09/04/2008 - Crans Montana, Switzerland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy, the 19-year-old former amateur star, fired an eight-under 63 on Thursday to take the lead after the first round of the European Masters.
McIlroy birdied eight of his final 14 holes and held a three-shot lead over Argentina's Julio Zapata and Welshmen Garry Houston and Kyron Sullivan.
Four-under 67 was a popular score at the picturesque Crans-sur-Sierre course, with defending champion Brett Rumford leading eight players who shared fifth place on that number.
Eight more players, including European Ryder Cup team member Miguel Angel Jimenez, posted matching three-under 68s to round out the list of 19 players who finished within five shots of the young leader.
McIlroy, the 2006 European Amateur champion, collected nine total birdies on Thursday to post his lowest round since he turned professional almost a year ago in the midst of a coming-out year that included his opening-round 68 in the British Open.
Despite making just one bogey to go with all of those birdies, the young Ulsterman wasn't necessarily 100 percent pleased with his round.
"Golf's such a fickle game," said McIlroy, who turned pro after playing on the losing Great Britain & Ireland team at last year's Walker Cup. "I could go and play better than that and shoot level par."
Although there is only one round in the books, McIlroy could wind up making a little history if he can hang on to win this weekend.
Only two players younger than him have ever earned a title on the European Tour: Dale Hayes, who was 18 years and 290 days old when he won the 1971 Spanish Open; and Hall of Famer Seve Ballesteros, a three-time European Masters champion, who was 121 days past his 19th birthday when he claimed the 1976 Dutch Open.
McIlroy turned 19 years old on May 4 of this year -- 123 days before he teed off on Thursday.
Despite a string of good finishes at the end of last season -- including two top-fives -- McIlroy has struggled to make cuts in his first full year as a professional.
He has missed each of the last three weekends, and six of the last nine overall since posting a seventh-place finish at the Irish Open in May.
"I've done a lot of work in the last few weeks [because] I've had a lot of time on my hands at weekends," said McIlroy. "I feel like I've been hitting it really well, but the results have not shown it."
Thursday, the results were there.
Among McIlroy's birdie holes was the 598-yard 14th -- his fifth hole -- where he hit driver and eight-iron to set up the second of his nine birdies. Later, he would birdie three consecutive holes near the end of the round to take a solid lead heading into the clubhouse.
McIlroy, playing on the mountain course for the first time this week, said he enjoys how far the ball goes in the thin air. He called it a "fun course."
"As a kid I always played by feel...and here whatever it looks like you just go for it," he said.
<< Raymond, Stosur reach doubles final in New York
Flushing Meadows, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 10th-seeded tandem of American
Lisa Raymond and Aussie Samantha Stosur secured a spot in the women's doubles
final at the 2008 U.S. Open.
Raymond-Stosur stopped a fourth-seeded pairing
<< Rain washes out Thursday action at BMW Championship
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Heavy rain washed out all first-round play
Thursday at the BMW Championship at Bellerive Country Club.
The original plan was for the start of play to be pushed back two hours, but
once it appeared clear
<< Daunte Culpepper retires
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Daunte Culpepper has announced his retirement from the NFL,
bringing an end to a nine-year career for the quarterback that started with
promise and finished with injury-filled disappointment.
The former Minnesota Viki
<< Stoke City plans to spend more this winter
Stoke-on-Trent, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Stoke City manager Tony Pulis will
receive further financial backing in the next transfer window, according to
ambitious club chairman Peter Coates.
The Potters have already invested around $3
Black, Paes capture U.S. Open mixed doubles title >>
Flushing Meadows, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A fifth-seeded tandem of Zimbabwe's
Cara Black and Indian Leander Paes captured the mixed doubles title at the
2008 U.S. Open.
Black-Paes bested an unseeded pairing of American Liezel Huber and
Newcastle coach Keegan quits >>
Newcastle, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kevin Keegan has ended several days of
speculation over his future at Newcastle United by confirming his resignation
Thursday as the club's manager.
The 57-year-old had been locked in talks with the
Champions Tour changes eligibility for 2009 >>
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Champions Tour announced on
Thursday changes to eligibility rules starting in the 2009 season.
The top-five finishers at the 2008 National Qualifying Tournament, scheduled
for November 18
Angels' Weaver has start pushed back >>
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Los Angeles Angels pitcher Jered Weaver had
his start on Friday pushed back to Monday after the right-hander sustained
cuts on the middle and ring fingers of his pitching hand.
The injury occurred whe
Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)
"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."
Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins
There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.
Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins
Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.
USC Trojans - 10.5 wins
A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.
Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy
Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.
"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."
Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1
The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1
If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.
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