Former US Open champion Graeme McDowell defeated Spanish star Sergio Garcia in a thrilling extra-hole duel to reach the Volvo World Match Play Championship semi-finals on Saturday.
Five-time champion Rafael Nadal struggled with his backhand but overcame a difficult first set to beat fellow Spaniard David Ferrer 7-6 (6), 6-0 on Saturday to reach the Italian Open final.
World No. 1 Yani Tseng of Taiwan and World No. 2 Na Yeon Choi of South Korea were ousted from the LPGA Sybase Match-Play Championship with third-round losses on Saturday.
British sailing hero Ben Ainslie kicked off the torch relay for the 2012 London Olympics on Saturday with a stroll through teary, flag-waving crowds who cheered the arrival of the flame.
May 19 (Infostrada Sports) - Scores from World Match PlayChampionship quarter-finals in Casares, Spain on Saturday. Graeme McDowell (Britain) beat Sergio Garcia (Spain) 19th Paul Lawrie (Britain) beat Retief Goosen (South Africa) 6&5 Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium) beat Brandt Snedeker (U.S.) 4&3 Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Spain) beat Alvaro Quiros (Spain) 3&1
May 19 (Infostrada Sports) - Scores from the Last 16 matchesat the E uropean PGA Tour World Match Play Championship inCasares, Spain, on Saturday. Sergio Garcia (Spain) beat Tom Lewis (Britain) 4&3 Graeme McDowell (Britain) beat Richard Finch (Britain) 3&2 Paul Lawrie (Britain) beat Thomas Bjorn (Denmark) 5&4 Retief Goosen (South Africa) beat Robert Rock (Britain) 3&2 Brandt Snedeker (U.S. ...
Judging by his appetite and appearance, Bodemeister has rebounded nicely from his vigorous trip in the Kentucky Derby and is ready to shine at the Preakness.
With their Game 2 collapse still fresh in their minds, the Los Angeles Lakers avoided a sequel with the only game plan they're confident will work against the younger, faster Oklahoma City Thunder.
Kobe Bryant shot a perfect 18-of-18 from the free-throw line and had a game-high 36 points as the Los Angeles Lakers beat Oklahoma City 99-96 to hand the Thunder their first loss of the 2012 playoffs.
(Reuters) - Kobe Bryant refused to let a second successive game slip through his fingers as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 99-96 in a cliffhanger on Friday to avoid going down 3-0 in their NBA playoff series. Bryant endured a 9-for-25 shooting night to score 36 points, including eight of his team's final 10 points, helping the Lakers get the home win needed in the second-round West matchup. Kevin Durant tallied 31 points, but missed a long, potential game-tying three-pointer in the final seconds, while Russell Westbrook and James Harden each had 21 in the loss. ...
(Reuters) - The Atlanta Braves handed Tampa Bay a rare home loss when they chased top pitcher James Shields after six innings in a 5-3 victory over the Rays on Friday. Freddie Freeman's run scoring double in the fifth put Atlanta ahead to stay and the Braves added another run two batters later for a 4-2 advantage. Martin Prado made it a 5-2 game with a seventh inning homer as the Braves, who lead the National League East, won for the 10th time in 12 road games. Tampa Bay, chasing Baltimore for the American League East's top spot, lost at home for only the fifth time in 19 games this season. ...
Two outs were all that separated Justin Verlander from yet another rare achievement — and an exclusive club that includes Cy Young, Nolan Ryan and only three other pitchers.
Two outs were all that separated Justin Verlander from yet another rare achievement — and an exclusive club that includes Cy Young, Nolan Ryan and only three other pitchers.
Andre Iguodala finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists as the Philadelphia 76ers rallied to beat the Boston Celtics 92-83 in game four of their Eastern Conference series.
American Jason Dufner rolled in four birdies on his final five holes for a four-under 66 and a one-shot lead after the second round of the PGA Tour's Byron Nelson Championship.
