The event takes place in August and in 2009 will be held at Royal Lytham & St Anne’s Golf Club. It is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the sport and is classed as a major on both the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour.

British Women’s Open betting always makes the tournament more exciting, and Sky Bet makes sure that all the action is covered.

You will be able to bet on the tournament, which was won last year by South Korean, Ji-Yai Shin, from well in advance of the event at skybet.com. The most popular bet is usually who will win The Open, but other special bets are also popular.

Sky Bet usually offer 2, 3, or 4 ball betting for the early rounds of the event as well as mythical betting where different players are matched together for betting purposes. On most golf events they also offer special bets such as whether there will be a hole in one, and what nationality the winner will be.

The British Women’s Open betting in 2009 is sure to be bigger than ever at skybet.com, who continue to expand their already impressive range of golf betting markets and events.

Click here to open a new account with Sky Bet!

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

British Women’s Open Betting

The 37th renewal of the biennial battle between Europe and the USA takes place at Valhalla Golf Club, Louisville, Kentucky, in the third week of September. The Valhalla course, par 71 and 7496 yards in length, has a front nine that is links-style, while its back nine is more traditional. The signature hole is the 13th, a 350-yard par 4, requiring a tee shot to a small landing area, then an approach over water to an island green. There are 28 points to be played for, the first two days being made up of 4 four-ball matches and 4 foursomes matches, with 12 singles matches on the final day. Captain Nick Faldo and assistant Jose Maria Olazabal lead the European team, who have won six of the last ten Ryder cups outright, as well as retaining the trophy with a 14-14 tie at The Belfry in 1989. Importantly, three of those victories have come on American soil. Given their exemplary recent record the Europeans are favourites to win the Cup, at Evens with Paddy Power. The USA are 13/10, with the tie priced at 12/1, both with skybet.

Team Europe

Nick Faldo has expressed his satisfaction at the 12-man Ryder Cup Team that he will lead to Valhalla Golf Club. With the ten automatic qualifiers, Sergio Garcia, Soren Hansen, Padraig Harrington, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Robert Karlsson, Graeme McDowell, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood and Oliver Wilson joined by English duo Paul Casey and Ian Poulter, Faldo’s “wildcard” picks, the European Captain is confident that he has readied a sufficiently gifted squad to win a fourth successive Ryder Cup against Paul Azinger’s USA team. Faldo readily admitted that selecting just two players from a host of talented and in-form performers was a well nigh impossible task. He essentially based his selections on performances in the Major championships, given his belief that the Ryder Cup takes players to “another level.” The Captain firmly believes he has a team with the right balance and dynamic to take Europe to only their fourth victory on American soil, since the establishment of the competition in 1927. It is essentially a veteran side, with just 3 debutants and the remaining 9 players boasting 19 Ryder Cup appearances between them. Faldo believes that each of his players has a unique contribution to make to the Ryder Cup effort. In particular he noted the outstanding achievements of Padraig Harrington and the passion that Sergio Garcia brings to his team. He has asked Lee Westwood to play a key role in supporting the rookie players. Asked if he thought Europe could repeat their nine-point winning margins from the last two Ryder Cups, Faldo responded, “14 will do me very nicely!” (A 14-14 tie would mean, as holders, Europe would retain the Cup).

Darren Clarke has called for an end to the sniping surrounding Ian Poulter’s selection as one of European captain Nick Faldo’s Ryder Cup wildcards. Faldo added the 32-year-old Englishman and Paul Casey to his team at Valhalla, ignoring the claims of veterans Clarke and Colin Montgomerie. There was some resentment over Poulter’s decision to skip a final chance of automatic qualification at Gleneagles, with Montgomerie claiming the Englishman had a “hotline” to Faldo. Although Clarke believes Faldo “changed his mind” on selection criteria, he does not believe Poulter should take any flak. “He’s a great player, ranked 24 in the world. Both Paul Casey and Ian Poulter are ahead of me in the world rankings. That’s the yardstick to which we’re all measured, and that’s the way it is. I do feel he’s been given a lot of stick, a lot of criticism through no fault of his own.” Elaborating on his belief that Faldo did not hold true to his original plans for his “wildcard” picks, Clarke added, “Earlier in the year, Nick stated that he wanted his players to be in form and wasn’t going to pay particular attention to the rankings. I thought I was in good form, my record this year has been a couple of wins and lots of top 10s, but unfortunately he changed his mind, and you know, I’ve got to bank with that. But I’ve never had a problem with Nick. I’ve played with him a lot over the years, and he’s been the best player we’ve ever produced. I have no personal issues with Nick whatsoever.”

