This Week in Golf -- February 2nd through February 5th

Golf Betting Lines

01/30/2012 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - PGA TOUR - WASTE MANAGEMENT PHOENIX OPEN - TPC Scottsdale, Scottsdale, Arizona - The biggest party on the PGA Tour is this week in Arizona.

Hundreds of thousands of fans will make their way to the desert this week for the Waste Management Phoenix Open. The raucous par-three 16th will have between 20,000-30,000 fans encircling the hole per day.

The 16th had been one of the loudest holes on tour, but it jumped to a different level in 1997 when Tiger Woods showed up. Woods aced the par-three and sent the crowd into a frenzy rarely seen on a golf course.

The hole has groups of fans that travel every year to this event and lead the crowd in chants and cheers that include everything from college fight songs of the players on the tee to players' pets names.

The event is played annually on Super Bowl weekend so the large crowds tend to dwindle late in the final round.

Those who left last year missed some extra golf, as did many others. Frost delays earlier in the week pushed the event back and forced a Monday finish.

Mark Wilson and Jason Dufner were among those who returned to the TPC Scottsdale on Monday to finish their rounds. Dufner polished off a 66, while Wilson capped a 69. The duo ended at 18-under, two clear of Vijay Singh and Martin Laird.

Wilson and Dufner headed to extra holes, and they matched pars on the first playoff hole. They shifted to the 10th, where Wilson closed out the event.

Dufner had some 60 feet for birdie, but left that putt around six feet from the hole. Wilson rendered Dufner's putt useless as he ran in his seven-footer for birdie.

The victory was Wilson's fourth on the PGA Tour and came a day after his beloved Green Bay Packers won the Super Bowl.

Wilson is one of nine former champions in the field and is one of three players competing this week who has already won this season. Reigning PGA Champion Keegan Bradley is one of 10 major champions scheduled to play.

Last year's playoff was the third in the last four years after 11 consecutive years without an extra session.

Golf Channel will broadcast the first two rounds before CBS takes over on the weekend.

Tiger Woods will make his first PGA Tour start of the year next week as the tour returns to California for the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

D.A. Points closed with a 67 last year to win that event, and he also won the Pro-Am portion with comedian Bill Murray. It was a Cinderella story indeed, as Murray won for the first time in his 20 years playing the event.

EUROPEAN TOUR

COMMERCIALBANK QATAR MASTERS - Doha Golf Club, Doha, Qatar - The European Tour is in the middle of a three-week swing through the Persian Gulf region and this week's stop is the Qatar Masters.

A strong field will be on hand as Thomas Bjorn defends his title. Bjorn snapped a four-year winless drought in 2010, and carried the momentum into 2011. This was his first of three wins last year.

After struggling to a two-over 74 in the opening round, Bjorn went 65-66 in the middle two rounds, before closing with a 69 to earn a four-stroke win at Doha Golf Club.

Bjorn ended four clear of Alvaro Quiros, who also had a poor opening round. The Spaniard started with a 75, but rallied to take second place.

The field this week includes five of the top 15 players in the world and 10 of the top 40 overall. Among that group is Quiros, the 2009 winner, and 2010 champ Robert Karlsson.

Golf Channel will carry the action all four rounds.

The European Tour wraps up its Gulf swing next week as Quiros defends his title at that Dubai Desert Classic.

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American Idol Betting Odds: Season 6  

The online gambling websites are in the process of deciphering each American Idol contestant and his or her chances of winning Season 6 to come up with the early American Idol betting lines.

Tim Dalton of MySportsbook.com has been locked away in a soundproof room coming up with all the latest tallies, we are told. "American Idol has become one of the most significant betting events of the year," claims Jack Black of MySportsbook.com.  "Last year, millions were bet during the season across the globe, not just in America.

It's tough early on since we really do not have a glimpse as to how well each of these individuals will perform solo on a week-to-week basis.  It's like Week 1 of the NFL.  Pre-season means nada!

We do know the 24 finalists however.

Sanjaya Malakar is the young man whose sister failed to make it into the Top 24.  He's very low key but - unless he totally flubs - will probably win over the young girlie vote for a few weeks anyway.  He's too young to go all the way, according to Payton O'Brien. 

Brandon Rogers - Who?

Phil Stacy is the military guy who missed his daughter's birth because of the Memphis audition.  He should go a good distance.

Chris Sligh - He's got the humor and in many ways he's the Anti-American Idol much like last year's winner Taylor Hicks was.  And this is why he'll probably get pretty far in this competition.  He's chubby, white with a big curly afro....but more importantly, a great voice!  People love "real", not "real cute" to go all the way. 

"Blake Lewis should go far because of his uniqueness and looks.  He's the boy next store with a twist - he beat boxes.  But on top of this, he's a great singer, and I adore him," Payton O'Brien relayed.

A talented beat-boxer Blake Lewis was a hit during the group sing in Hollywood but Simon explained that this is a singing contest just before he told him he was “in.”

Paul Kim has caught our own roving reporter, Jenny Woo's eyes. 

"I love the fact that there is a Korean American on the show and he is bound to get more Asians tuning into the show," Woo said from her Miami Beach estate.  "There has never been a major presence of Asian-Americans on American Idol in the past.  He's a hottie with a nice voice so that should help to take him far.  Expect heavy betting action from the Asian community."

Sundance Head - He's not perfect, but he's got the personality that will take him through a few weeks, plus he's got the lineage (son of Roy Head - whose 1965 single, "Treat Her Right," hit No. 5 in the charts) 

And the others:

Rudy Cardinas
AJ Tabaldo - the 5th time is the charm
Nicolas Pedro
Chris Richardson
Jared Cotter

The girls

"Melinda Doolittle has one of the best voices," says MySportsbook.com Reporter and an acclaimed dancer in her own right, Destiney Lewis.  "It is great to see a back up singer step out like she has.  The girl needs to gain more confidence but that can also be a positive.  I think she will go far."

Alena Alexander - Those tears (she never seems to stop bawling) should get her far.

"Single mom Lakisha Jones I suspect will be a pretty big favorite entering Week 1 of the competition," says Destiny Williams.  Jones is an excellent singer and down to earth.  "She'll have a wide appeal," echoed O'Brien.

Nicole Trellis - Seems to exert confidence.

Amy Krebs - a powerful singer.

Antonella Barba
Gina Glocksen
Hailey Scanardo
Jordan Sparks
Stephanie Edwards
Leslie Hunt
Sabrina Sloan

MySportsbook.com is offering a 20% signup bonus with an initial deposit (i.e. open your American Idol betting account with $300, receive another $60 in which to bet with). 

Last two contestants will be?

1 Male/1 Female +100 (a $10 bet pays $10 plus your initial $10)

2 Males +170 (a $10 bet pays $17 plus your initial $17)

2 Females +130 (a $10 bet pays $13 plus your initial $10)

MySportsbook.com is an online sportsbook accepts Visa Credit Cards and online sportsbook accepts Mastercard Credit Cards for easy American Idol betting lines.