Posted on 1/23/2008 1:57:07 PM

PGA Golf Betting 2008 – Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines Golf Club

By Tim Furious

Tiger Woods makes his 2008 PGA Tour debut at the Buick Invitational this weekend in sunny San Diego, California. Torrey Pines Golf and Country Club plays host to the real beginning of the PGA season with the Pacific Ocean as a gorgeous backdrop. Tiger is the logical favorite to win because he is the defending champion and because, well, he’s Tiger Woods.

This will be sneak peek preview for the U.S. Open, which will also be hosted by Torrey Pines. That being said, do not forget to take the weather in to consideration. Torrey Pines is rarely played in the winter. And I don’t care that it’s in California. The climate is different in January than it will be in June, so factor that in when you’re studying the lay of the land.

The big hole to watch out for is sixth hole, which has been converted from a manageable par-5 to a terrifying par-4. The rough throughout the course is a bit shorter than you might expect, so they won’t penalize the long-ball hitters that traditionally thrive on this course. The greens will be harder and faster, so delicacy is the name of the game when playing tap-tap to finish the hole.

Tiger is the betting man’s favorite to run away with the Buick because he owns five victories at this prestigious event. He’s never finished lower than tenth. But who can seriously contend a fully rested Tiger?

That challenge is ultimately Phil Mickelson’s burden to bear. But Lefty has been waging another war – this time internally. A respiratory malady has left Phil bed-ridden for quite some time, and it will be impossible to expect Phil to be at his best. Those who faithfully back Lefty in most tournaments would be wise to back away from him this weekend. Hey, I like him too, but a fully healthy Tiger against a wheezing Phil is like betting on Kevin Federline to win a Grammy or Britney Murphy winning an Oscar.

Jim Furyk has a lot to prove this season before his golf betting bandwagon can pile up. He still ranks in the top-5 of the Official Golf World Rankings, but he is riding the coattails of his own success in 2006 and early 2007.

Somebody to keep your eye on is Ryan Moore, who leads the PGA Tour thus far in birdie average. Fully healthy, and fully under the radar, the twenty-five year-old American averages 6.40 birdies per round and is seventh in putting with an average green-time of 1.662 puts. In his third year as a pro, Moore could satisfy a lot of customers with a strong, tight swing and a strong ability to drive the ball true. When he takes off, don’t say I didn’t warn you (likewise, if he busts out, forget I said anything).

Anthony Kim is another sleeper who is worthy of attention, although he got some much deserved attention by finishing T-3 at Palm Springs. Kim has all the tools for another prominent finish, including a coolness-under-fire that keeps him steady when the pressure gets unbearable. He is 10th on the money list right now and has an average long-ball of 302.1 yards per drive. That’s good enough for 19th on the PGA, and good enough to warrant your betting attention for a top-10 finish.

The field will be locked, stocked and ready to barrel through Torrey Pines this weekend. What better way to cure your football separation anxiety than by watching Tiger dominate another field, as Phil tries to overcome an ugly virus to challenge his storied rival? Head to our sportsbook now to place a bet on your favorites to win, and make this weekend a little more exciting even without our beloved pigskin.

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