Team USA

United States captain Paul Azinger completed his 12-man Ryder Cup team by selecting Steve Stricker, Hunter Mahan, J.B. Holmes and Chad Campbell. Azinger, awarded four “wildcard” picks after the USPGA of America granted his request to alter the selection process, said he wanted players in form to make up his squad. Throughout the qualification process, Azinger has stressed that making the Ryder Cup team would be very difficult without winning a tournament. Ten of Azinger’s twelve players have done just that, the exceptions being Jim Furyk, who has played consistently well throughout the season and Ben Curtis, runner-up in the USPGA and in the top-ten at The Open. Stricker, Mahan, Holmes and Campbell join the eight automatic qualifiers, Phil Mickelson, Stewart Cink, Kenny Perry, Jim Furyk, Anthony Kim, Justin Leonard, Ben Curtis and Boo Weekley. Azinger will take an inexperienced team to Valhalla in two weeks, with only six of its twelve members with any Ryder Cup experience, and all of those with overall losing records.

Of his four choices, Azinger said Stricker, who finished ninth on the Ryder Cup points list, after being pushed out of the top eight by Ben Curtis’ late charge at last month’s USPGA Championship, had rubber-stamped his place first, while JB Holmes, a native of Kentucky, was another who had been catching his eye for a long time. “Steve has a little experience Presidents Cup-wise, he won a matchplay event down in Australia a few years back and statistically he’s a fantastic player. Had the selection process continued over the last few weeks, Steve Stricker would have actually made the team and so I’m really happy to have Steve.” JB Holmes led the USPGA at Oakland Hills after 54 holes before an opening triple bogey on his final round. Azinger said, “He’s from Kentucky, has a terrific Walker Cup record and won in Phoenix this year. I really like his personality, he fits matchplay and he knows Valhalla like the back of his hand so maybe that will help.” Azinger also sang the praises of Mahan, who in July saw scathing comments about his perception of Ryder Cup players as “slaves” published in an American golf magazine. Chad Campbell was perhaps the one surprise pick having finished 20th in the Ryder Cup points list. However, his previous Ryder Cup experience spoke in his favour.

Ryder Cup Betting Opportunities

In addition to the outright betting, online layers are offering various other bets related to the Ryder Cup. Betfair are the only layers offering Correct Score betting at the time of writing. They have Europe priced at 54/1 to win 18.5 – 9.5 (the winning score in the last two Ryder Cups), while the USA are 74/1 to win by the same margin. Perhaps more realistically, a 15-13 win is 11.5/1 for Europe and 12.5/1 for the USA, the same price as the 14-14 tie. Doubtless, the “traditional” online bookmakers will have prices in the immediate future. Betting on the Top Points Scorers for each team and overall seems to be popular with punters. All the leading online layers, such as William Hill, Ladbrokes, vcbet, skybet etc. have prices available. On the European side, Sergio Garcia and Padraig Harrington dominate the market at 9/2 and 5/1 respectively, with skybet. Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk are joint-favourites to top-score for the USA, with skybet and Paddy Power respectively. Unsurprisingly, these four players lead the market for the overall top scorer, with Garcia the 9/1 favourite with skybet. A Hole in One occasionally occurs during the Ryder Cup and Paddy Power offer 4/1 about this eventuality. 888sport offer 1/6 about no aces at Valhalla. When the pairings and matches are known, prices will undoubtedly be available on all the Ryder Cup matches, including “in-running” betting.

In what is inevitably a fascinating and exciting three-day contest, the USA team looks particularly weak this time around. If recent form is any guide, the European side certainly look the value at Paddy Power’s Evens. Given that Europe are likely to win reasonably comfortably, it seems sensible to look at Nick Faldo’s troops for the overall top points scorer. Garcia and Harrington are obvious choices, but cigar-chomping Miguel Angel Jimenez is likely to play a fair bit, and provides some entertainment value at skybet’s sporting 33/1. Europe to win by 16 points to 12 makes some appeal at Betfair’s 12/1.

All odds correct at time of writing. Please click here for the latest odds

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

2008 Ryder Cup Betting

TPC Boston is a private golf club located in Norton, Massachusetts forming part of the TPC Network operated by the PGA Tour. The Club opened on June 28, 2002 quickly rising in stature, partially due to hosting the Deutsche Bank Championship over Labor Day weekend since 2003. The top 120 players in the FedExCup points standings after the first PGA Tour Playoffs event, The Barclays Classic, play in the Deutsche Bank Championship, with total prize money of $7 million. The top 70 players move on to the BMW Championship continuing their quest for the FedExCup. Defending champion and world-ranked no. 2, Phil Mickelson, in better form of late, is 9/1 favourite with William Hill.

Leading Contenders

Along with Mickelson, who shot rounds of 70, 64, 68 and 66 for a thrilling two-stroke victory in 2007, Padraig Harrington (18/1 with William Hill), winner of consecutive Open Championships and USPGA Champion, 2008 Masters Champion Trevor Immelman (125/1 with Stan James), resurgent stars Kenny Perry (50/1 with William Hill) and Stewart Cink (50/1 with William Hill) and rising star Anthony Kim (33/1 with Stan James) all chase the $1¼ million first prize.

South African Immelman, 2006 Rookie of the Year, already identified as a rising star, won The Masters by three shots from Tiger Woods. His only other top-10 came in the Stanford St. Jude Championship, losing in a playoff to Justin Leonard. He has, however, made 11 cuts in nineteen 2008 tournaments played.

Perry is a likely candidate for the Tour’s comeback player of the year award, with three victories and seven top-10 finishes. This is a remarkable achievement considering that Perry failed to win and has posted just three top-10 finishes over the last two years. Perry, 48, won at the Memorial Tournament presented by Morgan Stanley, the Buick Open and the John Deere Classic. He rests comfortably in second place in the FedExCup points standings, with 20,878 points and is a strong candidate for PGA Tour “Player of the Year” honours as well.

Cink is another player who could be considered in the same category as Perry. With seven top-10s and his first victory since 2004, at the Travellers Championship, he is sixth in the FedExCup points standings. 35-year-old Cink has also finished second twice and third twice, collecting more than $3.7 million in 19 events this season.

Kim, one of the most promising young stars in the game, has truly come into his own this season, his second full tour campaign. At 23, the Californian picked up $1.1 million and 4,500 FedExCup points at the Wachovia Championship and repeated the dose at the end of June at the AT&T National. He boasts six top-10 finishes from sixteen events played.

2004 Deutsche Bank Championship winner, Vijay Singh (16/1 with Paddy Power) returns, fresh from a playoff victory over Sergio Garcia in the Barclays Classic. Garcia, (11/1 with Paddy Power) is enduring a frustrating run of “seconditis,” having finished tied second behind Harrington in the USPGA.

Many more of the biggest names in golf also compete at TPC Boston. Jim Furyk (28/1 with William Hill), though winless in 2008, has achieved 6 top-ten finishes and has made the cut in 20 of 23 events played. Steve Stricker (40/1 with William Hill), who finished second in the 2007 FedExCup standings, has five top-ten finishes from 19 events played in 2008. Ernie Els (40/1 with Stan James) captured the Honda Classic, in Florida for his first win in over three years. He also finished in the top-ten in the 2008 Players Championship (tied 6th and British Open (tied 7th). Justin Leonard (50/1 with Paddy Power) won the 2008 Stanford St. Jude Championship and has a further five top-ten finishes, including a tied 7th at the recent Barclays Classic. Korean K.J. Choi (50/1 with William Hill) has a win (The Sony Open in Hawaii) and three top-ten finishes to his name in 2008.

These players make up part of the strongest field in the six-year history of the Deutsche Bank Championship, which has quickly become New England’s favourite Labor Day sporting tradition, featuring the only Monday finish of a PGA Tour event.

All odds correct at time of writing. Please click here for the latest odds

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

Deutsche Bank Championship Betting

The PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles, itself the venue for the 2014 Ryder Cup, provides an appropriate setting for the climax to the race to be part of The 2008 European Ryder Cup Team bound for Kentucky in three weeks time. The Johnnie Walker Championship celebrates its tenth anniversary on the European Tour as the conclusion to the contest to be part of Nick Faldo’s side. Englishman Lee Westwood, world-ranked no.13 and second in the European Order of Merit, is favourite at 10/1 with Paddy Power.

Ryder Cup qualification adds an exciting extra facet to the battle for the winner’s cheque, which approaches ?300,000. While the players who currently occupy positions one to seven on the Ryder Cup list, namely Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson, Robert Karlsson, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Graeme McDowell are have guaranteed places, there are still three automatic spots available. Examination of the entry list sees six of the seven men who can mathematically claim an automatic place scheduled to tee up. Places eight to ten are currently occupied by Justin Rose (18/1 with William Hill), Soren Hansen (22/1 with William Hill) and Oliver Wilson (50/1 with Paddy Power), but they will be keeping a careful eye on the chasing pack of Martin Kaymer (35/1 with bet365), Ross Fisher (35/1 with Paddy Power) and Nick Dougherty (50/1 with totesport). Ian Poulter is the surprise absentee, having chosen to play in the US, when a top-five finish at Gleneagles would probably have secured him a trip to Kentucky.

Nick Faldo will make his two Ryder Cup “wildcard” picks after the conclusion of the tournament. Ulsterman Darren Clarke (22/1 with William Hill) did no harm in promoting his cause when storming to a spectacular four-stroke victory over Paul McGinley in last week’s KLM Open in the Netherlands, his second win of the 2008 season following his success in the BMW Asian Open in April. A veteran of five Ryder Cups and the man whose emotion-packed performance inspired the European Team to victory over the United States at Ireland’s K Club two years ago, Clarke admitted he was taking nothing for granted. He is hoping for a good tournament at Gleneagles to underline his claims for a Captain’s pick, but is of the opinion that if there are more-deserving players (in Faldo’s opinion) they will be forming part of a very strong European team. Paul Casey, a dual previous winner of the Johnnie Walker Championship, does not play this year, but has been in decent form of late, finishing tied 15th in the USPGA, tied 8th at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational and tied 7th at the Open. He must surely rank highly in Nick Faldo’s shortlist of possible “wildcard” picks. Ian Poulter may have “shot himself in the foot” by withdrawing from Gleneagles. He has denied himself the opportunity of qualifying automatically and is by no means guaranteed a “wildcard” place in the side.