Standing over his ball in a swale behind the 18th green, Jason Dufner would have been content with a par and a spot in the big group tied for the lead in the Byron Nelson Championship.
May 1 8 (Infostrada Sports) - Scores from the second round of the Byron Nelson Championship on Friday in Irving, Texas. The cutwas set at 142. 133 Jason Dufner (U.S.) 67 66 134 Chad Campbell (U.S.) 68 66 Ryan Palmer (U.S.) 64 70 Matt Kuchar (U.S.) 66 68 Pat Perez (U.S.) 67 67 Dicky Pride (U.S.) 66 68 Marc Leishman (Australia) 65 69 135 Keegan Bradley (U.S.) 67 68 Ryuji Imada (Japan) 67 68 Charley Hoffman (U.S.) 66 69 136 Jason Day (Australia) 68 68 Ken Duke (U.S.) 69 67 J.J. Henry (U.S.) 68 68 Scott Piercy (U.S.) 66 70 137 Blake Adams (U.S.) 66 71 Billy Mayfair (U.S.) 69 68 D.A. Points (U.S. ...
* Dufner takes control with strong finish * Leads by one shot going into third round (Updates at end of round) May 18 (Reuters) - American Jason Dufner birdied four of hislast five holes to go a stroke clear of a congested leaderboardin Friday's second round of the Byron Nelson Championship inIrving, Texas. Three weeks after clinching his maiden PGA Tour victory atthe New Orleans Classic, Dufner fired a four-under-par 66 in thetoughest conditions of the day to post a seven-under total of133. ...
Kerry Wood arrived in the majors 14 years ago, a fresh-faced kid with No. 34 on his back, slinging fastballs at 100 mph, delivering breaking pitches that were often unhittable and striking out 20 batters in just his fifth start.
Kerry Wood arrived in the majors 14 years ago, a fresh-faced kid with No. 34 on his back, slinging fastballs at 100 mph, delivering breaking pitches that were often unhittable and striking out 20 batters in just his fifth start.
Cristie Kerr crashed out of the LPGA's Sybase Match Play Championship on Friday, losing to Vicky Hurst 1-up on a day when four of the top-10 seeds moved to the third round.
Kerry Wood, who electrified the worldwide of baseball with an amazing start to his career, pitched his final game in the majors on Friday, retiring after one final, emotional appearance with the Chicago Cubs.
DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Co will not advertise in next year's Super Bowl because it is too expensive, the top marketing executive for the U.S. automaker said three days after the company announced it was dropping paid ads on Facebook Inc. The 2013 Super Bowl will be broadcast by CBS Corp, which is selling 30-second ads for as much as $4 million. Spots on NBC's broadcast of this year's National Football League championship game, the most heavily watched annual event on U.S. television, cost about $3.5 million per 30-second spot. NBC is majority-owned by Comcast Corp. ...
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The key witness in former baseball pitching ace Roger Clemens' perjury trial testified on Friday that evidence he turned over to federal investigators showed Clemens had used performance-enhancing drugs but that it also included items used by other players.
Saints general manager Mickey Loomis says he isn't taking any of Drew Brees' recent complaints about the slow pace of contract negotiations personally.
(Reuters) - The Atlanta Hawks have re-signed head coach Larry Drew back for a third season after he steered the injury-hit team to the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference, the National Basketball Association team said on Friday. Despite losing several key players for stretches of the lockout-shortened season, the Hawks made the playoffs for a fifth straight year before losing to the Boston Celtics in the first round of the postseason. ...
May 18 (Reuters) - In-form Matt Kuchar recovered from anerratic front nine to surge into a five-way tie for the earlylead in Friday's second round of the Byron Nelson Championshipin Irving, Texas. The American world number five, the highest-ranked player inthe field, covered his back nine in four-under-par 31 tocomplete a two-under 68 at the TPC Four Seasons Resort LasColinas as the wind began to pick up for the late starters. That left Kuchar at six-under 134 and level with compatriotsChad Campbell (66), overnight leader Ryan Palmer (70), Pat Perez(67) and Dicky Pride (68). ...
