals, by far the playoff team with the longest odds to reach Super Bowl XLIII, did so yesterday with a 32-25 upset of the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship. Arizona charged out of the gates and built a 24-6 halftime lead that had the Eagles venerable defense reeling. Quarterback Kurt Warner and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald did most of the damage, connecting on three first half touchdowns.

Arizona, however, could not sustain their momentum and the Eagles took a 25-24 with 10:45 left to play in the fourth. The Cardinals, with the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance hanging in the balance, mounted a fourteen play, 72 yard touchdown drive that consumed 7:52 off the clock. Warner hit running back Tim Hightower on a short screen for the go-ahead, game clinching score that will forever live in Cardinal infamy.

MySportsbook.com's Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds:

Pittsburgh Steelers -6.5 (-110), Over 46.5 (-110), -260 (Money line)

Arizona Cardinals +6.5 (-110), Under 46.5 (-110), +220 (Money line)

Matt Foust won both of his conference championship plays yesterday and he is ready to serve up plenty of Super Bowl action. Each individual play costs $15.00, however, MySportsbook.com recommends purchasing Matt's NFL Playoff Package which includes all of Matt's Super Bowl props and picks from just $45.00.

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