Scotland’s Marc Warren was a Nick Faldo “wildcard” choice for the Great Britain & Ireland team in last year’s Seve Trophy. The 27 year-old was selected largely on the back of his superb performance at Gleneagles where he birdied the final hole and repeated the feat at the second play-off hole to beat England’s Simon Wakefield and win the 2007 Johnnie Walker Championship. Warren is particularly looking forward to defending his Scottish title, living in close proximity to Gleneagles. He said, “Obviously defending any tournament on The European Tour is massive, but to be going back to Scotland, to somewhere that is just 45 minutes from where I live and grew up, to defend a title is very special.” He played excellently to finish a tied fourth in Holland’s KLM Open, some seven shots behind Clarke and arrives in good form. He is a 50/1 chance with Stan James to repeat his 2007 success.

All odds correct at time of writing. Please click here for the latest odds

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

Johnnie Walker Championship Betting

The Barclays abruptly leaves Westchester Country Club after 41 years, moving to Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, New Jersey for the 2008 renewal. Phil Mickelson is the 10/1 favourite with Ladbrokes.

Ridgewood is a classic “Tillie” Tillinghast design that continues the tradition of rough-lined fairways, deep bunkers and frightening putting surfaces. The Championship Course is a composite affair, being composed of 18 of Ridgewood’s available 27 holes. Whilst it should feel similar to other Tillinghast courses like Winged Foot and Baltusrol, it is still an unknown entity to the vast majority of contestants this week. Although Ridgewood has a long history of hosting high-profile tournaments, including the 1935 Ryder Cup, the 1990 U.S. Senior Open and, most recently, the 2001 Senior PGA Championship, The Barclays Classic will mark its first official PGA Tour event.

The PGA tour decided last January to leave Westchester because of poor attendance and differences with the club over the tournament setup and member access. Since the tour’s plan was already to move the event to different venues over the next six years (a rotation that was supposed to begin with Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City in 2009) the tour had been in discussions with Ridgewood since late last summer.

Although the Ridgewood board had initial concerns about preparing for a high-profile tournament in less than eight months, it eventually agreed to host the 2008 Barclays, in a deal that was finalised in late January. What the club lacked in lead time it made up for with the strength of the golf course, which will play at a stout 7,319 yards producing higher scores than normally seen. While few players will have seen Ridgewood before, it has created a favourable impression with the minority that have.

“I think it’s a wonderful golf course,” Phil Mickelson said in a statement after playing the course in May. “. It’s one of the premier courses in the land. It’s spectacular, and it’s going to play long and difficult,” he added.

Mickelson has an impressive track record on Tillinghast courses, including second-place finishes in US Opens at Bethpage Black (2002) and Winged Foot (2006), and a win in the 2005 PGA at Baltusrol. One of those second-place finishes for Mickelson was a result of one of his classic “chokes” at Winged Foot. He may feel at home on a course like Ridgewood, or might be spooked before hitting the first shot. Given Ridgewood’s length alone, long-hitters are expected to have an advantage.

Leading Contenders

Sergio Garcia
Following yet another near-miss at the USPGA Championship, it will be interesting to see exactly how the young Spaniard, rated a 16/1 chance by skybet, fares at Ridgewood.

Padraig Harrington
Harrington, the hottest property in golf at the moment, with consecutive wins in Major championships, now takes aim at the FedEx Cup and is a tempting 14/1 with skybet for the Barclays Classic.

Anthony Kim
The self-confident young American has two impressive wins on difficult courses this year. A 33/1 chance with William Hill, success at Ridgewood would be an impressive third win of the season.

Kenny Perry
At the age of 48, Perry is enjoying a career-best season, with three wins already. He has been gearing up all season for the Ryder Cup in his home state of Kentucky next month and William Hill’s offer of 50/1 for the Barclays Classic looks generous.

Rocco Mediate
This Tour veteran won a legion of admirers when finishing runner-up to Tiger Woods at the US Open. Certain to be a crowd favourite. (175/1 with Stan James).

Phil Mickelson
Mickelson won the last event in New Jersey, the 2005 PGA Championship at Baltusrol. However, despite Ladbrokes rating him the 10/1 favourite, “Lefty” has some mixed form of late and makes little appeal from a betting perspective.

