Even with NHL trade deadline 2012 talk picking up, golf is carving out a nice niche for itself as the PGA Tour season came alive last weekend at Pebble Beach, where Phil Mickelson shot a final-round 64 to blow away Tiger Woods and the rest of the field. Mickelson is now the favorite at Riviera, another legendary course and he is also the all-time money leader in the Northern Trust Open, so he’ll be one to watch this week.
Phil Mickelson (+900): “Lefty” won here in 2008 and 2009, and some sportsbook reviews would also tell you that he lost in a playoff to Charles Howell III here in 2007, so he knows how to get around at Riviera. He drove the ball beautifully at Pebble Beach and hit a few huge putts, and Mickelson is tough to beat when he can find the fairways. Now, it’s all about whether he can do it two weeks in row.
Luke Donald (+1500): The world’s No.1 player is teeing it up for the first time this year in the United States, but that shouldn’t dissuade players that use bookie software for siding with the Englishman, who finished 48th in Abu Dhabi in January. Donald has results at Riviera of solo second in 2010, T-6 in 2009 and T-3 in 2008, so he will definitely be a threat this weekend in Pacific Palisades.
Dustin Johnson (+2000): Johnson will likely be a featured player in this column because there may not be a more talented golfer in the United States, arguably in the world. He finished T-5 at Pebble Beach, where he had won twice, and his prodigious length always gives him an edge; if Johnson can putt more consistently, the floodgates will really open. Johnson has a T-10 for 2009 at Riviera under his belt, and he followed it with a T-3 in 2010.
Kevin Na (+4000): If Na was a March Madness betting option, he’d likely be a No.12 seed; he’ll probably take down a No.5 seed in the first round, but he’ll need some breaks to get much farther. Na has gotten off to a solid start this season and has finished in the top five in his last two starts, and he has also had success in his last two starts at Rivera with a T-3 last year and a T-10 in 2010.
K.J. Choi (+4000): Choi is steady as they come and he loves this course as he finished T-7 last year, T-3 in 2009 and T-7 in 2008. He is one of many international players teeing it up for the first time on the PGA Tour this season, and with the Masters right around the corner, everyone will be out to get their games peaking at the right time. Choi should be a darkhorse consideration among sports betting players on Thursday.
