Sports Then and Now

At the time of this shot, no one foresaw the controversy that would follow.

With every shot viewed by millions across the world, there is no place for professional golfers to hide when things go wrong during major golf championships. It is a lesson than Dustin Johnson learned for the first time at the U.S. Open in June and then painfully revisited during the 2010 PGA Championship.

For the first three rounds of the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, the 26-year-old from Columbia, South Carolina looked like the greatest player in the world. Having twice won the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Johnson acted as if a victory in the Open was inevitable. He entered the final round six under par and with a three stroke lead.

However, in front of a worldwide audience, he imploded with an ugly 82 to finish tied for eighth place.

For many golfers, such a disappointing finish in a major championship could have been the catalyst to a free-fall.

However, that didn’t prove to be the case for Johnson. Just weeks later, he finished tied for 14th at the British Open.

Then, in the final major of the year, Johnson stayed in contention throughout the first three days and entered the final round playing in the final group. Read the rest of this entry →

Both Corey Pavin and Colin Montgomerie will have some tough choices when finalizing their 2010 Ryder Cup teams.

If Golf Betting punters are looking for Ryder Cup pointers, the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational was the event that suggests a European win is not as probable as has looked likely for much of this season. Home advantage and a glut of in-from players made Colin Montgomerie’s men early favourites, but events in Ohio have redressed the balance.

Montgomerie has seen a handful of players make notable breakthroughs this year but these young guns were not in the hunt at the Firestone Country Club. Tiger Woods and Anthony Kim might have been near rock bottom on the final leaderboard, but the top of it was dominated by home players.

Hunter Mahan led a virtual clean sweep after 72 holes, with six of the top seven being Americans. Each is in the top 20 on Corey Pavin’s Ryder Cup list, with the consistent Bo Van Pelt – five top-five finishes in his last 11 tournaments – and in-form Jeff Overton certain starters at Celtic Manor. Read the rest of this entry →

Could Justin Rose be left off the European Ryder Cup team?

Regardless of the fact that he is a two-time US Tour winner, Justin Rose is a serious doubt for the European Ryder Cup team having chosen to defy team captain Colin Montgomerie’s request that all players take part in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles next month.

Having endured a highly disappointing Irish Open, where he finished 44th, Rose has left himself with a lot of ground to make up if he wants to be included in the team, something that has been questioned after a recent lack of enthusiasm when asked about his intentions.

These reports have intensified since Rose’s statement that “the Ryder Cup is important to me, but I’m third in the FedEx Cup standings and that’s where my focus is going to be.”

With competition for places in the European team intense, especially given Ross Fisher’s victory in the Irish Open, Monty will be looking to pick players truly dedicated to the cause as Europe look to regain the trophy lost back in 2008. Read the rest of this entry →

Current Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin thinks there should also be a similar competition among the top senior golfers in the world.

American Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin believes that a similar competition for the senior players would be a fantastic idea that would go down well with golf fans across the world.

The idea has been muted in the build up to current Ryder Cup later this year and Pavin believes that although there will only ever be “one Ryder Cup” when it comes to serious Ryder Cup betting, but it would be a lot of fun for the seniors to have a similar event.

“A lot of people would be interested in watching and a lot of players would be interested in playing.

“It would probably have a different feel but it would be very competitive – players would want to win just as bad.” Read the rest of this entry →

Luke Donald shot a final round 69 at the British Open.

Luke Donald was all smiles as he finished positively at St Andrews to end up as one of the highest placed British players on the leader board.

After four days where he his form has been inconsistent, Donald saved his best until last as he completed his round with an eagle at the 17th and a birdie at the 18th for an impressive score of 69.

Speaking about the final stages of his tournament, Donald joked that he could “sell that finish for quite a few pounds to anyone in the last two groups”. It was a finish he enjoyed enormously and one which made the hard work of the previous days worthwhile.

It was a spectacular ending to what has been an average few days for the Englishman. He has performed solidly, without ever excelling – with the exception of the final two holes of course. The golf betting odds never had him challenging the leader. Read the rest of this entry →

Louie Oosthuizen, the 54th ranked golfer in the world, ran away from the field to claim the 2010 British Open.

American journalists spent most of the weekend struggling to pronounce his last name, but no matter how you pronounce it, Louis (Louie) Oosthuizen is a major champion after his dominating performance during the 2010 British Open.

While all watching kept waiting for the 27-year-old South African to remember that he is only the 54th ranked player in the world, Oosthuizen cruised around the famed course at St. Andrews for four days as if he were the champion of all champions.

His opening round score of seven-under par (65) was generally overlooked because of the record-tying 63 posted by Rory McIlroy. However, Oosthuizen seized control of the tournament with a 67 in round two and never looked back.

While other more distinguished players took turns falling victim to the winds, bunkers and other challenges of St. Andrews, Oosthuizen just kept plugging away.

After starting his third round with a bogey, Oosthuizen settled down and posted his third straight round in the 60s to enter the final round with a four stroke lead.

Even in the final round when he lead shrunk to three and it looked like Paul Casey might cut the lead even further, Oosthuizen responded with an Eagle that pretty much sealed the tournament.

By the time he finished his one-under par round of 71, Oosthuizen had a grin that stretched from ear to ear and a dominating seven-stroke victory.

His victory marks the fifth time in the last six majors that a first-time major winner has been crowned. Read the rest of this entry →