Y.E. Yang became the first Asian player to win a major championship this past Sunday.  This was a remarkable feat considering he was paired with Tiger Woods.  Tiger began the final round on Sunday leadng the pack and it appeared he would easily win the tournament.  It was not to be.  Yang who hails from South Korea played steady with confidence.  Tiger had trouble on the green all day.  Tiger missed some relatively short putts that allowed Yang to first tie and then take the lead.

Tiger Woods looked very comfortable as the day began.  After all, he was 14-0 in tournaments when he had the lead going into the final round.  All in all Tiger proved that he was human after all.  Tiger knew he had played well enough to win the championship but he also knew that unless you get the ball in the hole when on the green bad things are going to happen.  Tiger normally displays great putting technique and has surprised more than one opponent over the years with his short game.  That short game was not to be seen this past Sunday.

Therefore, the 37 year old Y.E. Yang overcame the odds and won the PGA Championship by 3 strokes.  His win inspired Asian golfers around the world.  Not only had Yang beaten Woods in a tournament but in a major as well.  In the end it would be justifiable to say that Tiger Woods defeated himself on Sunday.  After all, Golf is a individual game.  Each player has the responsibility of playing their best game and not truly defeating him or herself.  If Tiger had brought his short game with him on Sunday he would have won the championship.

Never the less it is what it is.  Tiger did not win a major this season.  He may have come close but close only counts in the game of horse shoes.  Y. E. Yang deserves to be proud of his accomplishment.  He played his game on Sunday and displayed moments of excellence that led him to victory.  Anyone who knows anything about golf knows that Tiger will be back.  He is after all, the number one golfer in the world with good reason.  This week however Y. E. Yang can rejoice.  He broke the odds.  I would not bet on him doing so against Tiger again.  Until we meet again may your betting be better and remember to always be a good sport.

Ohio State is ranked in the top ten of most NCAA football polls.  Their first game has the Buckeyes hosting Navy.  Not the biggest matchup in the world but it is very important that Ohio State gets off on the right foot this year.  Their second game will have them hosting a powerhouse in USC.  They need to hit the ground running and be up and ready for that game.  As usual Ohio State has a tough schedule facing Penn State, USC, Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin just to name a few.  It all begins with Navy and the Buckeyes will need a win there to make it all happen.  The Buckeyes have won or shared the Big Ten Championship for the last 4 years.  Don’t look for that to change.  The Buckeyes should win this one easily.

The USC Trojans kick off their season on September 5th against San Jose State.  Although that does not strike much fear in the hearts of gridiron elite USC also needs a big win before they travel to Ohio State.  The Trojans won big in the Rose Bowl last January and their defense should be great even with some new starters in the front seven.  However that offense will have to contribute even more this season for them to go all the way.  Look for USC to win this one with ease.

The Oklahoma Sooners open up September 5th hosting Brigham Young University.  Brigham Young has always been known for their explosive offense but they need their defense to step up as well.  This will be an important year for QB Sam Bradford as he leads the Sooners in hopes of their 4th straight Big 12 Championship.  Bradford needs to show that he can play well even if his offensive line does not.  Oklahoma has new starters on the offensive line a new receivers as well.  If they click with Bradford early they will dominate, if not it could be a long season.  This game has all the makings of a shootout.  Look for Oklahoma to pull out a close one.

The Alabama Crimson Tide open up September 5th against the Virginia Tech Hokies.  Virginia Tech has been putting up ten win seasons without garnering much respect.  A big win here would take them up a notch.  Alabama Coach Nick Saban has brought the Tide back to it’s glory years in a very short time.  Game one of this season will be time to put up or shut up.  This game is going to be a tough one but look for Nick Saban to pull a rabbit out of his hat.  We will review more games tomorrow.  Until we meet again may your betting be better and remember to always be a good sport.

Tiger Woods won the Buick Open in Michigan by 3 strokes and enhanced the ratings of the tournament by 167%.  Tiger had opened the Buick Open with a less than impressive first round but bounced back to take the victory even thought the field of competition was a little weak to say the least.  The Warwick Hills Golf Course hosted its first Buick Open back in 1958 but by the looks of the ratings it could be their last.  If Tiger Woods had not been there the ratings would have been dismal.  Tiger needed this victory so he could feel good about himself once again.  He needed to rebuild his confidence.  Now he feels ready for the next two tournaments where the road to victory will be a little tougher to drive.

Later this week Tiger will begin play at the Bridgestone Invitational.  From there he ventures on to Hazeline for the PGA Championship.  It will be Tiger’s only opportunity to win a major this year.  The Buick Open win was Tiger’s 3rd victory there and his 69th PGA tour victory.  Tiger knew that the end of an era was taking place as he approached the 17th and 18th holes.  He knew he would not be playing on this course again for a Buick Open.  On both the 17th and 18th holes he threw a ball into the crowd.  He never does that but he felt the irony of the moment.  The Greenbrier in West Virginia will pick up the Buick Open in 2010.

Tiger Woods 69 PGA wins place him 3rd all time behind Jack Nicklaus who had 73 and Sam Snead who had 82.  Tiger has won 4 tournaments this year and that is twice as many as any other pro golfer.  He has won 4 out of 11 since coming back from his knee surgery.  Tiger is still at another level even when he is coming off surgery.  That is why he is still the number one golfer in the world.  At the end of the first round Tiger was 95th.  He ended up taking home the trophy.  It was the biggest jump he has ever made in a tournament.

So how will Tiger fare at the Bridgestone Invitational?  I would be willing to bet that Tiger will be very competitive.  He is finally getting back into his stride.  When Tiger Woods is on his game there is no one in the world who can touch him.  Tiger knows how important these last two tournaments are and he will be up for them.  He cannot afford to start off 95th in the first round of the Bridgestone.  He will have to prove here that he is truly back in stride and back on his game.  Are you willing to bet against him?  Until we meet again may your betting be better and may you remember to always be a good sport.

Hello sports betting fans!  No matter how much good information you have the odds don’t always stack up.  At the British Open today two great players walked off the field after the 18th hole.  One of the golf pros was in and the other was out.  One became the oldest player to ever lead in a major while the other was a golf legend who failed to make the cut.  The British Open has been played for almost 150 years and it just goes to show that anything can happen.  So who were these two men headed in different directions on Friday.  The oldest player to lead in a major championship was Tom Watson and the legend going home was the number one golfer in the world, that’s right Tiger Woods.  It was only the 6th time in his career that he missed the cut.  Now Watson has a chance to win his 6th British Open Title.  The 59 year old won his first back in 1975; 5 months before Tiger was born.

In the NFL Brett Farve has informed the Minnesota Vikings that he will let them know if he can play by July 30, which is the first day of camp.  He had surgery on his throwing arm in May and has been trying to work his arm back into shape.  He has been practicing with a local high school team 3 days a week all summer and has now included Sunday’s as well.  There is a lot of controversy about Farve’s return after retiring once again.  He came out of retirement to play for the Jets last season.  The 39 year old Farve had a fairly good season through the first half but struggled some in the second.  Many are questioning his stamina.  The one thing they cannot question is his record.  Brett Farve is destined for the hall of fame and even at 39 he still has more than many of the Quarterbacks in the league.  Here is something you can bet on.  If Brett Farve goes to the Vikings; barring a major injury, the Vikings will win the NFC Central Division.  He does not have to be the Farve of old; all he has to do is control the game and hand it off to Adrian Peterson.  The defense will take care of the rest.

In September spike will begin airing UFC’s Ultimate Fighter 10.  This is where young mma fighters give it their all in hopes of winning contracts in the UFC.  This year however there will be an unusual contestant.  Dana White the UFC President has brought in Kimbo Slice of the Elite XC and Youtube fame to compete.  Kimbo lost his last match in the Elite XC when he was knocked out after only 14 seconds.  Kimbo Slice is a hugh heavyweight but his mma technique needs a ton of work.  He had drew enough attention that he could have went to Japan and made good money fighting exhibition fights but his passion is still to learn and compete in the UFC; the major leagues of the MMA.  Kimbo knows that his experience is lacking and he also knows that many of the younger contestants have been doing this for most of their lives.  The only thing that keeps him going is his will to learn, compete and accomplish what he set out to do.  Until we meet again may the betting be better and the odds go in your favor and remember always be a good sport.

