Jimenez holds off Molinari to win European Masters

Golf Betting Lines

09/05/2010 - Crans Montana, Switzerland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After nearly coughing up a six- stroke lead, Miguel Angel Jimenez birdied the 17th hole Sunday to fend off Ryder Cup teammate Edoardo Molinari and win the European Masters.

Jimenez closed with a four-under 67 to finish off his third win of the season at 21-under-par 263.

The Spaniard earned his 18th European Tour victory, but first in 22 appearances at this tournament.

Molinari was down by six strokes on the back nine, but birdied 12 and 14, then made eagle on the 15th at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club to get within one.

He made bogey on 16 and ended three back after Jimenez's birdie on 17. Molinari also shot four-under 67 to take second at minus-18.

Matteo Manassero, who this week became the youngest player to make the cut in a European Tour event, carded a three-under 68 to take third at 16-under 268.

Jimenez's victory makes it five straight wins for European Ryder Cup team members, and six in a row for Ryder Cup players if you include American Hunter Mahan's win at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

The winners in order were Ross Fisher (3 Irish Open), Mahan, Martin Kaymer (PGA Championship), Peter Hanson (Czech Open), Molinari (Johnnie Walker Championship) and Jimenez.

MORE TO FOLLOW.

Casinoxtc Golf Betting News

<< A's try to break out the brooms on Angels
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim haven't been swept in a series of at least three games by the Oakland Athletics in more than six years, partly due to the success Ervin Santana has produced against the team's American League

<< Cubs, Mets conclude series at Wrigley
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Cubs try to continue their resurgence under interim manager Mike Quade this afternoon when they go for a sweep in their three-game series with the New York Mets at Wrigley Field. The Cubs improved to 8-3 under

<< Red-hot Phils attempt season sweep of Brewers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Phillies shoot for their sixth straight win and try to complete season sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers this afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies, who also swept the Brewers in a three-game set back

<< Cellar-dwellers wrap up set at PNC Park
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A pair of struggling one-win pitchers square off today at PNC Park when the host Pittsburgh Pirates and visiting Washington Nationals meet in the rubber game of a three-game weekend series. The Nationals dropped Friday's o

<< Minor shoots for fourth straight win in rubber match with Marlins
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rookie Mike Minor goes for a fourth straight win this afternoon when the Atlanta Braves play the rubber match of their three-game series against the Florida Marlins at Sun Life Stadium. After getting a no-decision in his b

Wilson, Rangers hope to avoid sweep in Minnesota >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hoping to avoid a series sweep at the hands of the Minnesota Twins, the Texas Rangers may have the right pitcher on the mound today to accomplish that goal. C.J. Wilson will attempt to register his eighth consecutive winni

Giants, Dodgers play rubber match at Chavez Ravine >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hiroki Kuroda nearly threw a no-hitter in his last trip to the hill. Tonight, the Los Angeles Dodgers will settle for a win, as they play the rubber match of their three-game set against the San Francisco Giants at Dodgers St

Rockies try to pin 10th straight loss on reeling Padres >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Diego Padres try to avoid their worst losing streak in more than 16 years this afternoon when they play the finale of their three- game series with the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park. San Diego has been baseball's

Happ goes for Astros in the desert >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Newly-minted Astro lefty J.A. Happ can make it five wins in seven decisions with Houston today when they visit Chase Field to close out a three-game weekend series with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Arizona won Friday's opener

Reds, Cards close big series in St. Louis >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It is starting to appear as if the Cincinnati Reds are headed towards their first National League Central title since 1995. Today, they try to put even more distance between themselves and the St. Louis Cardinals, as they

COLLEGE FOOTBALL BETTING

NCAA Football Betting : USC's reward: Top spot in Top 25

NEW YORK (AP) -By staying away from the cupcakes, Southern California earned itself a slim new ranking.

No. 1 always seems to fit USC.

Southern California jumped two spots to No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 on Tuesday, rewarded by voters for opening the season with a dominant performance on the road against a BCS conference opponent.

Georgia and Ohio State, the preseason Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, started their seasons with glorified scrimmages at home against FCS (formerly I-AA) teams. USC, however, traveled across country to face Virginia and could not have been more impressive in a 52-7 victory.

