11/20/2008 - Hong Kong (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - China's Liang Wen-chong and Richard Sterne of South Africa both shot six-under 64 to share the first-round lead Thursday at the Hong Kong Open.
Chinese Taipei's Lin Wen-tang and Frankie Minoza of the Philippines stood one shot back at five-under 65, while European Ryder Cup player Oliver Wilson of England led a four-way tie at four-under 66.
Overall, there were 44 players who were within five shots of the leaders after the first round at Hong Kong Golf Club. They included John Daly (68), Colin Montgomerie (68), Bernhard Langer (69), Paul Lawrie (69) and Jose Maria Olazabal (69).
Liang, the No. 1 player in China and the Asian Tour's 2007 Order of Merit champion, started strong on the 10th tee with a birdie. He made three more birdies on his first nine holes -- at the 12th, 13th and 18th -- to make the turn in 32 shots.
He would also shoot a 32 on the shorter front nine, making back-to-back birdies at the third and fourth holes and another birdie at the eighth. He squandered an opportunity to hold the overnight lead by himself, however, after stumbling to a closing bogey at his last hole.
Liang -- still with three rounds to play -- will be seeking Asia's first win at this tournament since Kang Wook-soon titled in 1998. It is the second event of the European Tour's 2009 season (and is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour).
"My performance was good, but there are still three days left," said Liang. "My putting feels good and I have been very patient in taking every hole step by step."
Sterne played in a later group off the first tee and made four birdies in his first six holes to climb up the leaderboard. But his round took a bad turn with back-to-back bogeys at the eighth and ninth holes.
He played without a mistake on the back nine, however, making four more birdies to join Liang in a share of the lead.
"I had a pretty good start and I just kept going," said Sterne.
Wilson, who lost a playoff to Sergio Garcia at the HSBC Champions two weeks ago, had seven birdies and three bogeys Thursday and was perhaps the best- known player near the top of the leaderboard.
He was joined at 66 by Francesco Molinari, Chawalit Plaphol and Wang Ter- chang.
Daly, the two-time major champion who is traveling the world without status on any major tour, posted a score in the 60s for just the third time in his last 12 rounds.
"I felt like I putted well," said Daly. "I made five or six one-putts, meaning I hit a lot of greens. I am pretty happy with that."
Michael Campbell (71), defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez (71), Graeme McDowell (71), Paul McGinley (71), Rory Sabbatini (71), Scott Strange (71) and Nick Faldo (72) were among the other top names in the field.
<< Boozer injured in win over Bucks
Salt Lake City, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Utah Jazz forward Carlos Boozer suffered
a strained left quad tendon during Wednesday's 105-94 win over the Milwaukee
Bucks.
Boozer, who had 20 points and 11 rebounds, left the game in the four
<< Billups, Denver top Spurs for fourth straight win
San Antonio, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chauncey Billups scored 22 points, doled
out six assists and hauled in five rebounds to lead the Denver Nuggets in a
91-81 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.
"We've just come in every night focused
<< Ovechkin leads Caps past Ducks
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Alex Ovechkin registered a goal and three
assists, as the Washington Capitals defeated the Anaheim Ducks, 6-4, at Honda
Center.
David Steckel had a goal and an assist, while Michael Nylander collected
<< Portland G Blake leaves game
Portland, OR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Portland Trail Blazers guard Steve Blake left
Wednesday's 116-74 win over the Chicago Bulls after cutting his head on a
camera in the third quarter.
Blake dove for a loose ball out of bounds but
Suns welcome rival Lakers to the desert >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pacific Division rivals get together tonight at US Airways
Center, where the Phoenix Suns will host the Los Angeles Lakers.
Los Angeles won its first seven games of the season until suffering a 106-95
loss to the Detr
Blue Devils take on Salukis in Madison Square Garden >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 10th-ranked Duke Blue Devils and Southern
Illinois Salukis have made the trek to the Big Apple, for semifinal action in
the 2K Sports Classic Benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer from famed Madison Square
Garden. Th
Tigers tangle with Mocs in Puerto Rico Tip-Off >>
San Juan, PR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 13th-ranked Memphis Tigers and the
Chattanooga Mocs have traveled to San Juan for the opening round of the Puerto
Rico Tip-Off.
Chattanooga, which competes in the Southern Conference, has certainly
challe
Bruins battle Wolverines in the Big Apple >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The fourth-ranked UCLA Bruins are set to take
on the Michigan Wolverines in semifinal action of the 2K Sports Classic
Benefiting Coaches vs. Classic from Madison Square Garden this evening. The
winner of this gam
Sportsbook betting odds favor Europe in Ryder Cup
September 19, – Despite holding a decided edge in the all-time series, with 24 wins, 2 ties and 10 losses, Team USA is the underdog again heading into the Ryder Cup in Kidare, Ireland this weekend, according to MySportsbook.com. The Europeans have captured four of the past five editions, including their largest victory ever, an 18 ½ to 9 ½ thumping in Michigan in 2004. Current Ryder Cup betting odds favor the Europeans to continue their winning ways; they are a 4-5 bet to take the title, compared to 6-5 for the Americans.
Despite being knocked out in the first round of World Match play by Shaun Micheel, Tiger Woods is predicted to lead the US charge and be their highest point scorer for the week, with odds listed at 9-4 that he outpoints all other American players, including Jim Furyk, Phil Mickelson and Chris DiMarco to name a few. Team USA has four relatively unknown players on the roster but all four are 2007 tournament winners and have posted some of season’s best performances, each earning over $1.5 million on the PGA TOUR. They include Zach Johnson, Vaughan Taylor, JJ Henry and Brett Wetterich.
The experienced European squad includes the likes of Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, Jose Maria Olazabal and Darren Clarke, who’s emotions will be tested after the passing of his wife to a battle with cancer. Donald and Garcia are in particularly good form and each is a 5-1 bet to lead the European squad in the points race. Donald has proven he can go head to head with Woods at a major event after a run for the $1.2 million purse at the PGA Championship. Garcia’s Ryder Cup credentials prove he’s ready for battle too.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your golf sportsbook needs.
Ryder Cup Odds| Europe Tie USA |
4-5 10-1 6-5 |
| Tiger Woods Jim Furyk Phil Mickelson Chris DiMarco David Toms Stewart Cink Chad Campbell Scott Verplank Zach Johnson Vaughan Taylor JJ Henry Brett Wetterich |
9-4 4-1 5-1 7-1 8-1 12-1 15-1 15-1 25-1 30-1 30-1 50-1 |
| Sergio Garcia Luke Donald Padraig Harrington Colin Montgomerie Darren Clarke David Howell Lee Westwood Paul Casey Henrik Stenson Jose Maria Olazabal Paul McGinley Robert Karlsson |
5-1 5-1 6-1 13-2 8-1 9-1 9-1 11-1 12-1 12-1 20-1 25-1 |
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com
Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting