US Masters Betting: 101 reasons why Westwood is Major value for the win at Augusta

"Westwood now has the opportunity to tumble out of bed at his home in the exclusive paradise of Old Palm Golf Club, pull on his shorts and go straight out to practise. The immediate result is that he’s now ranked 21st on tour for scrambling."

Lee Westwood has come close at Augusta in two of the last three seasons. Ralph Ellis says this could be the year when an improved short game means he's ready to be measured up for the Green Jacket...

By his own admission Lee Westwood once had more than 100 putters stored in his garage. While Tiger Woods took the same battered old implement from one winning tournament to the other for years, Worksop's finest was always looking for the magic stick which would sort out the one big weakness in his game.

It's the oldest adage in golf that you drive for show and putt for dough, and Westwood has long been its biggest example. Brilliant from tee to green (his ex caddy Billy Foster claims he's always been the world's best), his short game has never quite matched up.

Take last year's Masters, for example. Around four days at Augusta he took 128 putts, a total exceeded by only three others who played all 72 holes, and yet still finished just two shots short of a play-off. It was probably the most glaring example of his problems in a year when he stayed in the world's top ten despite being ranked 189th for scrambling and 174th in strokes gained/putting on the PGA tour. It doesn't take a genius to work out what needed to be solved to take the last step and actually win a Major.

Much has been made of Westwood's decision to leave his Nottingham roots and move his family to Florida. It's been part of a drastic change, with sacked caddies, coaches and other specialists left in his wake.

But one side effect of living in America was the chance to do something about his short game, and not only the opportunity to tumble out of bed at his home in the exclusive paradise of Old Palm Golf Club, pull on his shorts and go straight out to practise. The immediate result is that he's now ranked 21st on tour for scrambling. The chip shots are going close enough to the hole that he hasn't had to rely on putting.

Living in the States also allowed him to spend some time at Ping's headquarters in Arizona to have his putting stroke put under high-tec analysis with HD cameras establishing that he was cutting slightly across the ball from outside to inside. If you're bothered about the technical side he will now use a Counterbalanced Ping Scottsdale TR Anser B. If you're not, all you need to know is that it has a longer, 38 inch shaft and a higher mass to keep the face more square to the target. He used it in anger for the first time in the Shell Houston Open and the result was a top ten finish. In his opening round he took just 26 putts.

Now I know Augusta's lightning fast greens are a different matter, but that does tend to make Westwood's current price of 3.45n/a for a top ten finish in the Masters rather tempting. Come to that he's got the pedigree to think that backing him at 3433/1 to be the winner will give you a very good run for your money. You're talking about a player who has been in the top three in two of the last three seasons, so sort out his most glaring fault and it could be time to take the final step.

He once had 100 putters. Could it be that the 101st will be the one that Westwood prizes most?

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Michael Vaughan: Pair of former Major winners to adapt well to the conditions

"Graeme McDowell (38.0) and Padraig Harrington (21.0) have similar assets going for them. Both good putters on their day, experienced links players and resourceful guys around the greens. They’re both major winners of course and that will help them if they’re in contention and both offer good back-to-lay material."

Michael Vaughan explains why this year's Open course is not one for the faint-hearted and which skills are required to master it. Padraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell could be lively runners over the next four days.

Straight hitting, a cute game around the greens, an ability to handle the conditions and plenty of patience will be required this week at The Open.

Step forward Lee Westwood, who has all of the above in spades. He's an absolute class player as his position in the rankings, the number of tournaments he's won and his Ryder Cup performances prove.

That said, with each major that goes by golf fans will wonder more and more whether it will ever happen for him. And with that comes pressure. He, more than anyone else, will be aware that the top golfers are judged on majors won once they've packed it up and he'll be desperate to get the monkey off his back. Of course, you need a bit of luck with the conditions, especially at The Open where being out on the course in the best of the weather can radically affect the sort of scores you're shooting. But Lee has been incredibly consistent over the past few years, always there or thereabouts come Sunday. At 17.016/1 he's a slightly sorter price than what I'd want about him winning the whole thing but the 2.881/1 on him finishing in the Top 10 looks a pretty fair price.

I think this year's Open will be won by a European. This is links golf at its hardest with rain, wind and thick grass throwing all sorts of challenges at the world's elite. You don't just rock up after playing on the manicured fairways of the PGA Tour and find it easy to play good golf on a course like this. It takes experience and superb course management. It's one of those places where sometimes a bogey isn't the worst thing in the world on certain holes and you just have to take your medicine. Graeme McDowell (38.0) and Padraig Harrington (21.0) have similar assets going for them. Both good putters on their day, experienced links players and resourceful guys around the greens. They're both major winners of course and that will help them if they're in contention and both offer good back-to-lay material.