Georgia fell to No. 2 and Ohio State to No 3.

"We realize that rankings so early in a season are certainly fluid. But rankings do help establish a pecking order for things later in the season," USC coach Pete Carroll said in a statement. "As for moving into the No. 1 spot, it's nice to know that people think highly of our team."

Since reaching No. 1 on Dec. 7, 2003, the final-regular season AP poll of that season, USC has been No. 1 in 39 polls, by far the most of any team during that time.

"Some have said the voters are taking our schedule into consideration," Carroll said. "Our philosophy has always been to schedule outstanding opponents. We need to play challenging games like we just did, traveling across the country to open the season at Virginia. Games like that bring out our best and make us stronger as a team."

The latest voting was close. USC received 21 first-place votes and 1,539 points from the 65-member media panel. Georgia had 20 first-place votes and 1,506 points. Ohio State got 15 first-place votes and 1,497 points.

"I'd say we've evolved as pollsters," said Stewart Mandel of SI.com, who moved USC up to No. 1. "In the past, voters just kind of automatically moved teams up and kept teams where they were if they won."

Georgia beat Georgia Southern 45-21 on Saturday and Ohio State opened with a 43-0 win over Youngstown State.

"There's a bit of a growing backlash for the amount of teams that open with I-AA cupcakes," said Mandel, whose book "Bowls, Polls and Tattered Souls" chronicles college football's controversies. "To see a team [USC] go on the road and play a New Year's Day bowl team from last season, and not only play them but destroy them, how could you not reward that team?"

USC also jumped past Georgia to No. 1 in the USA Today coaches' poll, which has the same top five as the AP poll.

"It's definitely a privilege to be No. 1. But it's not heartbreaking to me if we drop," Georgia offensive lineman Josh Davis said. "It doesn't matter right now what we're ranked. What matters is our next game and right now, that's Central Michigan. The only time the polls matter is in December. That's when the polls matter."

While the Bulldogs opened easy, their schedule ultimately should be as difficult as any team's. Georgia's big nonconference test is at No. 15 Arizona State on Sept. 20. The Bulldogs also face six Southeastern Conference rivals that've been ranked in the first two polls.

As for Ohio State, the Buckeyes play at USC on Sept. 13 before getting into the Big Ten schedule.

But of the teams in this week's top 10, USC and Texas are the only ones that don't play an FCS opponent, and the Trojans are the only team that doesn't play a team from a non-BCS conference.

Get the latest 2009 BCS Championship odds at MySportsbook.com.

The last team to drop from No. 1 after a victory was USC last season. LSU jumped from No. 2 to No. 1 when it beat Tulane 34-9, the same week the Trojans edged Washington 27-24 on the road.

The last preseason No. 1 team to lose the top spot after winning its opening game was Florida in 2001. The Gators beat Marshall 49-14, but preseason No. 2 Miami opened with a 33-7 victory over Penn State and the Hurricanes jumped to No. 1 with Florida slipping to second.

The next four teams in the new Top 25 stayed the same: No. 4 Oklahoma (two first-place votes), No. 5 Florida (five first-place votes), No. 6 Missouri (one first-place vote), No. 7 LSU (one first-place vote) and No. 8 West Virginia.

No. 9 Auburn and No. 10 Texas each moved up a spot, taking advantage of Clemson's big drop. Clemson, ninth in the preseason, fell out after losing 34-10 to Alabama on Saturday.

Also falling out after losses were Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh and Tennessee.

Moving into the rankings were No. 21 Fresno State, No. 22 Utah, No. 23 UCLA and No. 24 South Carolina.

Alabama moved up 11 spots after its big victory over Clemson.

The second 10 started with No. 11 Wisconsin, followed by Texas Tech, Alabama and Kansas. BYU and Arizona State were tied for 15th. Rivals BYU and Utah are both ranked for the first time since 1996.

South Florida was No. 17, ahead of Oregon, Penn State and Wake Forest at No. 20.

The final five were all the teams to move into the ranking, except for Illinois, which dropped four spots and tied South Carolina for No. 24.

Get free Sports Betting lines RSS feeds from top rated online sportsbook MySportsbook.com