07/24/2008 - Ayrshire, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Eduardo Romero and Bruce Vaughan opened with rounds of three-under 68 on Thursday to share the lead after the first round of the Senior British Open Championship.
Andy Bean, John Cook, Kirk Hanefeld and Nick Job are a shot off the lead at two-under 69, while defending champion Tom Watson leads a six-way tie for seventh place at one-under 71, a group that also includes Bernhard Langer.
Greg Norman, the third-round leader at last week's British Open before he finished six shots behind winner Padraig Harrington, struggled to a four-over 75 in the first round at Royal Troon.
"This golf tournament is like any other, you just need to hang in," said Norman, who tied for sixth place at the last Champions Tour major, the Senior PGA in May. "There's more than one round to a golf tournament."
Watson, who has won three of the last five Senior British Opens, said they weren't taking it easy on the "old people" this week. The 58-year-old Watson claimed one of his five British Open titles at this week's host course.
"It looks like they put the [tees] out where it's as far back as they were going to move them," said Watson, who won the 1982 Open at Royal Troon. "So we are going to play a pretty long and difficult golf course at here."
Despite the course's length -- it's playing over 7,000 yards -- Watson managed consistency in one statistical category.
"I didn't hit every fairway, but I hit every green today," said Watson. "I've never done that before. I hit 18 greens and I've putted for 18 birdies, but I don't think I've ever hit 18 greens on the tour ever in my life."
Less consistent was Vaughan, the 51-year-old Kansan who collected eight birdies in the first round -- but also had a double- and triple-bogey. Both bad holes were marked seven, but Vaughan was able to get the strokes back within six holes both times.
"It was either feast or famine today," said Vaughan, who has never won on the Champions Tour. "Outside of those two sevens, it was a good round."
Like Norman, Vaughan was cautious about his position after the first day. Scores can improve, certainly, but they can go in the opposite direction just as easily.
"It's just the first day," said Vaughan. "We've got a few more days left."
Romero, playing in a group that teed off more than five hours after Vaughan's, was much steadier in his afternoon round. A first-time major champion at the 2006 JELD-WEN Tradition, Romero collected four birdies with just one bogey to join Vaughan in the lead.
"It's probably my week. I think it's my week," said the confident Romero, who has not finished outside the top nine in the last four years. "I think it's more difficult than last year and a couple years ago. But I'm in good form and I feel strong and I feel good and I feel happy."
Langer, who has won twice on the Champions Tour this season, came close to claiming his first over-50 major in May, when Jay Haas won the toughest Senior PGA Championship in history with a seven-over score at brutal Oak Hill.
The two-time Masters champion, who finished one shot behind Haas, said it would mean a lot to win this week.
"It's not just for the resume," said Langer. "I've always had dreams of winning the British Open. It still would mean a lot to win this."
Watson and Langer were joined at one-under 71 by Gene Jones, Mark McNulty, John Morse and Joey Sindelar.
Craig Stadler was six shots off the lead at three-over 74, but may have been the biggest winner on Thursday. His hole-in-one at the 123-yard eighth hole was worth 123 bottles of wine.
"I just chipped a little pitching-wedge and there she was," said Stadler. "The wine is perfect as well. I'll have a little Shiraz evening I think."
<< Field of 11 set for Whitney Handicap
Saratoga Springs, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Salvator Mile winner Notional will go
after a second "Win and You're In" victory on Saturday in the $750,000 Whitney
Handicap at Saratoga. The winner of the 1 1/8 mile Whitney gains automatic
entry
<< Liverpool signs French teen Ngog
Liverpool, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - French striker David Ngog left Paris St.
German to sign with England's Liverpool on Thursday.
Ngog, 19, signed a four-year contract. He played in 18 games for PSG last year
and scored one goal. He is c
<< Chelsea hopes to lure Robinho away from Real
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon has
reiterated his club's desire to make Real Madrid's Brazilian forward Robinho
its final summer purchase.
The 24-year-old has been the subject of frenzied specu
<< Ortiz to make return Friday
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, who has been
sidelined since the end of May due to a torn tendon sheath in his left wrist,
is slated to make his return to the lineup on Friday.
The announcement came Thursda
Andersen heads back to Denver >>
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Denver Nuggets signed forward Chris Andersen
to an undisclosed contract Thursday.
