World Golf Championship Bridgestone: Woods still among favorites despite idle stretch.
Wednesday, August 03, 2011
By Gordon P. Quinn
Tiger Woods hasn’t played a full round of tournament golf in almost four months. That isn’t stopping the Golf betting world from wagering he’ll win for the eighth time at Firestone Country Club.
Woods returns to competition tomorrow at the World Golf Championships- Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, after recovering from knee and Achilles tendon injuries. Woods has (20-1) odds to win this week, tied for fifth-best in the field of 77 players, even though he hasn’t won a title since the Australian Masters 21 months ago. In fact, he’s been the most popular golfer on betting lines, picked on more than 10 percent of tickets.
Irish sensation Rory McIlroy, who won the US Open in June while Woods was rehabilitating, is the 12-1 favorite this week. Luke Donald, who holds the No. 1 spot in golf’s Official World Ranking, is listed at 15-1 along with fellow Englishman Lee Westwood and Steve Stricker of the U.S.
Woods, who has dropped to 28th in the world, has the same odds as fellow Americans Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson. Woods ranks third all-time to Sam Snead and Jack Nicklaus with 71 career U.S. PGA Tour wins and said yesterday he’s excited to end his layoff.
Woods’s last competitive round was May 12, when he pulled out of the Players Championship after nine holes. The former #1 player in the world said he made a mistake in rushing to return from injuries he originally sustained at the Masters , the year’s first major championship, where he tied for fourth place. Woods said he’s fully recovered and had planned his return at a venue where he had wins in 1999-01, 2005-07 and 2009. A year ago, Woods finished next to last at Firestone after shooting 18- over par, his worst 72-hole score as a professional.
Notables in the field include defending Champion Hunter Mahan who is at 30-1 along with Master’s winner Charl Schwartzel. British Open victor Darren Clarke is considered a long shot in Ohio at 80-1.
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bridgestone invitational - charl schwartzel - darren clarke - dustin johnson - firestone country club - golf betting - hunter mahan - jack nicklaus - lee westwood - luke donald