Kerry Wood, who electrified baseball with a 20-strikeout game as a rookie in 1998 and then became a reliever after his career was slowed by injuries, is expected to retire after pitching one more time for the Chicago Cubs.
(Reuters) - Top seed Martin Kaymer lost to England's Richard Finch to become one of three major champions who exited the World Match Play Championship on Friday.
May 18 (Reuters) - Top seed Martin Kaymer lost to England'sRichard Finch to become one of three major champions who exitedthe World Match Play Championship on Friday. The world number nine missed a simple putt at the last tolose by one hole, his second defeat in two days after he losthis first round-robin match to Rafael Cabrera-Bello on Thursday. Last year's British Open winner Darren Clarke and 2011Masters champion Charl Schwartzel also finished bottom of theirgroups to beat a swift exit from the competition. ...
England's Richard Finch delivered the first big upset at the Volvo World Match-Play Championship on Friday as he knocked out former PGA Champion Martin Kaymer of Germany.
(Reuters) - Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel and umpire Bob Davidson were each banned for one game by Major League Baseball (MLB) on Friday following their nose-to-nose shouting match during a game earlier this week. Manuel was ejected in the eighth inning of the Phillies' 4-3 win over the Houston Astros on Tuesday for disputing a call made by Davidson that allowed an opposing player to reach first base safely on a dropped third strike. The Phillies manager left the dugout to argue and came face-to-face with Davidson on the field for a heated argument that lasted about 40 seconds. ...
The sports betting scene in California is as hot as it has ever been, with the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers getting things done in the NBA playoffs, and the Los Angeles Kings on the verge of reaching the NHL Stanley Cup finals.
Sports betting experts are going to have some lively discussions about this series after the New Jersey Devils won Game 2 to tie the New York Rangers at one game apiece.
After some interleague online betting play over the weekend, regular action resumes on Monday and Cincinnati hosts Atlanta in a National League matchup at the Great American Ballpark.
After bringing playoff baseball to their respective fan bases in recent years, the San Francisco Giants and Milwaukee Brewers find themselves facing uphill climbs if they are going to reach the postseason this year following sub-.500 starts through the first seven weeks of the season.
Sports betting players are seeing Ireland at the European Championship for only the second time in their history, and the manager has the team playing inspired soccer.
It may be less than two months in to the 2012 MLB season, but even at this point few would have expected the Cleveland Indians to be on top of the American League Central, not after the Detroit Tigers broke the bank to bring Prince Fielder aboard.
Online betting players familiar with Portugal’s national team know that they’re powered by their superstar captain who is one of the top three players in the world, and he’ll be counted on heavily at the European Championship.
The Miami Heat entered the 2011-12 season on a mission to avenge last season’s defeat in the NBA finals. Following the first round of this year’s playoffs, the Heat has already watched two of their biggest obstacles exit stage left.
The Philadelphia Phillies haven't fared well in the National League East, but thanks to an interleague series against the Boston Red Sox, they can move upward against the A.L. East.
Sports betting players are moving on to the second round of the NBA playoffs, and in the Western Conference it looks like the two best teams have to go through the Los Angeles duo to make to the finals.
Online betting sharps know how important homefield advantage is in soccer, and Poland may be able to ride that to a group win at the European Championship as they co-host the tournament with the Ukraine.
The 2012 NHL Playoffs are about to feel like the 1994 playoffs, because the teams that decided the Eastern Conference title 18 years ago will do the same thing over the next two weeks.
The sports betting odds for the second jewel in horse racing’s Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes, are favoring a horse that is incredibly fast in terms of speed, but he fell short at the Kentucky Derby, which isn’t as long as the Preakness and that could be the key as he maintains his status as the favorite in Baltimore.
Just when online betting sharps through the Lakers-Nuggets series was over, Los Angeles decided to open their mouths instead of playing and that sparked Denver to a couple of big wins to send the series to a seventh game.