President Obama was at the Major League Baseball All Star Game Tuesday night and even he appeared to me in awe of the American Leagues dominance over the National League.  The National League lost 4-3 for the 12th year in a row.  It seems like World Series Champions change, the stars change and even the stadiums change but the victor in the All Star game always stays the same.  President Obama threw out the first pitch.  Republicans complained that he threw like a girl.  I keep saying here to always be a good sport even when you lose but the Republicans still can’t get over it.

Carl Crawford caught what would have been a home run for the National League in the 7th Inning bringing the crowd too its feet.  Then Curtis Granderson tripled to drive in the tie breaking run in the 8th to give the American League the 4-3 lead they would not give up.  The American League has not lost an All Star Game since 1996.  They did tie in the 2002 All Star Game when it was called after the 11th inning 7-7.  Other than that the American league has dominated. The win gives the American League the home field advantage in the World Series.  That is pretty important when you get to that point.

The National League scored all three of their runs in the 2nd inning.  However, after that the next 22 of 24 players could not reach first base.  Even thought the American League will start off at home the National League has still won 3 of the last 6 World Series Titles.  Prince Fielder who won the Home Run Derby the night before managed to get a double.  However it was Carl Crawford who won the Most Valuable Player.  He was the first non pitcher to win it without at least driving in a run or scoring one.  His catch though really allowed the American League to end up victorious again.

The American League players just seem to want it more.  They come in with a chip on their shoulders and dare the National League to knock it off.  The 12 year streak is really impressive when you think about some of the great National League players who have played over those years.  So once again the American League wins the All Star Game but can one of their teams win the World Series.  Only time will tell.  Until we meet again good betting and always remember to be a good sport.

It is hard to believe but the NFL season is right around the corner.  As usual during the off season Coaches were replaced and some big name players were traded to other teams.  Lets briefly look at what may lay ahead in the upcoming season.  In the AFC East watch out for Miami and Buffalo.  In the AFC North Indy and the Titans will fall out of contention and the Texans will make a surprise run.  In the AFC West San Diego should hold on but Kansas City is the team to watch.  In the AFC South the Steelers did a great job of keeping the nucleous of their Super Bowl winning team.  They should win their division but Baltimore will be a thorn in their side again.  In the NFC East eyes are on the Eagles but Dallas may still have something to say.  In the NFC North a lot will depend upon rather Brent Farve ends up with the Vikings.  Chicago should be a threat now that they have a Quarterback in Jay Cutler.  In the NFC South keep your eyes on the upstart Atlanta Falcons with Matt Ryan moving into his second year and having newly acquired Tony Gonzales. The NFC West is up in the air.  Arizona may still be the team to beat there but the Rams and 49ers have second year coaches that are fired up and hungry.  Both could easily make a run in that division.  We will have our precise picks as the season draws nearer.

In the Tennis world there is a lot of anticipation that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal may still have a chance to meet in the Rogers Cup in Montreal, Canada next month.  Nadal did not compete at Wimbledon due to a knee injury.  He should be ready to go for the Rogers Cup on August 8th.  Many tennis fans were foaming at the mouth in hopes of seeing the two superstars meet at Wimbledon but it was not too be and Federer ended up winning his 15th Grand Slam and 6th Wimbledon Championship.

In Golf Tiger Woods will visit Australia for the first time in 11 years when he participates in the Australian Masters in November.  Grandstand seats for this event are already selling out.  Woods did not fair well when he played in the 1996 Australian Open where he finished 12 strokes behind winner Greg Norman or in the 1997 Australian Masters where he finished 8th behind winner Peter Lonard.  However, eleven years have made quite a difference in Tiger Woods.  The Melbourne fans know this will be one of the few chances that they will get to see this Golf legend play.

In the UFC they are preparing for their biggest event in history tomorrow night in Las Vegas at UFC 100.  Brock Lesnar is being picked to defeat Frank Mir in their rematch that highlights the event.  Frank Mir won their initial meeting but Lesnar is a little better than he was then.  Georges St. Perrie is picked to beat his opponent Thiago Alves.  There are some exciting matchups on this card and there could be some upsets.  You can check out our lates odds right here at the Sportsbook Gazette.  Somethings in sports never change there will always be the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.  Until we meet again good betting and always remember to be a good sport.

There is some controversy about the UFC 100 MMA Event that is coming up on July 11th.  The UFC has been promoting this fight as the biggest UFC Event in history.  The UFC has shown amazing growth in the last 16 years.  The popularity of these MMA matches continues to grow feeding the undeniable thirst for raw combat that has long excited something deep down inside us. 

