Big Week in the PGA - BMW & Mercedes-Benz Championship's
by BetUS Editor
Golf Week Preview
Golf betting is focused on the BMW Championship at Cog Hill Golf & Country Club in Lemont, Illinois this week, as the PGA Tour careens towards the TOUR Championship at the end of the month. The event is the third stop in the race for the FedExCup, and the trophy is still up for grabs after the weekend’s Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston.
Tiger Woods is the favorite among public bettors, who are bolstered by his performance in the final round at the TPC of Boston on Monday. Tiger shot an 8-under 63 to finish with a 12-under 272 for the tournament to maintain his chances of taking his second FedExCup since it was established in 2007.
Woods doesn’t need the BMW Championship to qualify for the TOUR Championship, but he’s playing the Cog Hill course to build some momentum for the FedExCup finale. Tiger has won outright four times at Lemont – including three times at the BMW Championship.
Cup points leader Steve Stricker will challenge Woods in Illinois after cashing the Deutsche Bank Championship. Stricker picked up his third payday of the year with a 17-under 267 after a birdie on the 18th hole nudged him past Jason Dufner and Scott Verplank in Monday’s final round.
Mercedes-Benz Championship
Across the pond on the European Tour, Lee Westwood is among a trio of favorites at Golf Club Gut Larchenhof in Cologne, Germany. Westwood is priced at +1000 to win the tournament along with Henrik Stenson and Ross Fisher, and is looking for lightning to strike like when he shot a first-round 61 last year.
Westwood finished sixth last fall, and figures to be the frontrunner among public bettors with defending champion Robert Karlsson (eye) and Paul Casey (rib injury) taking the week off. Karlsson and Casey aren’t the only players sitting out with injuries, as native German Martin Kaymer (foot) is also getting some rest.
With Kaymer out, Bernard Langer (+4000) and Alex Cejka (+4000) are carrying the torch on their home soil. Langer is gunning to become the first player over the age of 50 to cash a tournament title on the European Tour, and he stands a good chance considering he’s won the Mercedes-Benz Championship four times.
P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship
World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa isn’t teeing off at the LPGA Tour’s stop at the Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers, but that doesn’t mean the field isn’t loaded for the 54-hole event.
Ai Miyazato (+800) is the chalk with 16 of the world’s top 20 golfers taking part, with Cristie Kerr (+1000), Michelle Wie (+1000), Angela Stanford (+1200), and Paula Creamer (+1200) also seeing action from bettors.