Geoff Ogilvy
With Ridgewood’s comparisons to Winged Foot, Ogilvy, the 2006 US Open Champion, a 40/1 chance with Stan James, should be in familiar territory.

Vijay Singh
Singh, the only three-time champion in Barclays Classic history, has a chance to win a fourth at a new venue and rates a 33/1 chance with skybet.

Steve Stricker
The defending champion, who has failed to build on last year’s win at Westchester, but Ridgewood should suit his game.

Johnson Wagner
After a breakthrough win earlier this year in Houston, Wagner (300/1 with totesport) needs to play well in the next three events to qualify for the Tour Championship at the end of the season.

All odds correct at time of writing. Please click here for the latest odds

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

Barclays Classic Golf Betting

From August 21st to 24th, the KLM Open at the Kennemer Golf and Country Club will host some of the world’s best golfers on the PGA European Tour. Henrik Stenson is the 10/1 favourite (Ladbrokes), whilst Justin Rose can be backed at 12/1 (Blue Square and 888sport). The Kennemer Golf and Country Club, Zandvoort, Netherlands, was founded in 1910 and the 27-hole links course has been a European PGA venue since 1972. Past winners include Colin Montgomerie, Lee Westwood and a 19 year-old Seve Ballesteros. The KLM Open has a unique place in the history of The European Tour. Winners Seve Ballesteros (1976, aged 19 and 121 days) and Paul Way (1983, 19 and 149 days), mean this event is the only one to witness two teenage winners. Wentworth Club’s Ross Fisher survived a worrying rules enquiry before knowing he had broken through as a European Tour champion by winning The KLM Open in 2007.

Fisher birdied the final hole for a closing three under par 67 and a 12 under par 268 aggregate, to take the title by a stroke from young Dutchman Joost Luiten. However, the 26 year-old Englishman had to return to the 12th hole to prove to officials he had not broken a rule by lifting a bramble runner and then check out the incident on video before he was cleared to collect the ?266,666 first prize. After a thorough examination of the incident, Fisher’s actions were not deemed illegal.

Ten years ago, Justin Rose used The European Tour’s annual trip to the Netherlands to launch his fledgling professional career. Now, ten years on, the Englishman is back at The KLM Open, hoping a dose of Dutch courage will aid his bid to secure a Ryder Cup debut. In 1998, Rose arrived at Hilversumche Golf Club in a blaze of publicity after his magnificent effort in The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale where, as an amateur, he finished in a share of fourth place after memorably holing his pitch at the final hole. Understandably, the clamour unsettled the young Englishman, whose first round in the paid ranks was a 77. Despite a gutsy 65 in the second round, he missed the cut, as he did in his first twenty-one starts as a professional. However, he arrives this year at Kennemer Golf and Country Club as the 12th ranked golfer in the world, on the verge of securing Ryder Cup honours for the first time.

The KLM Open, with its increased prize fund of ?1,800,000, remains one of the oldest and most prestigious titles in Continental Europe. The closeness of the tournament to Ryder Cup and the fact that it is the penultimate event counting towards qualification for the European Team means that any discussion of the tournament inevitably involves a discussion of Ryder Cup qualification. This is borne out by the entry list, which features seven of the eight players contesting what appear to be the last three automatic places in the European Team, which will travel to Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky in four weeks time, looking to win The Ryder Cup for the fourth successive time.

Conventional wisdom suggests that the players who currently occupy positions the first seven positions on the list, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson, who plays at the KLM Open (10/1 favourite with skybet), Robert Karlsson, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Graeme McDowell, are pretty much guaranteed a place in the European Ryder Cup Team. However, there are still three automatic places up for grabs. The majority of the men occupying the next eight positions, namely Rose (14/1 with vcbet), Oliver Wilson (40/1 with Stan James), Soren Hansen (40/1 with skybet), Martin Kaymer (22/1 with Stan James), Ross Fisher (25/1 with totesport), Nick Dougherty and Soren Kjeldsen, respectively 30/1 and 35/1 with Stan James, will all tee up at the glorious Zandvoort venue, with the ?300,000 first prize, along with the accompanying Ryder Cup points, firmly in their minds.

Unsurprisingly, these players dominate the betting market. Reigning champion Ross Fisher, European Open Champion at the beginning of July, will have pressure of a different kind this year, as he attempts to produce another winning performance to make his dream of a Ryder Cup come true. It will, however, be pressure he shares with at least six other players and promises to be a fascinating week’s golf.