One player I think won't like this course though is Luke Donald. You've got to make the Par 5s count on a course as hard as this and I'm not sure he's long enough off the tee to reach the greens in two. He's a straight hitter, we know that much, but he just hasn't really performed in majors recently and he's probably a guy who views a US Open or even the USPGA as his best chance of winning a big one. I wish him all the best of course but 3.32/1 looks short on him finishing in the Top 10 so that looks worth laying.

Recommended Bets

Back Lee Westwood for a Top 10 finish @ 2.881/1
Back-to-lay Padraig Harrington @ 21.020/1
Back-to-lay Graeme McDowell @ 38.037/1
Lay Luke Donald for a Top 10 finish @ 3.32/1

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Open Championship: Will Lytham spell an end to Lee's major hopes going West?

"So while the golfing gods can also be cruel, Westwood is the first to point out that there’s more joy than struggle in the eternal labour of the game he loves."

Romilly Evans asks if Lee Westwood can finally get over the major line in the Open at Royal Lytham...

The philosopher Albert Camus always believed that anticipation was the purest form of pleasure. Better than the memory, better than the deed. In that, while the good things that actually happen to you often disappoint, those that never come to pass become engraved upon your heart with a bittersweet sadness.

Camus even argued that Sisyphus, Greek antiquity's poster boy for a bad day at the office, took satisfaction from his eternal punishment of pushing a boulder up a mountain, only for it to tumble back to the bottom as it reached the peak. The gods of Olympus had intended for Sisyphus to endure eternal frustration. Camus countered that there was joy to be found in this seemingly pointless struggle.

If Camus was right, Lee Westwood must be having the time of his life. After all, The Worksop Wonder has been rolling his boulder up the mountainside of major golf for longer than English golf fans care to remember. A total of 57 majors and counting to be exact. Every time he posts his name near the top of the Sunday leaderboard, down it falls. The near-misses have stacked up like planes approaching Heathrow, with eight top 10 finishes in the last 12 Majors. Westwood simply appears incapable of landing one safely.

Along the way, Westwood has become world number one, a prolific worldwide winner, multi-millionaire, contented family man, even an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. So while the golfing gods can also be cruel, Westwood is the first to point out that there's more joy than struggle in the eternal labour of the game he loves.

Of course, the mountain of public expectation grows ever steeper with the passing years. Especially at Westy's home Open next week, where the crowds will flock to see if their man can finally end his hoodoo in an event no Englishman has won since Nick Faldo triumphed at Muirfield in 1992. However, Westwood's form ahead of the Open suggests they can dare to dream once more.

The 39-year-old has contended wherever he has roamed this season, notching five top-10 finishes in eight events on the PGA Tour and five top-10s in 10 European Tour starts, punctuated by a recent victory at the Nordea Masters. He also reclaimed his Indonesian Masters crown.

As for the all-important majors, it's been a perennial refrain: third at The Masters, then a tie for 10th at the US Open, which looked altogether more promising until he bizarrely lost a ball up a tree in the final round. Even Westwood admitted to suffering from a severe case of the here-we-go-agains.

But as the Open returns to Royal Lytham this year, there is perhaps more reason for him to fend off the mental demons. And not just because this classic Lancashire links doesn't have any trees. Rather, when the Open last visited this corner of Lancashire in 2001, another nearly man of peerless precision with his woods and irons walked off with the Claret Jug. David Duval was that player and the similarities between the two golfers are stark: forever gifted, forever thwarted. Maybe Westwood's time is finally at hand around a course which should reward his accuracy and ball-striking.

Fears over last week's injury scare at the French Open (where he slipped walking over to the first tee) have proven to be unfounded - "the leg is perfectly fine, my fitness guy said I could play again this week if I really wanted to." Which means the only missing link is his old caddie, Billy Foster, who sadly hasn't recovered from his own leg injury to be on the bag this week. That said, the affable Foster will still be at Lytham to cheer on his great friend and despite the mixed emotions, none will be pulling harder.

If Westwood does manage to shake the monkey off his back (and Betfair players make him second favourite at 18.017/1 to back), he may be left feeling as Duval did in the wake of his milestone win. "I just thought it would feel sweeter than this," Double D opined to his caddie soon afterwards.

