Jimenez keeps three-shot lead in Switzerland

Golf Betting Lines

09/04/2010 - Crans Montana, Switzerland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Miguel Angel Jimenez protected his three-shot lead at the European Masters Saturday with a three-under 68 in the third round.

Jimenez appeared to have shot a 67 after rolling in a long birdie putt at the 18th hole, only to call a one-shot penalty on himself after the round.

The infraction occurred eight holes earlier at No. 10 when Jimenez picked up his ball in the fairway, mistakenly believing he could lift and place it. The ball was near a sprinkler head.

Instead of signing for a par on the hole, Jimenez, who is chasing his third win of the season, gave himself a bogey. He new immediately that he had made a mistake.

"I thought 'What are you doing?'" Jimenez said. "But I'm still feeling good."

The 46-year-old Spaniard took a three-shot lead into the round after firing a 61 on Friday, and he remained ahead by the same count Saturday at 17-under 196.

Trailing him again was Edoardo Molinari, who also shot a 68 to stay three back at 14-under 199. Fellow Italian Matteo Manassero, 17, carded a 69 to share third place with Steve Webster (64) at 13-under 200.

No one else was within six shots of Jimenez's lead heading into the final round at the Crans-sur-Sierre course.

The final threesome of Jimenez, Molinari and Manassero was bothered all day by noise in the gallery. Jimenez's caddie repeatedly scolded spectators to keep quiet and put their cameras and cell phones away.

Molinari screamed at one shutterbug on the No. 7 tee, pleading for him to wait until after he hit the ball to take a picture. Molinari still knocked his tee shot onto the green at the 331-yard par four, but he missed the eagle putt.

He tapped in for a birdie instead, the first of three in a row for the talented Italian, who was named to his first Ryder Cup team last Sunday after winning the Johnnie Walker Championship for his second victory of the season.

Despite the birdie run by Molinari, Jimenez was still able to protect the three-shot edge he carried into the round as both players made four birdies on the front nine.

Jimenez's lead was cut to two strokes by a bogey at the par-four 12th, where he knocked his first two shots into the rough and then chipped through the green with his third.

Molinari bogeyed the 13th to again fall three behind, but Jimenez followed with a bogey at the 14th.

While Molinari parred his final five holes, Jimenez picked up birdies at the 15th and 18th to seemingly build a four-stroke lead.

That was, until the score for the 17-time European Tour winner changed moments after the round. He said he was still happy with a three-shot lead.

"We'll see what happens tomorrow," Jimenez said.

NOTES: Ten of Jimenez's 17 tour wins have come after the age of 40...Jimenez and Molinari are the only players from Colin Montgomerie's European Ryder Cup team in the field this week...Manassero was the 2009 British Amateur champion.

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How did changes to college football betting rules affect bettors?

The 2007 college football rules changes that were implemented to shorten games are now history. The NCAA rules committee did what they set out to do; games were cut by an average of 14 minutes per game last season. There were also, on average, 14 fewer plays per game. We’ll get into how that did (or didn’t) affect games in regards to the pointspread a bit later.

While the NCAA rules committee may have had the betterment of the game in mind, they'll now “turn back the clock” for next season. Two key rules have now been overturned by the NCAA committee for the 2007 season, something definitely for the better.

For those of you who may not remember what those rules actually were, let us refresh your memory.

1) The first one was actually starting the clock on a kickoff as soon as the kicker touched the ball rather than waiting until the returner touched it. The problem here was near the end of the half (or game), if the team leading was kicking off, they could milk the clock by intentionally running offsides and then re-kicking. They could run 10-15 seconds off the clock each play while taking just five-yard penalties each time. They could run the clock down and simply cause the half (or game) to end on a kickoff, keeping the opposing offense off the field. In 2007, the clock will now start when the returner touches the ball as it had before last season.

2) The second rule dealt with starting the clock after a change of online football betting possession rather than waiting until the ball was snapped. This took a lot of time off the clock throughout the game as teams changed possession, however it caused the most problems late in games (or halves). Rather than huddling up and calling a play, the offensive team would have to rush onto the field as the clock started. This was a definite disadvantage to a team that was trying to come from behind late in the game. This year the clock will start on a change of possession, after the ball is snapped.

How did those rules affect the college game last year and will it make a difference this year when it comes to the pointspread? We commonly heard two theories when it came to these changes. First, it would affect scoring negatively. Second, it would hurt favorites as they would have less time and fewer plays to cover the number.

Did the rules hurt scoring? Yes. It seemed obvious that shortening the game by what amounted to 14 plays would push scoring downward. That was the case last year. Of the 119 Division 1A teams, 69 squads scored fewer points in 2007 than they did in 2005. Just 48 teams had a higher PPG scoring average and two stayed the same. Almost 59 percent of the teams in college football last year had a lower PPG average than they did in 2005. Expect more scoring in 2007 as we revert back to the old rules.

Did the rules hinder favorites from covering the number in 2007? Not really. Last year the favorites posted an overall spread record of 336-350-16 (48.9 percent). The year before, favorites were 316-326-13 (49.2 percent). In 2004, the favorites were 316-339-2 (48.2 percent). In fact, college football favorites have been above 50 percent for the season just once in the last seven years (in 2003). Last year’s numbers fell right in line with where they have been historically.

How about big favorites? The rules must have hurt them? Maybe a little bit. Double-digit favorites last year came in at a 47.8 percent clip compare with an average of just over 50 percent over the last seven years. Since 1980, favorites of -10 or more have covered at exactly a 50 percent clip (measured over 6,716 games).

Even bigger favorites must have struggled? Not really. In fact, it was just the opposite. Favorites of three TD’s or more were 59-54-2 last year (52.2 percent). Since 2000, those same favorites (-21 or higher) hit at 51.3 percent and since 1990 came in a clip of 50.3 percent. Stepping it up a notch to four TD favorites or higher, we actually see they've covered at a much better rate last season than before. Last year, favorites of -28 or more were 31-21-1, or almost 60 percent. Historically, four-TD-or-higher favorites have come in at a 50.7 percent spot since 2000 and only 48.9 percent since 1990. The “perceived” problem with the favorites covering at a reduced rate really never came to fruition.

Bottom line is, there might be some more scoring in 2007, but no real revelations when it comes to finding any pointspread golden nuggets.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on college football needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.