The controversy stems from the fact that the UFC decided to place the Brock Lesnar/Frank Mir fight as the main attraction.  Many UFC fighters have spent years polishing their craft and have spilt many blood and tears to get to this competitive level.  Brock Lesnar, a former pro wrestler, comes into this fight with a 2-1 UFC record.  He has already lost to Frank Mir.  Even so Brock did win the Heavyweight Championship when he defeated Randy Contour.

Regardless of what many believe the fact remains that Brock Lesnar is a huge PPV draw and that will cause many fans to tune in and pay the big bucks to see if he can live up to this honor.  The Betting Online seems to show that Brock is slightly favored to win.  However, this fight is by no means a shoe in. 

There are those who think Frank Mir got lucky in the first fight.  Still others think that Lesnar was given some kind of special treatment by getting to fight for a championship with a 1-1 record and very raw MMA experience.  Although Brock defeated Randy in the twilight of his career he still has much to prove to MMA fans.  You can visit now at http://www.sportsbookgazette.com/live_odds.php to see what is going on.

Many UFC enthusiasts thought that the fight between Georges St. Pierre and Thiago Alves should have been the main event.  St. Pierre has proven himself to be a true UFC champion and Alves is an excellent contender for Georges Welterweight Championship belt.  Although St. Pierre is heavily favored in this one don’t let the odds control your thinking.  Anything will be possible in this one.  In other fights Dan Henderson is favored over Michael Bisping in the middleweight division.  Stephan Bonnar is also heavily favored to beat Mark Coleman in the Light Heavyweight bout.

You can always get the best odds and picks right here at the Sportsbook Gazette.  Once you separate all the hype around UFC 100 there is no doubt some of these fights will be pure war.  However, determining if it rates as the biggest UFC event of all time, I don’t know if I would take those odds.  Until we meet again good betting and remember to always be a good sport.

The last time a male tennis player won the Wimbledon Title was in 1936 when Fred Perry defeated Gottfried Von Cramm 6-1, 6-1, 6-0.  That moment was frozen in history for British Tennis fans and it is that memory that has offered them solace for over 73 years.  For the first time in three quarters of a century British fans have a reason to be hopeful.  Andy Murray, the young man from Scotland, is one of the top favorites to win the 2009 Wimbledon Mens Title.

There is a vast amount of pressure on Andy Murray right now.  The hopes and dreams of his countrymen hang in the balance of every set he plays.  On Wednesday Andy began his mission to bring the Wimbledon Title back to Great Britain.  His first obstacle, Robert Kendrick of the United States.  This match was not highly anticipated from the standpoint that Kendrick is ranked at 76th.  It was to simply be a warm up for more competitive matches down the line.  It developed into more of a warm up than Murray had anticipated.

After all, in previous matches against one another the Scot had easily defeated Kendrick 6-0, 6-0.  This day however the American came to play.  Although Kendrick played with fire and vigor and with the same determination that took him to 5 sets against Rafael Nadal 3 years earlier at Wimbledon in the end the Scot was to have his day.  Murray lost the second match but kept his composure and never gave up.  His competitor was running the court making amazing returns but Murray stood steady and answered each with his own heart and passion eventually winning the two and a half hour match 7-5, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4.

Once again it is noted that on any given day a player or a team can play beyond their potential.  Kendrick played well beyond his ranking and although he fell in the end he earned the respect of his victor and the fans at Wimbledon.  Murray admitted that the match was tough but his confidence in himself was ever apparent.  His next match is against the Latvian hard hitter Ernests Gulbis and you can bet that Andy Murray will not take this match lightly.  The road to the 2009 Wimbledon Title will not be an easy one for Murray but he appears to be composed and prepared for the competition.  This could be the year that Britain has cause for celebration once again.  Until we meet again good betting and remember to always be a good sport.

The tennis world was not shocked but a little let down when Rafael Nadal pulled out of Wimbledon due to his knee injury.  Nadal, Spains Pride and Joy, could not bring himself to chance further injury on the grasscourt at Wimbledon and did not want to compete unless he could do so at full strength.  His departure opened the door for the Swiss star Roger Federer to open the competition against Lu Yen-hsun of Taiwan.  Roger acknowledged that it was Nadal who should be opening the competition but took on the honor with great charm as he begins his search for his 15th Grand Slam Title.

