Bay Hill Picks – Watney picks up win in strong field at Bay Hill

March 25, 2010

Golf odds – Pick Nick Watney +2800

Online betting players thought that Tiger Woods would be back at Bay Hill this weekend to go for his third straight win in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, but the world’s No.1 is staying away for another couple of weeks. Even without Woods, this tournament usually brings out a strong field, and it’s usually an exciting event, and this week’s winner will be a player many expect to the next step in his progress this season.

Golf betting odds: Pick Nick Watney +2800

What: Golf betting
When: Bay Hill Club and Lodge, Orlando, FL
Where: Thursday, March 25 – Sunday, March 28
Defending Champion: Tiger Woods (two straight years)

As the highest-ranked players in the field this week, Phil Mickelson and Steve Stricker are the favorites at +1000 and +1400, respectively. Mickelson won here in 1997, and he’s been great on par-5s this year, which is important as the par-5s have been retooled this year to yield more birdies. Stricker finished T-8 at the Transitions Championship last week, but he’s never really fared well at Bay Hill, and his last appearance here came in 2005, when he missed the cut.

Ernie Els and Jim Furyk are listed at +2000 and +2200 after winning the last two PGA Tour events, but Els won this event in 1998. Outside of a 67th-place result at the Honda Classic, Els hasn’t finished lower than 12th in a stroke-play event this year, and his putter is finally becoming consistent again. Furyk’s win in the Transitions Championship was his first since 2007, but he missed the cut here last year.

Camilo Villegas is another one to watch in your sportsbook at +2500, and he’ll be fresh after taking a week off. Villegas finished 16th at Doral after winning the Honda Classic, and like Furyk, Bay Hill hasn’t been his best course, but he has momentum on his side and he loves playing in Florida.

If you’re looking for a darkhorse to go after, Justin Rose may be the play at +4000, and he followed up a third-place result in the Honda Classic with a 13th-place finish in the Transitions Championship. Rose finished T-8 at Bay Hill in 2006, and it’ll be coming back this year as a par-72 after three years as a par-70.

Golf Picks: We’re going with Nick Watney this week with odds of +2800, and he hasn’t won since last year at Torrey Pines in the Buick Invitational. Watney has made the cut in seven of eight events this year, and he has consistent numbers: 29th in greens-in-regulation, 33rd in putting, 11th in birdies, 22nd in total driving. Watney is coming off a fourth-place result at the Transitions Championship, and he was T-4 at Bay Hill last year, which followed a T-21 in 2008. Many have been waiting for Watney to move to the next level, and the 28-year-old is coming into his own right now.

For more golf tips and analysis before you make your sports betting picks, check out Top sportsbook in the Free sport pick at BetOnline