Adding . . .
Woods(-200) over Mickelson (Tournament) @ BestLineSports
- - Managing the vagaries of St. Andrews isn't the same thing as plotting the demands of Troon, this isn't the Mickelson of July of 2004, and this isn't the Woods of even three months ago. Phil will pleasantly surprise me if he even finishes within a handful of shots of Eldrick of Windermere.
Watson(+220) 1st Round Score 72 and Under @ Bet365
- - I'm almost certain Tom would give a knowing smile if he was told that was the price for his shooting fours on Thursday.
Scott(-127) over Westwood (Tournament) @ 5dimes
- - I thought Westwood was primed last year at Troon, and I lost none of my confidence after two "almost" rounds with Woods, and "Lee Bud!!!" justified my support in a big way with a 4th place and Top European finish . . . Based on lines and sentiments this year, among the 30-40 players I have opinions and leans on, I think Scott will be in the mix or on the fringes from Thursday on, but I have no such expectations for a primed performance from Westwood. The matchup of the two at this price rated substantially higher than my next selection on the board.
Tom Watson(300/1) Place Top 5 @ 5dimes
- - I went looking for something in the specialty markets (one of only two birdies at 18 on Sunday at Royal St. George's by Chad Campbell cost me a two-way tie for 4th with Watson as Top American @ 150/1 e.w. in 2003), but after surveying the odds in specialty markets available to me, I had to favor going for a bite from the full field enchilada.
Thursday 3-Balls:
Woods(-138) over Olazabal/Allenby
Norman(+210) over Casey/Jacklin
Jacobson(+120) over Curtis/Woosnam
- - I like them enough to play them.
Brian Davis(80/1)(1/4 for 1-2-3-4) e.w. for 1st Round Leader @ Bet365
- - Available on Request. I'm not real crazy about the play, but I always need a "Lee Mackey, Jr." play for Thursday of every major championship.
Davis Love(30/1)(1/4 for Top 6) e.w. @ GolfingGods
- - It's time to say good night with this final selection, winning out in a desperate battle in the full field and/or specialty markets over the likes of Scott, Jacobson, Els, Clarke, Webster, Garcia and Poulter. Good night and Good morning!
GL
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Jack Nicklaus (June of 2000):
Q: Barbara says you're a best friend to all your children, and very contemporary. How contemporary?
A: A long time ago, a college friend came to a tournament and we went to dinner. He asked me if it was OK to smoke. I said, "Of course." He said, "No, Jack, you don't understand. I don't mean smoke what I always used to smoke. I mean marijuana." So he did, and I asked him to have a puff to see what it tasted like.
Q: Did you inhale, Mr. President?
A: I did, and by 8 o'clock that night, I was done. I was ready for bed. I never tried marijuana again, and I wouldn't know what cocaine looked like if you brought it into this room right now. But I wanted to know about marijuana. I've got kids. I would guess they've tried it. I would be amazed if they haven't.
But none of them has a drug or drinking problem. Steve used to drink a bit. But he hasn't had a drink in years. One New Year's Eve, he drank too much and got obnoxious. The next day, he called up everybody and apologized. He stopped drinking on his own, and I'm proud of that. Steve was the one who fell asleep at the wheel of a car years ago and got into an accident on Jack Nicklaus Freeway in Columbus.
You have to trust your kids. They have to experience life, and you just hope you've provided them a foundation for what's right and what isn't.
Barbara says when Steve and Jackie were young, they fought all the time. So much so that she was afraid only one would survive to see the age of 10. Now Steve has just bought a house next to Jackie.
Amazing, isn't it? Two older brothers living next to each other. And all five of our children live within maybe 10 minutes of Barbara and me. I think that's pretty neat. That's more important to me than 20 trophies for winning majors. And if it weren't the way it is in our family, I'd trade all those trophies to make it that way.
Q: Has it ever been lonely at the top?
A: No, I don't think so. I always had Barbara and the family. I have my friends, guys I spend time with. Arnold, Player--probably spend more time with those two than anybody. Watson and I go to dinner every once in a while when we're together.
Arnold and I have had our differences of opinions on some golf matters, which is only natural. But every time there's really been an issue in the game of golf, Arnold and I have stood side by side.
I saw what he said about our age difference. When he was 30, I was 20, and that's a difference. So is 50 and 40, because he went to the senior tour while I was on the regular tour. There's not a whole lot of difference, though, between 60 and 50 or 70 and 60. We play a lot of golf together now, and we still try to beat each other's brains in.