All odds correct at time of writing. Please click here for the latest odds

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

KLM Open Betting 2008

When the South Course of Oakland Hills was formally opened on July 13, 1918, it already enjoyed a certain degree of prestige. After all, the course was designed by the foremost golf course architect of his day, Donald Ross and the Club had engaged, as its first professional, Walter Hagen, who had already won the United States Open. Oakland Hills’ South Course is now world-renowned and is consistently picked among the top ten tests of golf in the United States and, indeed, the world. Its reputation is well earned. No stranger to Major Championship golf, Oakland Hills as already hosted 10 Major Championships. Although many tournaments have been held throughout the years at Oakland Hills, the one which gave the course its greatest reputation as “The Monster” was the 1951 Open. Ben Hogan won with a total of 287, by shooting a final round 67 after which he was quoted as saying “I am glad I brought this course, this monster, to its knees.” He also said that it was “the greatest test of golf I have ever played and the toughest course.”

Dual Open champion Padraig Harrington is hoping his Royal Birkdale victory will not leave him as flat as his win at Carnoustie did 12 months ago. This time around, and heading into the USPGA Championship, Harrington still took a week off following his four-shot victory over Ian Poulter to celebrate his retention of the Claret Jug but insisted he had been dealing with his repeat success with more discipline than he did his initial win. He is a 20/1 chance with totesport for Oakland Hills.

Phil Mickelson spent more than three hours dissecting the front nine of the revamped Oakland Hills, the site of the PGA Championship, commencing August 7th. “Lefty” last played the course as a member of the 2004 U.S. Ryder Cup team. Since then the course has been lengthened by some 400 yards, with tougher hazards and smaller landing areas. “We’ve got a lot more work to do,” said Mickelson, who was playing under the guidance of short-game coach Dave Pelz. Mickelson, the no.2 in the world, is attempting his first major win since the 2006 Masters. This year, his best effort was a tied fifth at the Masters, though he finished in the top 20 in both the U.S and British Opens. Phil Mickelson is 12/1 with totesport to triumph at Oakland Hills

Despite the fact that Greg Norman has declined his invitation to the event, and the absence of Tiger Woods through injury, the 2008 PGA Championship is set to feature a strong, world class field when action gets underway at the Oakland Hills Country Club on 7th August. The USPGA has reported that the event will feature 97 of the world’s top 100 ranked golfers, the strongest field for any of this year’s majors. This continues the PGA Championship’s tradition of attracting the strongest fields of the major championships.

Amongst the talent featured at the 2008 PGA Championship will be 27 major championship winners, who have cumulatively notched up 36 majors titles. Amongst these are Jim Furyk (20/1 with 888sport), Ernie Els (25/1 with sportingbet), Geoff Ogilvy (33/1 with skybet) and a host of golf’s biggest names. The tournament will also include ten previous PGA Championship winners, with the likes of David Toms (125/1 with William Hill) and Vijay Singh (33/1 with sportingbet) striding the fairways of the Oakland Hills Country Club. While many big names will be in action at the 2008 PGA Championship, it is the form and up-and-coming PGA players that many fans will come to watch, with the likes of Kenny Perry (33/1 with skybet) and Anthony Kim (25/1 with William Hill) looking to prove that they have what it takes to win a major championship.

Those looking for a big outsider with a chance could do worse than consider the might-hitting Bubba Watson. At 125/1, with William Hill for the USPGA Championship, he will provide some entertainment for your money. It is no great shock to see him at the head of the Driving Distance category, but has managed to put some score s together in recent events, including a 2nd place behind Kenny Perry at the Buick Open, where he just missed out on forcing a play-off he was very much upbeat and considered it a tremendous week rather than a lost opportunity.

Injured Luke Donald’s hopes of making September’s Ryder Cup team suffered a further setback when he withdrew from the USPGA Championship. Donald has not played since picked injuring a wrist in the final round of the US Open in June. The 30-year-old faces a struggle to qualify automatically for the team and is not guaranteed a wild card entry.

Five events remain on the calendar before the Ryder Cup qualifying deadline on 31 August and, as things stand, Open Championship runner-up Ian Poulter
(66/1 with totesport), Colin Montgomerie (125/1 with totesport), Paul Casey
(66/1 with William Hill) and Darren Clarke (150/1 with William Hill) are also in need of one of two wild cards for the 12-man team. Clarke’s chances of qualification were boosted when the Northern Irishman, 33rd on the points table, received an invitation to the last major of the year. He was also allowed to compete at this week’s World Championship thanks to the wild card Ian Woosnam gave him for the 2006 Ryder Cup.

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

US PGA Golf Betting

The 137th Open Championship takes place at Royal Birkdale Golf Club, Southport, Lancashire, from July 17th to 20th. Preparation for the staging of the 2008 Championship has involved alterations to sixteen of the eighteen holes at Royal Birkdale. Playing at 7173 yards, the course is a mere 150 yards longer than when Mark O’Meara lifted the Claret Jug at the same venue in 1998. However, with a par of 70, the course will still present a tough challenge befitting the world’s greatest players. The Open competitors will be presented with some different choices with regard to playing tactics and strategy, with alterations to the lines of play on five holes, namely the third, ninth, eleventh, sixteenth and seventeenth holes. One of the most significant changes is to the par-four ninth, where the fairway has been moved some twenty-five yards to the left. Additionally, the green of the par-five seventeenth has been relocated. The new putting surface is raised above fairway level and a further twenty-five yards back. This is sure to present a far more testing approach, especially for any player attempting to reach in two. The Championship course has also been made more difficult by the insertion of sixteen new fairway bunkers and four new greenside hazards. Furthermore, seven of the greens now have substantial mounding, which will require players to use a greater diversity of inventive recovery shots.

