Pettersen leads Webb at McDonald's LPGA

Golf Betting Lines

06/09/2007 - Havre de Grace, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Suzann Pettersen shot a five-under 67 Friday to take a one-shot lead over Karrie Webb midway through the McDonald's LPGA Championship, the second women's major of the season.

Pettersen finished two rounds at Bulle Rock at eight-under 136. Webb bounced back from a double-bogey with two late birdies and shot a three-under 69. She was at seven-under 137.

Birdie Kim (71) and Brittany Lincicome (69) were tied for third place at six- under 138.

Annika Sorenstam shot a 69 and was tied with Paula Creamer (68), Morgan Pressel (71) and Meena Lee (69) at 139.

Michelle Wie followed her opening round 73 with a two-over 74 and made the cut on the number at three-over 147. She made back-to-back birdies at the 14th and 15th holes, where she went bogey-double bogey in the first round.

"My wrist felt a lot better. I felt stronger. I felt like I actually played some pretty good golf out there today," Wie said.

Her withdrawal from the Ginn Tribute last Thursday with a wrist injury caused a stir this week when Sorenstam said Wednesday that the 17-year-old star lacked "respect and class" by showing up over the weekend to practice for the LPGA Championship.

Wie was two bogeys away from shooting an 88, placing her dangerously close to an obscure LPGA Tour rule that disqualifies any non-member for the remainder of the season if they shoot an 88 or worse.

Thursday, LPGA commissioner Carolyn Bivens joined the chorus of critics by saying Wie was "not very respectful" in her decision. Friday, Wie was asked if she's had a chance to speak with her most vocal critic.

"I haven't really seen her this week," Wie said, referring to Sorenstam.

By making the cut, she will have two more days of opportunities to speak with Sorenstam, who posted six birdies Friday to make up for a double-bogey at No. 2 and a bogey at No. 4.

Sorenstam is playing for the second straight week after missing two months with a ruptured disk in her back. She won this event three straight times from 2003-05.

"I'm a competitor and I might be a little injured physically, but let me tell you, mentally I'm not,' said Sorenstam. "I'm probably strong as ever. So that's really what keeps me going."

Pettersen played in the first morning tee time off No. 1 Friday and made birdie at the first hole when she knocked an 80-yard wedge shot within tap-in range. She followed that with a bogey from the bunker at No. 2, then didn't make another bogey until the 13th hole.

In between, Pettersen made three birdies. She added three more in a row from the 15th hole to take the early lead, including a 15-foot putt at 16.

Pettersen, who won Michelob ULTRA Open in May, was asked if her first two rounds this week are the best golf she's ever played.

"I don't think so, but it's solid," she responded. "You should never say you're in control because then the game will get you the next day. I hit some good shots. I hit some half-decent shots. There's room for improvement."

Webb spent most of her round flirting with Pettersen's lead. She left a birdie putt at the edge of the cup on the 18th -- her ninth hole -- and was one shot down around the turn.

She fell three shot back with a double-bogey at the par-three third, where she missed the green left with an eight-iron. But Webb made birdies putts from 10 feet on No. 5 and five feet on No. 7 to climb back within a shot.

Last year, Webb lost to Se Ri Pak in a playoff when Pak stuck her approach within inches for birdie at the first extra hole. She won this event in 2001.

"I shot two rounds in the 60s pretty easily I feel," Webb said Friday. "So, another couple of rounds like that would definitely give me a good shot."

World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa shot her second consecutive 71 and was among a group of five players who were tied at two-under 142, six shots off the lead. Ochoa has won eight times in the last 14 months, but is still looking for her first major.

Pak, a three-time McDonald's LPGA champion, was a shot behind Ochoa at one- under 143. She had a 70 on Friday.

Eight-four players made the cut. Among those who missed the weekend were Ai Miyazato, Beth Daniel, Julieta Granada and Grace Park and 1995 winner Kelly Robbins.

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Huskers' Lucky hospitalized for undisclosed reason

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska running back Marlon Lucky was hospitalized Monday for undisclosed reasons after Lincoln police responded to a call at his residence.

The Nebraska athletic department said in a release Monday that Lucky was admitted Sunday night.

MySportsbook.com has the Cornhuskers listed at +2500 to win the BCS National Championship odds.

A nursing supervisor at the hospital said all questions about Lucky were being referred to the athletic department. The athletic department said there would be no further comment from the department or Lucky's family.

A Lincoln Police spokesman said officers responded to a call at Lucky's residence 11:30 p.m. Sunday. The spokesman said he didn't know Lucky's condition at the time he was taken to the hospital.

Lucky, from North Hollywood, Calif., started six games last season as a sophomore and was the team's second-leading rusher, with 728 yards and six touchdowns. He also caught 32 passes for 383 yards. He averaged 19.1 yards on eight kickoff returns.

