World class: Stenson leads Nedbank Challenge

Golf Betting Lines

11/30/2006 - Sun City, South Africa (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In a field of world-class golfers, Sweden's Henrik Stenson fired an early salvo.

Stenson shot a five-under 67 in the first round of the Nedbank Challenge on Thursday to take the lead over 11 other high-profile international golfers.

The world's 12th-ranked player escaped without a bogey on Day 1, collecting two birdies on the front nine and three more on the back for a one-shot edge over defending champion Jim Furyk.

Stenson did it with his accuracy, hitting 12 fairways and 16 greens in regulation at the Gary Player Country Club Course. He ranked first in both categories.

World No. 2 Furyk opened his title defense with a four-under 68, spreading four birdies over a bogey-free round. Last year, he chipped-in for a birdie to win a four-way playoff.

With every major circuit but the European Tour now in its offseason, more than half of the world's top-20 players are in this field.

They are competing for a lucrative purse, including a first-place prize of $1.2 million.

Irishman Padraig Harrington and England's David Howell share third place at three-under 69. South Africa's Retief Goosen, the 2004 champion, and Charl Schwartzel, the lowest-ranked player in the field, are one shot further back at 70.

Fellow South African Trevor Immelman is tied for seventh place with Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal at one-under 71.

Another South African, Ernie Els, shares ninth place with two-time winner Sergio Garcia of Spain at even-par 72.

Els is a three-time champion and the tournament's all-time money leader, but after moving to four-under through 14 holes, he made a bogey at the 15th, a double-bogey at the par-three 16th and a bogey at the 17th.

American Chris DiMarco is 11th after a 74, and 1996 champion Colin Montgomerie of Scotland is one shot further back at 75.

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Super Bowl 2009 Betting

Super Bowl 2009 Betting propositions

Underdog bettors love the Super Bowl and, history suggests, the underdogs love them back. And the big dogs bite harder.

Even so, there is a warning in store for Super Bowl gamblers who must love dogs: The Arizona Cardinals Super Bowl betting lines might not be enough of a Cinderella to make it worth your while.

Although the Cardinals were widely panned as one of the worst division winners and least playoff-worthy teams in recent memory, their trip to Super Bowl XLIII Jan. 31 in Tampa against the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl betting lines comes with a little more respect from the oddsmakers than you might imagine. They are a 7-point underdog at most sports books.

If you count yourself among those who covet the big dog in the big game, this isn’t exactly great news. You should have been hoping for more points. This is because the facts show that the bigger the dog, the better the bet in the Super Bowl.

Case in point: Over the past 13 seasons, double-figure underdogs in the Super Bowl are 4-0-1 ATS and have won the past three outright. In fact, the last double-digit chalk to do the deed for bettors was the 1995 San Francisco 49ers, who managed to beat the astounding 19-point spot afforded backers of the San Diego Chargers in the 49-26 romp in Super Bowl XXIX.

By contrast, 7-point favorites are 2-1-1 ATS in the same span, the last such contest resulting a cover grinded out by the Colts in their 29-17 win over the Bears two seasons ago in Super Bowl XLI.

In 2004, the Patriots failed to cover the number in their 32-29 triumph over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl props while the Rams and Titans gave everyone a refund in 2000 after the Rams posted a 23-16 win as a seven-point favorite.

So while Arizona’s run has included impressive upsets as a 10-point road underdog to the Carolina Panthers and Sunday’s 32-25 win in the NFC championship game to the 4-point favored Philadelphia Eagles, their long-shot story lacks a bit of the David vs. Goliath storyline of past Super Bowl underdogs.

While the seven-point spread represents a significant gap in the perception of strength between the two teams, it is far from monumental. For example, last season the Giants were the wild-card afterthought turned road-warrior buzzsaw, with stunning wins over the Buccaneers, Cowboys and Packers to earn their place in the Super Bowl.

There, they played spoiler to New England’s bid to become the first 19-0 team in NFL history and cemented their place in sports betting lore with a 17-14 win as a 12.5-point underdog.

In other words, the Cardinals appear to have their work cut out for them as a mid-range underdog. But in homage to the spread beaters who have come before them, here is a brief look back at recent colossal upsets in the Super Bowl:

SB XLII -- 2008 -- New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14 (Giants +12.5) – Eli Manning’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress in the final minute clinched the historic upset for the Giants, who used a masterful defensive plan to slow down Tom Brady and the previously undefeated New England Patriots.

XXXVI -- 2002 -- Patriots 20, Rams 17 (Patriots +14) – This was the coming out party for the aforementioned Brady, who went from obscure sixth-round draft pick to Super Bowl hero in one fell swoop. He led the game-winning drive in the final minute – eschewing analyst John Madden’s advice to take a knee and play for overtime – leading to Adam Vinatieri’s memorable 48-yard field goal that split the uprights as time expired.

XXXII 1998 Broncos 31, Packers 24 (Denver +12) – The first of John Elway’s two consecutive Super Bowl titles to put an end to his Hall of Fame career was an upset for the ages. The Broncos used the determination of Elway and a 157-yard, three-touchdown performance from Terrell Davis to turn back Brett Favre and the heavily favored Packers.

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