The most significant fact about the 2008 Open Championship is the absence of fourteen time Major winner, Tiger Woods. Following knee surgery in April, Woods managed to capture the US Open in his first competitive outing since. However, the knee still caused him considerable pain and requires further surgery, which is likely to rule Woods out for the rest of the season.

As a result, bookmakers are looking forward to the most competitive Open, with the biggest turnover, for many years. Sergio Garcia leapt to Open favouritism after an encouraging display in the European Open. The Spaniard is now a best priced 10/1 with Paddy Power having finished an impressive runner-up to Ross Fisher. Fisher won by a comfortable seven shots (66/1 with William Hill for the Open), but Garcia had plenty of reason to be pleased. He ranked his last round 66, in atrocious conditions, as one of his best rounds of all time and “definitely the best putting round I’ve ever had.” With a previous win at The Players’ Championship, Garcia looks a worthy favourite. He is missing the Scottish Open to complete his Open preparations away from competitive golf. However, dual Scottish Open winner Ernie Els, a best-priced 14/1 with skybet for the Open, Lee Westwood and Phil Mickelson (both 16/1 with William Hill for the Open) are competing at Loch Lomond. Remarkably, Mickelson is the only US player in the top dozen in the Open betting.

Padraig Harrington, the reigning Open Champion, is now a best-priced 18/1 with Paddy Power to retain the Claret Jug, despite a rather disappointing 17th in the European Open. Justin Rose, ranked no. 9 in the world is a 25/1 chance with Paddy Power, but his recent form, tied 38th in the European Open, tied 92nd in the US Open and tied 106th in the BMW PGA Championship hardly inspires confidence. Fiji’s Vijay Singh (28/1 Paddy Power) inevitably performs well without winning, and looks good for a top-10 finish. Aussie Adam Scott (33/1 with Paddy Power) boasts a best Open finish of 8th place in 2006. A winner this season at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship, he must have some sort of chance in a very open event. South African Retief Goosen (33/1 with sportingbet) is a dual US Open winner, and 14 times European Tour winner. However, so often he flatters to deceive, posting 2 or 3 good rounds before fading in the closing stages.

Swede Robert Karlsson (33/1with Paddy Power) has been in excellent form, with 5 top-10 finishes from his last 6 starts, the other being a 13th in the French Open. Argentinean Andres Romero (40/1 with William Hill), a tied 36th in the US Open, had top-8 finishes in both the BMW PGA Championship and The Masters. Both represent decent each-way value. Anthony Kim, who won the AT&T National to all but guarantee himself a Ryder Cup debut in September, is 50-1 for the Open with skybet. Jim Furyk finished strongly to tie for third in the same event. Furyk, fourth at Royal Birkdale in 1998, is now a best-priced 25/1 with William Hill. Robert Allenby (50/1 with William Hill) and Hunter Mahan (66/1 with Ladbrokes) have also shortened for the Open after respectable finishes in the AT&T tournament. Mahan is 15th in total driving and 2nd in greens in regulation, so if he can get the putter working, might just be a contender.

Coincidentally, the last time an Open Championship favourite started at double-figure odds was the last time it was held at Royal Birkdale in 1998, when Mark O’Meara won at 40-1. The 12/1 favourite at the outset was a certain Eldrick “Tiger” Woods (he has since officially changed his name by deed poll). At the time, Woods was twenty-two years old, with just one Major (the 1997 Masters) to his name. A final round 66 took him to within one shot of a playoff with close friend O’Meara on that occasion.

All odds correct at time of writing. Please click here for the latest odds

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

Golf Open Betting – Bet on The Open Golf Championship

The Scottish Open has been played at Loch Lomond since 1996, just two years after the course was opened. In a relatively short time, the tournament and venue have grown in stature, becoming a highlight of the European Tour. Traditionally held the week before The Open Championship, The Barclays Scottish Open is one of the most popular events on The European Tour schedule.

Key Players

Three out of the world’s top four golfers will tee up in the 2008 event, to be staged at Loch Lomond Golf Club from July 10th to 13th. Phil Mickelson, the world number two (13/2 with 888sport) and the third ranked Ernie Els, a dual winner of the Championship, (10/1 with 888sport) return after filling the places behind Frenchman Gregory Havret last year (888sport offer 60/1 for a repeat). Adam Scott, who last played at Loch Lomond in 2005 and currently ranked number four in the world, also stakes his claim (12/1 with 888sport).

