Golf: The Players Championship opening round and odds

A big surprise for players and spectators alike, Tiger Woods is without a birdie in the opening round giving the lead at The Players Championship to Mickelson and Sabbatini.

Golf: The Players Championship opening round and odds On a quite windy TPC Sawgrass Tiger Woods (+3) blamed the different grain he is not used to, to justify why for the first time since 2003 Masters he did not get a birdie in the opening round and he is in position T58.

The ledge board leaders after the round are Phil Mickelson and Rory Sabbatini, both -5 to par.

This was sure to change the betting odds, and we stopped by the British bookmaker BlueSQ to get the latest odds on who they think will win the Players Championship. Phil Mickelson is still the leading favorite of the betting website with odds 9/4. But Tiger Woods was quickly downgraded to 9/1 and Rory Sabbatini is now the second favorite to win with betting odds 7/1. Peter Lonard, who shares the second position with Chris DiMarco still has a nice payout with odds 25/1 while DiMarco keeps his yesterday betting odds of 16/1.

Great performance by Mickelson on Thursday, and he did not let Sabbatini take the lead, joining him with a par save from an awkward slope around the seventh green for five under 67. Retief Goosen had the only bogey-free round and only 16 players broke par on the first round of the Players Championship.

Rory Sabbatini still has a score to settle with Tiger Woods after his gave away the victory at closing at the Wachovia Championship and finishing third. The Players Championship continues today through tomorrow at the TPC Sawgrass.

05/11/2007