05/09/2008 - Milan, Italy (Golf Betting) - Robert Karlsson fired an 11-under 61 in the second-round of the Italian Open on Friday to set a course record and take a two-shot lead.
Karlsson was at 15-under-par 129 overall, his 61 on Friday breaking the previous Castello di Tolcinasco course record of 62 set by fellow Swede Joakim Backstrom last year.
Ranked No. 48, Karlsson is one of only five golfers in the world top 50 not competing at the Players Championship this week.
"My caddie actually got a text from Nick O'Hern's caddie, who is at Sawgrass, and it said 'greens rock hard, fairways rock hard, rough very thick, greens running 13, and forecast high winds' so I said to him 'Maybe it is good that I am here!" Karlsson remarked.
Next week's European Tour event is the Irish Open, meaning Karlsson would have had considerably more travel time had he competed in the Players Championship this week.
"It worked out best for the family, too, because I can see the kids on Monday. So there are many plusses to coming here, [including] the lure of good Ryder Cup points if I could go on and win," said Karlsson.
He had a two-stroke cushion on England's Mark Foster and South Africa's Hennie Otto, who both shot 66 on Friday to share second place at 13-under 131.
Denmark's Anders Hansen (65) and Argentina's Estanislao Goya (67) were tied at 11-under 133, with seven players knotted another shot further back at 134.
Karlsson, who opened with a 68 in the first round to share 24th place overnight, vaulted into the lead with eight birdies, two eagles and just one bogey on Friday.
He started on the back nine with three consecutive birdies, followed by a bogey at the 13th and an eagle at the par-five 15th on the way to a 32. He then scorched the front nine for a 29, making five birdies and another eagle at the par-five first.
Karlsson also shot a 61 in the first round of the 2006 Wales Open, though it came on a par-69 course. He won that tournament for one of his seven European Tour titles.
His 129 total after Friday's round was one shot off Ian Poulter's 36-hole tournament record from 2002.
Karlsson spoke of a recent drop in the world rankings, and his decision to play in Europe this week.
"All of a sudden you don't know, and it only takes a couple of guys to win and you can go either way," he said. "So I decided to stay in Europe and prepare for here, which was good."
The cut line fell at four-under 140, with the previous two champions, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Francesco Molinari, missing the mark.
<< Inter tries again for third straight title
Milan, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After failing to secure its third straight
scudetto last Sunday with a 2-1 defeat to rivals AC Milan, Inter Milan will
attempt to lift the title once again with a home victory against Siena on
Sunday.
<< Kolzig not returning to Caps
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Washington Capitals goaltender Olaf Kolzig
has said that he will not be returning to the team he has spent his entire NHL
career with, according to a report on Friday.
Kolzig told the Washington Post th
<< Federer falls in Rome quarters
Rome, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - World No. 1 superstar Roger Federer
suffered a quarterfinal setback Friday at the hands of gritty Czech Radek
Stepanek at the $3.5 million Italian Masters, a clay-court French Open tune-
up.
The un
<< Houston looks for first win vs. first place Rapids
Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The back-to-back defending Major League Soccer
Cup champion Houston Dynamo will be gunning for their first win of the 2008
season on Saturday night when they host the Colorado Rapids.
The struggling Dynam
Report: Knicks negotiating with D'Antoni >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Knicks are reportedly
negotiating with Suns head coach Mike D'Antoni to become their next coach.
The New York Post reported on its website on Friday, citing a league source,
that co
Drama at both ends of Premiership table on final day >>
Manchester, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - There is still plenty to be decided on
the final Premiership Sunday of the season, with Manchester United and Chelsea
both level on 84 points at the top, while three teams are separated by just
one poi
Lyon filled with confidence ahead of top-three clash >>
Lyon, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Lyon will head into Saturday's top-three
showdown with Nancy full of confidence after beating Sedan 1-0 in the
semifinals of the French Cup on Wednesday.
The six-time defending Ligue 1 champi
Lo Duca, Estrada placed on DL >>
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Nationals placed a pair
of catchers, Paul Lo Duca and Johnny Estrada, on the 15-day disabled list
on Friday.
The club recalled catcher Jesus Flores from Triple-A Columbus, and rein
Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament odds
As of February 9, MySportsbook.com has released its coveted 2007 Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament betting odds. “March Madness betting ” only a month away, the top ranked Florida Gators are favorite at 7-2 to win it all. The defending champs have not disappointed at all this season and currently have a 22-2 record and are undefeated (9-0) in SEC play. The Gators’ thrive off of their extremely balanced, experienced and versatile attack. All five starters started in last seasons National Championship game. What is most impressive with this group is their balance; the five starters all average between 10.7 and 13.6 PPG. The Gators have been on an absolute roll having won 15 straight by an average of 16.4 PPG.