Sports betting players have watched an incredibly close series in the Eastern Conference between New York and Washington in which all six games have been decided by two goals or less, and the last five have been decided by a goal.
With all of the talk about how talented the Detroit Tigers would be, baseball fans in the Motor City may have forgotten that before you get the chance to challenge for a World Series title you must first clinch a playoff spot during the regular season.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been setting the pace this season in the National League West Division, forcing the Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants to play catch-up in May.
Online betting sharps should be jumping on the bandwagon of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who may have the best player in the majors in Matt Kemp, and a solid pitching staff led by reigning Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw, who won’t be on the mound at all this weekend against Colorado.
Online betting sharps who like attacking football should love the Netherlands, who have disappointed in major tournaments in the past; for their great history, Holland should have more championships and that may scare some off when it comes to Euro 2012.
For the last couple of years, fans of the Toronto Blue Jays have voiced their complaints about playing in such a tough division, with the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox using the advantage of not being burdened by salary restrictions in order to consistently field playoff contenders.
When Adam LaRoche hit a two-run home run to give the Washington Nationals the 4-3 lead in the top of the ninth against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday, it seemed as though they were destined to extend their lead on top of the National League East division.
While sports betting players wait for a Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather to happen (and they shouldn’t hold their breath), Pacquiao will make his next title defense next month against Timothy Bradley, who is moving up in competition and weight for a massive payday and he’ll get more than he bargained for against the eight-division champion.
Not many online betting sharps had Greece winning the European Champion in 2004 in Portugal, where they had to beat the hosts not once, but twice, but the Ethniki stood their ground in one of the biggest upsets in the history of the tournament.
When the Washington Capitals were swept by the Tampa Bay Lightning in last year’s playoffs, it seemed as though it was the beginning of the end for a core group that had spent the past five seasons together in the nation’s capital.
The 2012 NHL Playoffs have been the showcase for many surprising players, but nobody has captured the spotlight quite like Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby.
When the Memphis Grizzlies allowed the Los Angeles Clippers to record the biggest sports betting comeback in NBA playoff history, it was much worse than simply conceding home court advantage in the series.
A lot of online betting sharps woke up exhausted on Thursday morning thanks to Game 3’s triple-overtime game between New York and Washington, which was pulled out by the Rangers on the road.
In order for the Dallas Mavericks to reach the NBA finals a year ago, they had to first take care of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western conference finals, which they did on their way to an NBA title.
The Indiana Pacers were expected to roll over the Orlando Magic without much of any problems, but after an unexpected loss in Game 1, they'll have to dig deep and show they can take a punch.
France’s online betting chances at the European Championship will be predicated on their ability to score goals as their defense is in solid shape, but the two-time champions are on the ascent under their new manager.
After the Boston Red Sox were labeled preseason sports betting favorites to win the World Series a year ago, it was hard for their fans to watch them struggle out of the gate, and then after looking so strong at midseason, collapse down the stretch to miss the playoffs.
After reaching the NBA finals in their first season together in Miami, the big three of Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh know what it will take for the Heat to get back to the big stage.
Online betting players will see that England finally hired a manager with the European Championship only a month away, and he’ll have his hands full managing not only the expectations of a nation, but putting all his pieces into a functional squad that can challenge for honors and he may not have enough time to do it for Euro 2012.
The Chicago Bulls are still in a psychologically wounded state, but will their frame of mind be damaged enough to cost them in their first-round playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers?
Boston’s sports betting odds revolved around their point guard, who lost his head in Game 1 and was suspended for the second game in Atlanta, but he’ll return to the lineup and steal the show on Friday night as the Celtics come home and pick up a hard-earned win over the Hawks.
Some online betting sharps were surprised to see a youthful German team dominate at the World Cup, and now they’re one of the favorites heading into this summer’s European Championships.
The 2012 NHL Playoffs have been a showcase for young and talented goaltenders, with Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby serving as a prime representative of the trend.
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