The 6-foot-10, 228-pound versatile forward began his career with Denver in the
2001-02 campaign. After spending three seas
Halladay Inn! Jays leave O's feeling blue >>
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Roy Halladay was his usual efficient self on
the hill, allowing just one run through seven innings in Toronto's 7-1 triumph
over the Baltimore Orioles in the finale of their four-game series.
Before Hallada
49ers sign first-rounder Balmer >>
Santa Clara, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Francisco 49ers signed their
first-round draft pick, defensive lineman Kentwan Balmer, on Thursday. Per
club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.
The Niners chose Balmer --
Kirilenko advances, second-seeded Srebotnik upset at Slovenia Open >>
Portoroz, Slovenia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Top-seeded Russian Maria Kirilenko
needed little time to advance to the quarterfinals of the $145,000 Banka Koper
Slovenia Open, but second-seeded Katarina Srebotnik wasn't so fortunate on her
home tu
American Idol Betting Odds: Season 6
The online gambling websites are in the process of deciphering each American Idol contestant and his or her chances of winning Season 6 to come up with the early American Idol betting lines.
Tim Dalton of MySportsbook.com has been locked away in a soundproof room coming up with all the latest tallies, we are told. "American Idol has become one of the most significant betting events of the year," claims Jack Black of MySportsbook.com. "Last year, millions were bet during the season across the globe, not just in America.It's tough early on since we really do not have a glimpse as to how well each of these individuals will perform solo on a week-to-week basis. It's like Week 1 of the NFL. Pre-season means nada!
We do know the 24 finalists however.
Sanjaya Malakar is the young man whose sister failed to make it into the Top 24. He's very low key but - unless he totally flubs - will probably win over the young girlie vote for a few weeks anyway. He's too young to go all the way, according to Payton O'Brien.
Brandon Rogers - Who?
Phil Stacy is the military guy who missed his daughter's birth because of the Memphis audition. He should go a good distance.
Chris Sligh - He's got the humor and in many ways he's the Anti-American Idol much like last year's winner Taylor Hicks was. And this is why he'll probably get pretty far in this competition. He's chubby, white with a big curly afro....but more importantly, a great voice! People love "real", not "real cute" to go all the way.
"Blake Lewis should go far because of his uniqueness and looks. He's the boy next store with a twist - he beat boxes. But on top of this, he's a great singer, and I adore him," Payton O'Brien relayed.
A talented beat-boxer Blake Lewis was a hit during the group sing in Hollywood but Simon explained that this is a singing contest just before he told him he was “in.”
Paul Kim has caught our own roving reporter, Jenny Woo's eyes.
"I love the fact that there is a Korean American on the show and he is bound to get more Asians tuning into the show," Woo said from her Miami Beach estate. "There has never been a major presence of Asian-Americans on American Idol in the past. He's a hottie with a nice voice so that should help to take him far. Expect heavy betting action from the Asian community."
Sundance Head - He's not perfect, but he's got the personality that will take him through a few weeks, plus he's got the lineage (son of Roy Head - whose 1965 single, "Treat Her Right," hit No. 5 in the charts)
And the others:
Rudy Cardinas
AJ Tabaldo - the 5th time is the charm
Nicolas Pedro
Chris Richardson
Jared Cotter
The girls
"Melinda Doolittle has one of the best voices," says MySportsbook.com Reporter and an acclaimed dancer in her own right, Destiney Lewis. "It is great to see a back up singer step out like she has. The girl needs to gain more confidence but that can also be a positive. I think she will go far."
Alena Alexander - Those tears (she never seems to stop bawling) should get her far.
"Single mom Lakisha Jones I suspect will be a pretty big favorite entering Week 1 of the competition," says Destiny Williams. Jones is an excellent singer and down to earth. "She'll have a wide appeal," echoed O'Brien.
Nicole Trellis - Seems to exert confidence.
Amy Krebs - a powerful singer.
Antonella Barba
Gina Glocksen
Hailey Scanardo
Jordan Sparks
Stephanie Edwards
Leslie Hunt
Sabrina Sloan
MySportsbook.com is offering a 20% signup bonus with an initial deposit (i.e. open your American Idol betting account with $300, receive another $60 in which to bet with).
Last two contestants will be?
1 Male/1 Female +100 (a $10 bet pays $10 plus your initial $10)
2 Males +170 (a $10 bet pays $17 plus your initial $17)
2 Females +130 (a $10 bet pays $13 plus your initial $10)
MySportsbook.com is an online sportsbook accepts Visa Credit Cards and online sportsbook accepts Mastercard Credit Cards for easy American Idol betting lines.
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