At the time of writing, the only prices on offer are from betting exchange, Betfair, and 888sport, though the other “fixed-odds” bookmakers such as Victor Chandler, Blue Square, Sky Bet and their colleagues are likely to be pricing up the event in the immediate future. The field also includes last year’s US Open Champion Angel Cabrera (28/1, 888sport) and 2007 Match Play winner Henrik Stenson (22/1). A strong Great Britain and Ireland contingent is headed by two former winners, Lee Westwood (14/1) and Colin Montgomerie (33/), as well as Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke (50/1). Other 2008 European Tour winners to confirm they will play at Loch Lomond include Richard Finch (100/1), Graham McDowell (33/1) and 2004 champion Thomas Levet (40/1). All prices from 888sport.

Last year, Gregory Havret defeated Mickelson in a dramatic sudden-death play-off to become the 20th golfer to claim The Barclays Scottish Open title and then left the large crowd in no doubt about what the victory meant to him. “It feels awesome to have won,” said the Frenchman after collecting the £½ million winner’s cheque. prize. “It’s a dream come true. I have to say that the French Open is obviously very important for me, but, after that, to win in Scotland is just something else.” Adam Scott, who closed with a breath-taking eleven under par 61 to win this year’s Qatar Masters, spoke for many of his peers when he said: “I am really looking forward to returning to Loch Lomond to participate in The Barclays Scottish Open. It’s a great tournament, set on a fantastic golf course and a week that the players always enjoy.”

England’s Oliver Wilson, (60/1 with 888sport) hopes to be back in action at the Scottish Open, despite withdrawing from The European Open because of tendinitis in his left shoulder. The problem is thought to have been brought on by three weeks of playing on hard ground.

All odds correct at time of writing. Please click here for the latest odds

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

Scottish Open Golf Betting

The 31st European Open will be played in the UK for the first time since 1994, when the London Golf Club, Kent plays host to one of the European Tour’s most prestigious events. The championship course is 7208 yards in length, with a par of 72. The prize fund for the event is £2.4 million. The previous 30 events have produced 26 different winners, from 12 different countries.

Return to Form for Montgomerie?

Colin Montgomerie will return to defend his title against a star studded field over the stunning Jack Nicklaus designed Heritage course. The European Open has been won by no less than 8 Major Champions including Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, Greg Norman & Ian Woosnam, and in Ryder Cup year, competition will once again be fierce as Europe’s best players compete to capture vital Ryder Cup points and one of the biggest titles on The European Tour. Montgomerie has admitted that his advancing years are making it increasingly difficult for him to compete at the top of the game. Turning 45 next week, the eight-time European Order of Merit winner has slipped out of the top 100 in the world rankings and has not managed to finish in the top 50 of the last seven tournaments he has entered. He has only two top ten finishes to his name this season and finds himself way down in 68th on the Order of Merit. However, the Scot remains hopeful of forcing his way into Europe’s Ryder Cup team and insists he still has the talent to be competitive at the top level, but concedes his age is beginning to work against him, especially mentally. However, Montgomerie has shown a timely return to form with 3 consecutive sub-70 rounds to put him in tied second place at 8 under par, three shots behind Pablo Larrazabal, after 54 holes of the French Open. Betfair have Montgomerie as a 24/1 chance for the European Open.

Leading Contenders

Golf fans can also expect the usual strong line up of European Tour players with the likes of Niclas Fasth (33/1), Sergio Garcia (11/1), Soren Hansen (22/1), Robert Karlsson (16/1), Ian Poulter (24/1), Justin Rose (31/2) and reigning Open Champion Padraig Harrington (27/2) all likely to appear. The Betfair betting exchange is the only source of prices at the moment, though the fixed odds layers such as Ladbrokes, Victor Chandler, William Hill, totesport, Blue Square and company are sure to have the event priced up in the next day or so. Having recently won the Players Championship in the United States, Sergio Garcia must be amongst the favourites for the European Open. However, he will face no easy task in taking this title. Robert Karlsson has had an excellent season, finishing tied 4th in the US Open, 2nd in the Celtic Manor Wales Open, tied 3rd in both the BMW PGA Championship, 3rd in the Italian Open and tied 8th in the Masters. With 5 places available, Karlsson looks a cast-iron each-way proposition. Justin Rose seems likely to be well-fancied, but despite being ranked number 9 in the world, has not won since November 2007 and is likely to start too short to merit support. Those punters who like to see a golf ball suffer might like an absolute minimum each-way interest in the massively long-hitting Italian Emanuele Canonica. Only a small man at 5′4″ tall, but able to propel the ball prodigious distances. Only once a winner on the European Tour (2005), but likely to provide some real entertainment for your money (109/1 with Betfair).

All odds correct at time of writing. Please click here for the latest odds

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

Golf Betting – Bet on the European Open Golf