Posted on 8/13/2007 7:45:45 PM

Golf Betting 2007 – Tiger Takes 2007 PGA Championship

By Tim Furious

August 13, 2007

The only thing hotter then the steaming humidity and boiling temperatures was Tiger’s electrifying play through the weekend. Tiger Woods earned his thirteenth major by winning the 2007 PGA Championship at Southern Hills in Oklahoma. Wearing his traditional red and black attire, the tennis odds on favorite scorched the field again and hoisted the Wanamaker Trophy.

As predicted, Woody Austin and Ernie Els finished right behind Tiger. Both had better scores on the final day, but Tiger was simply too good through the weekend to be beaten. When Woods is at his best, he is impossible to take down.

With his thirteenth major in hand, the thirty-one year old Woods is a virtual lock to catch Jack Nicklaus’s record eighteen majors. That gold standard is the one by which Woods will ultimately be measured, but he is well ahead of the pace and should capture this record within the next five years.

Looking forward to the FedEx Cup Playoffs, Woods has to be the favorite to win right now. He is coming off back-to-back victories at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational and now the 2007 PGA Championship. When the heat was on, literally and figuratively, Woods came through in the clutch.

The players ranked right behind Tiger in the FedEx Cup Standings both failed to make the cut at the PGA Championship. Jim Furyk and his loopy swing seemed to be hampered by a nagging back injury that could seriously affect his game in a month long tournament. Vijay Singh just did not play up to par at Southern Hills. The heat was probably getting to the aging iron man.

Phil Mickelson, who ranks fourth in the standings, overcame a wrist injury that limited his shot selection over the weekend. He finished tied for thirty-second, but some time off to heal his wrist might give old Lefty a fighting chance in the FedEx Cup odds, especially if Furyk can not keep up.

Woody Austin made a fantastic impression at Southern Hills, and he made a huge jump from twenty-fourth to thirteenth in the standings. His all around game will play well in the playoffs, and his consistency may help him beat the odds.

Ernie Els resides in the top-20 of the standings, but his solid showing this weekend proves he will be a threat when the pressure gets cranked up in a few short weeks. After a pedestrian 72 on day one, Els thundered through the leaderboard with scores of 68-69-66 on the final three days. The South African in him is used to the heat, but the veteran in him is used to the pressure (it also prefers the sweet side of Kellog’s Frosted Mini-Wheats). Keep an eye on Els who will be a mild long shot to win.

For now the focus is on Tiger, who won his first major as a father and dramatically said it was “really cool” to win with his daughter present. In the meantime, he made the field call him “daddy” as he took down the fourth major of the season. With his sights set forward, Tiger has made a booming statement with his recent play.

The message is simple. Tiger is peaking at the perfect time both mentally and physically. It is said that when he his at his best, he is impossible to beat. So the field will have to do the impossible in a few weeks when they tee-off at the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Can someone from the pack emerge victorious over a roaring Tiger? And will you cash in if they do?

Check back to the BetUS.com locker room for the latest news concerning the PGA Tour and dip your chips in to our sportsbook for the latest tennis odds heading in to the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

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