Right behind the Gators are the 5th ranked UNC Tar Heels at 9-2. The Heels (21-3, 7-2) are absolutely loaded with top notch talent and are as deep as any team in the country. A concern for the Tar Heels might be inexperience. Of their top four scorers/ minute earners, three are freshmen and the other is a sophomore. The rest of the regular season, the Tar Heels play only one team that is currently ranked (Duke). Their remaining opponents do combine for an impressive 107-58 record though.
Other teams that the MySportsbook.com members seem to believe will win it all include the west coasts’ top team #2 UCLA (6-1), #3 OSU behind man-child Greg Oden (8-1), and #4 Wisconsin (10-1) behind their defense which has given up 70+ points only three times all season.
Below is a list of some of the favorites to win the 2007 Men’s NCAA Basketball Championship lines. For the full list of teams and March Madness odds be sure to log onto MySportsbook.com. If you want to use your credit card to bet on college hoops or any other event, MySportsbook.com has the highest credit card acceptance rate in the industry.
Arizona 20-1
Butler 20-1
Duke 30-1
Florida 7-2
Georgetown 30-1
Indiana 35-1
Kansas 15-1
Marquette 25-1
Maryland 40-1
Memphis 50-1
Nevada 50-1
UNC 9-2
OSU 8-1
Oregon 30-1
Pittsburgh 15-1
Texas 30-1
Texas A&M 18-1
UCLA 6-1
Wisconsin 10-1
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook betting needs.
MySportsbook.com Favors Fighting Irish to win College Football betting odds
According to odds makers at MySportsbook.com, on January 8, the Fighting Irish faithful may be toasting their 14th national title in Arizona – Notre Dame’s first national championship in close to 20 years.
Although MySportsbook.com has listed Notre Dame as the 5-1 favorite to win thecollege football College Football betting, fans in Columbus do not need to cancel their tickets to Glendale just yet. The Ohio State Buckeyes, listed right behind the Irish at 7-1, are also heavy favorites to win college football’s most coveted prize, while West Virginia, USC and the 2007 National Champion Texas Longhorns - all listed at 8-1 – are strong contenders as well.
MySportsbook.com has also posted gambling odds on the conference championships for the ACC, Big 12 and SEC. In the ACC – it could be anyone’s title, particularly for the two schools from the Sunshine State. Florida State and Miami, both listed at 2-1, are favored to win the ACC Championship Game odds, with the ‘Noles hoping to finish in the nation’s top 10 for the first time in five years, and the ‘Canes looking to avenge their 10-7 loss against FSU in last year’s ACC Championship betting.
Moving west to the Big 12, MySportsbook.com has betting lines listing Texas as 7-5 favorites to repeat as conference champions, even though the Longhorns lost their national championship-winning quarterback Vince Young to the NFL. In the south, the Auburn Tigers – led by Heisman-hopeful senior running back Kenny Irons – have been given the best odds to win the SEC Championship odds at 5-2.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Visa needs.
| Notre Dame Ohio State West Virginia Texas USC Florida California Auburn Oklahoma Iowa Louisville Florida State Michigan Miami (FL) LSU Penn State Virginia Tech Nebraska Tennessee Georgia Arizona State Oregon Clemson Texas A&M Texas Tech Alabama Arkansas Boston College Michigan State Maryland South Carolina Colorado Purdue Georgia Tech TCU UCLA Arizona Pittsburgh Iowa State Wisconsin North Carolina State Virginia North Carolina Fresno State Hawaii Northwestern BYU Oregon State UNLV Field (Any Other Team) |
5-1 7-1 8-1 8-1 8-1 12-1 15-1 15-1 18-1 20-1 20-1 20-1 20-1 20-1 25-1 40-1 40-1 50-1 60-1 60-1 60-1 70-1 70-1 100-1 100-1 100-1 100-1 100-1 150-1 200-1 200-1 200-1 200-1 200-1 250-1 250-1 300-1 300-1 300-1 300-1 300-1 300-1 400-1 500-1 500-1 500-1 500-1 1000-1 1000-1 40-1 |
| Miami (FL) Florida State Virginia Tech Clemson Georgia Tech Boston College Maryland Virginia North Carolina State North Carolina Wake Forest Duke |
2-1 2-1 3-1 7-1 15-1 15-1 15-1 30-1 30-1 30-1 50-1 500-1 |
| Texas Oklahoma Nebraska Texas Tech Colorado Iowa State Texas A&M Kansas State Missouri Kansas Baylor Oklahoma State |
7-5 9-5 9-2 12-1 14-1 15-1 15-1 30-1 30-1 35-1 100-1 100-1 |
| Auburn Florida LSU Georgia Tennessee Arkansas Alabama Mississippi South Carolina Mississippi State Kentucky Vanderbilt |
5-2 11-4 4-1 6-1 7-1 7-1 9-1 20-1 28-1 75-1 100-1 300-1 |
For complete NCAA football odds please visit Mysportsbook.com.
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