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Numerous College Basketball teams take final big step to March Madness betting

So, what turned on the lock spigot? Well, after what felt like weeks of teams treading water and slipping back into the bubble muck, a bunch of them finally decided to say "to heck with parity" and won games that should put them into the Big Dance.

Disagree with some of these? Then here's the challenge. Take all of the "should be ins" and make a legit case that each should be ahead of the team that's a lock. Then find 10 more teams that also should be placed in the bracket ahead of that lock team. Not so easy, is it?

If you want more evidence that these locks should be good to go, check out what our research department dug up. Since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985, only six teams from a "big six" conference have had a record of 10-6 or better in conference play and not been selected: Colorado (2004) and Nebraska (1999) from the Big 12, Boston College and Seton Hall (both 2003) from the Big East, Indiana (2005) from the Big Ten and UCLA, which somehow went 12-6 in the Pac-10 in 1988 and still missed out. (Note: Five teams went 11-7 and didn't get in, the latest being last season's Stanford team, which had a brutal nonconference run.)

Yes, 10 conference wins doesn't always mean what it used to because of unbalanced schedules, but this season, it should be plenty good in all but the extreme cases (see: Iowa).

In a way, this is a welcome development, because this is a bubble watch, not a lock watch. We can finally be done with teams like Maryland and Virginia Tech and start really bearing down on at-large battles such as Syracuse-West Virginia and Appalachian State-Georgia Tech.

Interestingly, all the shifting of teams into lock status appears to be more administrative than impactful. The number of remaining available at-larges didn't change one iota. The only difference is that teams on the bubble now have a clearer idea of which team(s) they are competing with for those precious bids.

The Bubble Breakdown
CONFERENCE LOCKS SHOULD BE INS AT-LARGES TAKEN
(assuming no auto bid outlier)
ACC Betting Odds 6 0 5
Big East Betting Odds 5 0 4
Big Ten Betting Odds 2 2 3
Big 12 Betting Odds 3 0 2
Pac-10 Betting Odds 5 1 5
SEC Betting Odds 4 0 3
MVC Betting Odds 1 1 1
MWC Betting Odds 2 1 2
TOTAL 28 5 25

As always, I've tried to be as inclusive as possible while only including teams that would have a reasonable chance of at least being discussed if this were Selection Sunday. If your team's not on here, there's probably a good reason (or three) -- start with the RPI and SOS numbers and work your way down.

(Please remember, per selection committee criteria, that records displayed are Division I only. Next update: Feb. 28)

If you have a legitimate grievance, or just like talking bubble, send an e-mail. Polite ones with fact-based arguments have a much better chance of receiving a response. I apologize in advance if I can't get back to all of you.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Work left to do: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech

The ACC moves to six locks as BC, Va Tech and Virginia all got their 10th ACC wins, which should be more than enough this season, and Maryland rallied past North Carolina to get the final piece the Terps needed. After that? It could end there unless FSU, Ga Tech or Clemson picks things up in a hurry.

 

Work left to do:

Clemson [19-9 (5-9), RPI: 41, SOS: 42] The Tigers are closer to locking up the collapse of the year award (in a good battle with OK State) than they are to grabbing an at-large. Clemson's been very competitive, but there's no really positive way you can spin nine losses in 11 games. They now cannot get to .500 in ACC play and still must head to Virginia Tech in the season finale (after hosting Miami). Unless the Tigers win both and/or do some serious work in the ACC tourney, they very well could be left out. There are no great nonconference wins, but ODU, App State, Miss. State, South Carolina and Georgia are all respectable W's.

Florida State [18-11 (6-9), RPI: 48, SOS: 14] The Noles got thrashed at Maryland to run their losing streak to five, but then pounded NC State at home to set the table for what likely is an elimination game at Miami. You can at least make a case for the Seminoles at 7-9 in ACC play (and some work in the ACC tourney), but 6-10 is not going to cut it. Wins at Duke and over Florida will resonate, but the computer numbers remain questionable. Beyond Florida, FSU thrashed bubble buddy Providence, but there's not a ton beyond those two games that will help. They didn't show well in big-time opportunities against Pitt and Wisconsin (before the Florida win).

Georgia Tech [18-10 (6-8), RPI: 51, SOS: 46] The Jackets beat Wake on Wednesday but couldn't get it done at UVa on Saturday, which could be a crucial loss with UNC and BC (both at home) remaining and 8-8 almost a certain need for at-large consideration. A nonconference win over Memphis helps, but the RPI and SOS are not at-large quality right now; if you combine those with a sub-.500 ACC mark, that could spell NIT for GT.

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