McIlroy's 63 ties record; Woods four back

Golf Betting Lines

07/15/2010 - St. Andrews, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rory McIlory has gone lower in his career, just not in a major championship.

On Thursday at the British Open, McIlroy matched the lowest round in major championship history with a nine-under 63 to take a two-shot lead after the first round on the Old Course.

McIlroy admitted that the thought crept into his head on No. 17 that he could set or match the low round in a major.

He missed his four-footer for birdie there, but closed with a three-foot birdie putt at the last to post 63.

"I was thinking going up 17, 'What's the lowest score for a major?'" said McIlroy, who closed with a 62 to win this year's Quail Hollow Championship by four strokes over Phil Mickelson.

"I didn't know [the record]. I know there's been a few 63s, but wasn't sure if there were any 62s. That might have crept into my mind a little bit hitting that putt on 17."

South African Louis Oosthuizen, who won the Open de Andalucia earlier this year, fired a seven-under 65 and is alone in second place.

John Daly, the 1995 Open champion at St. Andrews, shares third place with Peter Hanson, Andrew Coltart, Bradley Dredge and Steven Tiley at minus-six. Hanson had the best score for those in the latter part of Thursday's draw.

Three-time Open champion and world No. 1 Tiger Woods posted a five-under 67, carding six birdies and a lone bogey on the 17th. He hasn't played a bogey- free round all year.

Woods is tied for eighth place with 2009 U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover, Sean O'Hair, Lee Westwood, 2009 PGA Championship winner Y.E. Yang and four others.

World No. 2 Phil Mickelson never got anything going on Thursday. The Masters winner's scorecard would have looked better at a different major, the U.S. Open.

Mickelson parred the first 12 holes before stumbling to a double-bogey on the 13th. He parred the next four holes, but at the last, he finally rolled in a birdie putt to end at one-over 73.

"I fought hard today," Mickelson said. "I drove it poorly with the driver, but still salvaged a lot of pars."

McIlroy didn't look like he'd be near the top of the leaderboard at the start of the round.

The 21-year-old from Northern Ireland birdied the third to go with seven pars in his first eight holes. His run up the leaderboard started with an eagle on the par-four ninth.

Around the turn, he poured in three consecutive birdie chances from the 10th to jump to six-under. McIlroy knocked his second shot on the par-five 14th onto the forward tee of No. 15.

He chipped to 10 feet and drained that to take the lead at seven-under. McIlroy knocked in an eight-footer for birdie at the 15th to push his lead to two strokes.

McIlroy parred 16 and 17, where his four-footer for birdie lipped out. At the last, he pitched his third to three feet and knocked that in for a closing birdie.

"I made up for it and made birdie at the last," said McIlory of missing his birdie try on 17 while thinking about matching the low score in a major. "I'm not complaining about my score, but I'm sure it could have been a couple more if a few more putts had fallen."

It was the 24th time a player has posted a 63 in a major championship, but just second time it has happened on the Old Course at St. Andrews.

The only other man to shoot 63 at St. Andrews in the Open Championship was Paul Broadhurst, who did it in the third round in 1990.

Woods had a steady round that started with a birdie on the second. After four pars in a row, he two-putted for birdie on the seventh and moved to three- under with a 22-foot birdie putt at the ninth.

On the back nine, Woods made his run and it started with a two-putt birdie on the 12th. He poured in a 20-footer on 13 and made it three straight with another two-putt birdie at 14.

He was two back at the time, but his deficit doubled late. After McIlroy closed with a birdie, Woods missed a four-foot par putt at 17 to slide four back. That bogey means Woods still hasn't played a bogey-free round all year.

Woods' drive at the last got close enough to the green for him to putt his second. He played a big-breaking putt within seven feet, but missed the birdie try on the left edge.

"I played pretty good today, I just missed two short putts there at 17 and 18," said Woods, who won two of his three Open titles on the Old Course. "It could have been a pretty special round. We had good weather. It felt like we were playing in a dome. The course could be had."

In his three British Open titles, Woods either led or trailed by one stroke after the first round. That wasn't the case when Thursday's opening round finished.

Oosthuizen made back-to-back birdies from the fourth. After a par on six, he ran off four straight birdies from No. 7 to get to six-under.

The South African got within one of McIlroy with birdies on 14 and 15. However, he bogeyed the 17th to slip two back.

"The last three holes were very tough, so I'm happy with my 65," Oosthuizen said. "I think the win earlier in the year on the European Tour made a big change. I feel very confident the way I'm playing."

The other four players tied at minus-five are Fredrik Andersson Hed, Marcel Siem, Nick Watney and Alejandro Canizares.

Defending champion Stewart Cink posted a two-under 70 with three birdies and a bogey. Cink is tied for 46th. The man Cink defeated in a playoff last year at Turnberry, Tom Watson, managed a one-over 73.

Watson bogeyed three straight holes from the second, but birdied the fifth and got another back at the 14th.

NOTES: U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell managed a one-under 71...Reigning British Amateur champion Jin Jeong carded a four-under 68 and is the leading amateur by three strokes over Eric Chun...The Old Course at St. Andrews is hosting the championship for the 28th time...The Open Championship is being played for the 139th time, but is celebrating its 150-year anniversary.

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American Idol odds : Blake Lewis the Early Standout

An important American Idol betting lines recap from February 20 Guys episode. The 12 men came out flat overall with Blake Lewis appearing to have the early edge after the first hour and a half.

Rudy - was quite good singing "Free Ride" to start off.  Randy was not impressed though.  Paula thought he started off fantastic.  "Never had anyone stop off so lively" said Paula but Simon (who does not like Rudy) does not feel he has a distinct voice and was not impressed either. 

Brandon was a little pitchy according to Randy and Paula agreed.  Simon said he was a good singer but the song was "too safe" and he needs to make an impact.  He was listed at +1200 odds or $1200 paid out on a $100 bet should he win the competition. 

Big favorite Sundance came in with a flat version of "Knights in White Satin" and the judges let him have it, including Paula.  Randy claimed the song was out of pitch throughout.

Korean American - and a Jenny Woo favorite - Paul Kim was up next.  Another pitchy flat one but Randy said he still liked his potential.  Kim at +3000 odds was said to have sung a "third rate version of that (George Michael) song" according to Simon Cowell.  He sang "Careless Whisper".

22 year old Chris Richardson was up next.  He was listed with +1100 odds coming in.  He got the best response from the judges though Simon did not believe the vocal was that great. 

Nick was boring and pitchy.  Simon didn't think he was that bad though and predicted he would be back next week.  Nick Pedro was a big +3000 dog coming into this competition. 

Beat boxer Blake Lewis was listed with early +1000 odds or $1000 payout on a $100 bet if he were to become the next American Idol winner odds .  These of course were the early odds.  He was considered original for picking an "odd song".  He did not beat box and the judges felt it was the best vocal of the night. 

Sanjaya came in as the second biggest favorite after Chris Sligh but his performance Tuesday night was not very good. 

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Phil - this season's military favorite - came into this competition with +1200 odds to win the competition.  He was the last to perform.  He was certainly strong enough to get through this stage of the competition and perhaps the best one after a shaky start. 

Tomorrow night, the ladies perform and I sure hope they do a better job than the boys.  Check out all the American Idol betting odds here.

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