Roger was recently crowned the Champion of the French Open.  He became only one of six tennis players to ever complete a career Grand Slam.  There are many British fans who are already anticipating a contest between Roger and thier own Andy Murray on July 5th.  Andy kicks off his Wimbledon competition on Tuesday.

Today Roger Federer kicked off Wimbledon on centre court and although he got off to a slow start eventually cruised by Yen-hsun of Taiwan 7-5, 6-3 and 6-2 respectively.  At the all England Club in London Roger has won 41 of his last 42 matches.  The only loss there came last year when he dropped one in the finals to Rafael Nadal.  Some tennis historians called it the best tennis match ever played.  It is for this reason that is heartbreaking that Nadal could not compete this year.  Many were looking forward to that possible rematch.

Roger failed to convert on his first four break point chances.  Even though he fell behind 3-2 in the first match he regained his composure and took control of the match.  There is no doubt that Roger is favored to win the 2009 Wimbledon but there are a few players like Englands own Andy Murray who will have the opportunity to make their bid for it as well.  In the back of Rogers mind he has to be wondering about his missed rematch against Rafael Nadal as well.  Any true Champion wants to compete against the best in his field so there can never be any unanswered questions or doubts.

The first major seed to be lose at Wimbledon was the American James Blake.  The 17th seed fell early to Andreas Seppi of Italy 7-5, 6-4 and 7-6.  There are no guarantees at Wimbledon.  Every point will have to be earned and there are no givens at any time.  If Roger Federer is destined to win his 15th Grand Slam Title than he will have to play his heart out everytime he walks onto the grasscourt.  Being favored to win is nice but making it happen is what it is all about.  Until we meet again good betting and always remember to be a good sport.

All eyes are on Wimbledon as Rafael Nadal holds the tennis world in suspense while he makes the heart wreching decision if he will participate when the action begins on Monday.  If today play was any sign of things to come don’t hold your breath.  Rafael played Lleyton Hewitt in an exhibition today and lost both sets 6-4 and 6-3.  He is supposed to announce on Friday if his injured knees will allow him to compete.  Todays loss was his first since he dropped one to Roger Soderling in the fourth round of the French Open.  Nadal is riding 7-2 odds if he competes at Wimbledon.  Nadal is due to play another exhibition match against Stanislas Wawrinka on Friday.  He has said he will make his decision after that match.  Nadal was diagnosed with tendinitis last November and missed the Davis Cup soon after.  The mens field at the 2009 Wimbledon is strong with Roger Federer coming in at 2-3 odds looking for no less than his 6th Wimbledon Title and his 15th Major.  Andy Murray has 3-1 odds while Andy Roddick is a 18-1 favorite.  The world and the field will have to wait as one to see what role Nadals knee will play in the outcome.

Read more on Online Tennis Odds!

Today in Farmington, New York the U.S. Open Golf Tournament got under way.  However, the only thing falling into the holes was rain.  Tiger Woods barely finished his 7th hole when rain postponed the event being held at Bethpage Black Golf Course.  Tiger finished the day at 1over par.

In world soccer the USA took a sound beating by Brazil in the Confederations Cup in Pretoria, South Africa.  The USA team was beaten soundly 3-0 and have proved that they are far from ready to compete in next years World Cup.  The USA is 0-2 in the Confederation Cup and things are not looking like they will get any better.

In the National Football League Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth was suspended indefinately today for driving drunk in Miami and killing a pedestrian.  It is not known if indefinately will mean forever or just until the courts are finished with him.  Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf made it clear today that the future of Brent Farve in a Vikings uniform is up to Farve.  Farve announced on HBO recently that if his arm was ready the Vikings were the only team he has spoke too.  We still may see Farve come out of retirement one more time.  Atlanta Falcons Quarterback Matt Ryan looked pretty darn good as a rookie last year.  His teammates said he will be even better in 2009.  The Cinncinati Bengals Quarterback seems to be back to his old self.  He has not been the same since his knee injury against the Pittsburgh Steelers back in the 2004 playoffs.  With all the coaching changes and player shifts this year should prove to be pretty interesting to say the least.

The action never stops in the world of sports.  The competition only gets better.  This only enhances the games that we the fans pay to enjoy.  Until we meet again remember to always be a good sport.