Daly off to flying start at British Open

Golf Betting Lines

07/15/2010 - St. Andrews, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - John Daly has played golf all over the world the last few years in search of his form that helped him earn five PGA Tour victories.

Daly came from out of nowhere to win the 1991 PGA Championship and that helped kick start his career. In 1995, he needed extra holes to claim his second major championship title at the British Open.

At St.Andrews in 1995, Costantino Rocca made a miraculous birdie from the Valley of Sin on the 72nd hole to force a playoff with Daly.

Daly birdied the second playoff hole, while Rocca three-putted for bogey. The Italian tried to force a shot close to the hole on 17 and found the Road Hole bunker. Three shots later, Rocca finally was out of the sand, but also out of the championship.

Daly won the playoff by four strokes. It was his second major championship title, but last victory until the 2004 Buick Invitational.

The 44-year-old has made the cut in eight of his 14 worldwide starts this year, yet hasn't finished inside the top-20 all season.

He made one start on the Nationwide Tour, in his home state, and posted his best finish of the year there when he tied for 22nd.

Daly flew out of the gate Thursday at St. Andrews with birdies on one and two. After a birdie on the sixth, he poured in four straight birdie chances from the eighth to jump to seven-under.

He settled in with five pars in a row from the 12th. At the Road Hole, No. 17, Daly hit a huge drive down the fairway off the tee, but missed the green to the right. He pitched to eight feet, but missed on the left edge.

And that was the story of Daly's back nine. He had 12 feet for birdie on 15, but missed. At the 16th, his 10-footer slid by the right edge.

His bogey on 17 dropped him to minus-six and into a share of the lead at the time. Daly's drive at the last was close enough to the green that he was able to putt his second.

That putt got within 10 feet of the hole, but Daly again was unable to covert as his birdie effort at the last lipped out to give him his fourth 66 of the season.

The last time Daly shot 66 at the Open Championship was in 1993, in the second round at Royal St. George's. It also matched his career-low in a major.

Daly also posted a 66 at the 1997 PGA Championship.

With near-perfect scoring conditions early in Thursday's first round, Daly exited the course in second place and on pace for his best finish in a major since sharing 15th at St. Andrews in 2005.

Sndbox Golf Betting News

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Pro Football Odds : NFC SOUTH BETTING ODDS

NFL Sports Betting

NFL betting action is back! At MySportsbook, all of the pro football odds are posted for the NFC North. Check out how we see the four teams in this cloudy division stacking up this year in the chase for the playoffs! Green Bay Packers (+125) - With QB Aaron Rodgers leading the offense and DC Dom Capers working his magic on defense, the Packers are a real force to be reckoned with.

Virtually nothing changed on this offense for Green Bay from last year to this year, save for the addition of rookie OT Brian Bulaga to the bunch. Expect more huge numbers from the Pack, and a relatively favorable schedule should get them over the hump and into the playoffs once again this season. My NFL Betting Predictions: 11-5, 1st place in NFC North Minnesota Vikings (+130) - There are still too many unknowns about the Vikes this year. There is a huge difference between QB Brett Favre and either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels under center. Plus, is Favre comes back, is he really going to be able to keep his pick total under double digits again? Depth at running back looked like it might have been an issue with RB Chester Taylor fleeing in free agency, but drafting RB Toby Gerhart should pick up the difference. This defense is still suitable, but with a first place schedule, making the playoffs is going to be very tough regardless of whether #4 comes back or not.

There is a huge difference between QB Brett Favre and either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels under center. Plus, is Favre comes back, is he really going to be able to keep his pick total under double digits again? Depth at running back looked like it might have been an issue with RB Chester Taylor fleeing in free agency, but drafting RB Toby Gerhart should pick up the difference. This defense is still suitable, but with a first place schedule, making the playoffs is going to be very tough regardless of whether #4 comes back or not. Play this weekly NFL Football Contestto see if you can win.

Chicago Bears (+350) - The Bears are probably a bit of an overhyped team once again this year.No, we don't think it is plausible for QB Jay Cutler to have as bad of a season as he did last year, and we do think the additions of RB Chester Taylor and DE Julius Peppers are going to help immensely, but there's still something in the water in the Windy City that we aren't so sure about. Maybe Chicago finds its way to .500... but then again, maybe it doesn't. If Favre comes back, Cutler might be the worst quarterback in this division this year.

Detroit Lions (+1500) - The Lions are probably once again going to be the whipping boys for the rest of the teams in the NFC North, but they aren't just going to roll over and die once again. There is some real talent amassing on this team offensively, as the combination of QB Matt Stafford, RB Jahvid Best, WR Calvin Johnson, and TE Brandon Pettigrew should put a bunch of points on the board if the offensive line can even remotely hold up. The questions really lie on defense, where it feels like DT Ndamukong Suh is going to be trying to stop opposing teams all by himself. This year should show some marked improvement in the Motor City.

The Patriots will make NFL betting fans a lot of money this season, get in early and enjoy the cash.

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