McIlroy, Karlsson lead Abu Dhabi; Tiger 3 back

Golf Betting Lines

01/26/2012 - Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rory McIlroy and Robert Karlsson both fired rounds of five-under 67 on Thursday to share the opening- round lead of the Abu Dhabi Championship.

Tiger Woods made his 2012 debut and played decently enough with a two-under 70. Woods, who ended his 2011 campaign with an unofficial win at the Chevron World Challenge, his first anywhere in two years, hit the ball well on Thursday, but the flat stick let him down.

Woods hit 10 of 14 fairways and 17 greens in regulation, but needed 35 putts in round one.

"I just had a hard time getting a feel for these greens. It was difficult and my speed was off," said Woods, who is tied for ninth place.

Woods, despite a fall in the world rankings to 25th, still made headlines with his season debut, but he was not the only big star to open his season in the Gulf.

World No. 1 Luke Donald had a one-under 71 in his first outing of the year. Donald played with McIlroy, also making his first start of 2012, and Woods in round one and will again on Friday.

World No. 2 Lee Westwood managed an even-par 72.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of Thursday's first round was the poor performance of the fourth-ranked player in the world.

Martin Kaymer, the two-time defending champion and three-time winner, struggled badly on Thursday. He went out in 39, came back in 38 and signed for a five-over 77.

The German has won this event three times with a runner-up finish in the last four years.

That's an amazing record, but McIlroy is no slouch at Abu Dhabi. He's tied for fifth, took third and finished second in his last three appearances at this event.

"I feel it suits me really well. Just one problem -- it suits Martin Kaymer even better," said McIlroy.

The reigning U.S. Open champion started on the 10th tee Thursday and went on a great run almost immediately after teeing off. McIlroy ran home a nine-footer for birdie at 11, a 12-footer for birdie at 12 and capped off his run with a three-foot birdie putt at the 13th.

McIlroy dropped a shot at the 14th, then again at No. 17, but rebounded at the par-five 18th, despite hitting a tent with his second shot. The Northern Irishman got back to three-under par thanks to a short birdie putt at the par- five second.

McIlroy inched up the leaderboard late in his second nine. He knocked his tee ball inside four feet to set up a birdie at the par-three seventh, then chipped in for a birdie at the par-five eighth.

It was not a statistically beautiful round for the world No. 3. He missed eight fairways and six greens in regulation, but he scrambled well and is atop the leaderboard.

"It was a good score and a great way to start 2012, but I don't feel I drove the ball particularly well and it's something I've got to work on," said McIlroy. "It was nothing that a good practice session won't fix."

Karlsson also began on the 10th tee in round one, but he endured an up-and- down start. He traded two birdies and two bogeys over his first four holes, then parred his next three.

The tall Swede birdied 17 and 18 to make the turn at two-under par. Karlsson parred his first three holes on his second side, then rattled off three birdies in five holes to join McIlroy in the lead.

Gareth Maybin, Richard Finch and Jean-Baptiste Gonnet are knotted in third place at four-under 68.

Nicolas Colsaerts, Robert Rock and Richie Ramsay share sixth at 69.

Woods was joined in ninth by a large group highlighted by reigning Masters winner Charl Schwartzel and former British Open champion Paul Lawrie.

NOTES: Sergio Garcia recorded his first ace on the European Tour Thursday at the 12th. The Spaniard shot a one-under 71...Branden Grace, who won the last two European Tour events, shot a three-over 75 and shares 89th.

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Super Bowl XLIII Betting - Super Bowl 2009

Super Bowl 2009, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Let’s take a look at the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds and the betting line and figure out where they’ve been and where they are going to go.

MySportsbook.com put up the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds late on Sunday night with the Pittsburgh Steelers favored by 6.5 points and a total betting line at 47.5 points.

Since then, however, the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds have seen a good deal of movement and you’ll want to be on top of where they are likely to move to make sure you get the best line value for the big game.

Since opening, the Super Bowl 2009 betting lines went to Steelers -7 in the span of roughly 3 hours but were quickly bought back down just minutes later to 6.5 again.

After that is took about 5-6 more hours before the betting line went back to -7 where it has sat for a while now and is likely to remain. The opening betting total of 47.5 was bet down right after the line became available and went to 47 within minutes.

Roughly a day later it has been bet even further down to the 46.5 tally it currently is set at.

Roughly 60% of gamblers seem to be on the Cardinals here so the point spread will be bet down and a 7.5 would not last very long at all with many taking the early 6.5 in hopes of finding a potential middle in the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds.

If you like Arizona and see a 7.5, I’d take it as soon as possible because it’s unlikely to last. For Pittsburgh backers, the -7 might be the best you’ll be able to find but a 6.5 is definitely possible close to game time.

Regarding the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds for the total, most tracked gamblers are already on the over and with those who took the under 47.5 already securing a middle on the over 46.5, the only way I see it moving is back up to 47 so if you like the over, I’d recommend betting now.

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