So maybe Camus was right about the human condition. There can be no joy without the struggle. Still, after all the years of frustration, Westwood's legion of supporters won't mind one bit if they see their man home. The Englishman who went up a hill but came down a mountain a major champion.

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Major League Baseball Betting: NY- Boston rivalry resumes!

MLB / Nick Shiambouros / 05 August 2011 / Leave a Comment

Can Sabathia help NY upset the odds at Fenway?

"Sabathia and Lackey are vulnerable for different reasons and could make costly mistakes."

There are some outstanding fixtures this weekend, featuring some of MLB's best teams. Nick Shiambouros selects bets from three games that you can watch live on ESPN America.

Saturday

New York Yankees v Boston Red Sox

CC Sabathia is on the hill for the Yankees. This lefty has a record of 16-5 and an ERA of just 2.55. Sabathia is one of the most dominant pitchers in the game and is in superb form. His ERA in his last eight starts is a remarkable 1.01. He has an outstanding fastball that works very well with his changeup and slider. Surprisingly, Sabathia has not had a great deal of success against Boston this season. His ERA is a disappointing 6.16 against the hard hitting Red Sox

The Red Sox start John Lackey who has a record of 9-8 and an ERA of 6.23. This veteran has not pitched well this season. He was smashed all over the park against Cleveland on Monday . He gave up five earned runs on eight hits in nearly seven innings. Lackey's winning record is mainly due to the outstanding Boston offense that has got him out of trouble all season long.

These two great teams are locked together at the top of the AL East. They have an identical record of 68-42 and hold a ten game advantage over third placed Tampa Bay. I think the safest option in this game is to back the over total runs market at around [2.0].

Both pitchers are vulnerable for different reasons and could make costly mistakes. In addition the Red Sox have been on fire offensively at Fenway Park this season and are averaging .304 as a team. The Yankees are averaging .261 on the road which represents the third best record in the AL.

Cleveland Indians v Texas Rangers

Fausto Carmona has the pitching assignment for Cleveland. This right-hander has a record of 5-11 and an ERA of 5.31. His numbers do not look pretty but he has not pitched all that badly since returning from injury last month. His main problem is his low strikeout percentage. He only has 68 strikeouts in almost 124 innings which is moderate to say the least.

C.J. Wilson will start for the Rangers. This left-hander has a record of 10-5 and an ERA of 3.37. Wilson has hit a bump in the road in his last two starts and has allowed 10 earned runs in almost nine innings. He is normally a pretty reliable starter who has a decent fastball and an excellent slider in his repertoire.

The Rangers are leading the AL West with a record of 62-50 and are on course for a playoff
berth. Cleveland is in second place in the AL Central with a record of 54-54. My money is on Texas. They are 19-15 against AL Central opponents and their explosive offense has produced 562 runs this year.

I think they should be able to get to Fausto Carmona in the early going and should be backed at around [1.7] in the match odds market.

Sunday

St.Louis Cardinals v Florida Marlins

Jaime Garcia will start for the Cardinals.This left-hander has a record of 10-5 and an ERA of 3.22. Garcia was involved in a wild game against Milwaukee on Tuesday night when he gave up three earned runs and ten hits in a no decision. He also launched a three run homer in the game which St Louis won 8-7.

Javier Vazquez will start for the Marlins. This veteran has a record of 7-9 and an ERA of 4.88. Vazquez has an excellent fastball which has been clocked at 93mph this year. He has pitched very well recently and has lowered his ERA to 2.26 in just under 56 innings.

The Cardinals are in second place in the NL Central with a record of 59-53. They are three games behind Milwaukee who lead the division.

The Marlins are in fourth place in the NL East with a record of 55-56. I believe they can cause an upset in this one. Javier Vazquez is pitching far better than his numbers suggest and his recent ERA of 2.26 is a much better indicator of his chances against this tough St. Louis team. The Marlins are well worth an interest at around [2.2].

Recommended Bets
Saturday: Back the over total runs at [2.0] New York Yankees v Boston Red Sox 1pt
Saturday: Back Texas Rangers in the match odds market at [1.7] 2pts
Sunday: Back Florida Marlins in the match odds market at [2.2] 1pt

Nick "fastball" Shiambouros throws down the best bets for his MLB Game of the Week......

Three televised matches from the MLB this weekend on our TV screens courtesy of our friends at ESPN America. Here's what our other friend, Nick, makes of them all....

Nick Shiambouros selects the best for his game of the week: Florida Marlins v Washington Nationals....

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