PGA Championship 2009 Live Betting

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The final Major of the year is imminent, it seems only 2 minutes since the Golfing world was awaiting the first Major of the year, the US Masters at Augusta in early April but time has flown by and we already have two first-time major winners having claimed titles this season. Stewart Cink recently claimed his first Major, the Claret Jug at Turnberry in the Open Championship and only a month previous to that, Lucas Glover, the relatively unknown American, claimed the United States Open at Bethpage Black. Going back to Augusta in April, the swashbuckling Argentine Angel Cabrera picked up the 2nd major of his career, getting the better of Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell in a playoff.

The Tournament this week will be played at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minnesota, and at 7,674 yards from the back tees, will be the longest course ever to be played in Major Championship history, yet the last time it was played here in 2002 a number of “shorter” hitters placed inside the Top 10, so it could be said Hazeltine is definitely a course where there is a premium on straight hitting and keeping your ball in play.

This week, the main focus is again on the World Number 1 Tiger Woods, who has been in breathtaking form of late but with no Major wins so far in 2009, the bookies will be taking him on this week and trying to get him beat. He is the obvious choice on paper, but having missed the cut at Turnberry, he showed us all that he is still human, and there will be plenty of players in the field this week who will believe they can beat the great man over 72 holes.

The obvious alternative is Padraig Harrington. The gracious Irishman had been in awful form so far in 2009 but last week’s tied 2nd finish in the Bridgestone Invitational has fired him straight back into the reckoning and, having won this event last year, we know he has the mental toughness that is required to lift the Wanamaker Trophy and become back-to-back champion. As has been already mentioned, Angel Cabrera has already lifted a Major title this season, and his 4th place finish last week will have given him the confidence to be a real contender this week, his length of the tee may prove to be a key advantage for him. Who can forget the World Number 2 Phil Mickelson, quiet of late, but definitely capable of winning this week. Americans Steve Stricker and Hunter Mahan and both players bang in form, and should they be able to hold it all together under the pressure of a Major Sunday, either is capable of picking up their first Major victory.

The European challenge will be headed by Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter with able back up from Henrik Stenson, Sergio Garcia and Miguel Angel Jiminez. All these five players are supremely talented and off the five, this course may suit Stenson the best, with his length of the tee, excellent ball striking and his ability to really get fired up and focused for the big occasion, his win at the Players Championship in May, and 9th placed finish at the US Open in June are evidence of this.

Of those players at bigger prices, a lively outsider may come in the shape of Alvaro Quiros, the big hitting Spaniard is bigger than 200/1 with some firms but has shown in the past season that he can mix it with the best and his 15th place finish last week in the Bridgestone could provide a perfect platform for him to go out and attack Hazeltine this week.

This week will surely be a great week for the viewer, can Tiger Woods win his first Major of the season? Or can another first-time Major winner be crowned? Hopefully, some of our European players can go really well and get into contention on Sunday evening.

unibet Offering

unibet Live Betting – All 4 Rounds (Thursday – Sunday)

Like for every Major Tournament, we will offer every 3-ball of the draw and all the combinations of 2-balls, we have “Top markets” for many of the different countries represented this week. We will also have over 20 Make/Miss the Cuts and over 30 Tournament Match Bets as well as nearly 100 Special markets focused on the European Players taking part this week. For the Top 15 European players we have:

Top 10 Finish – YES/NO
Top 20 Finish – YES/NO
Hole in One – YES/NO
To play in the Final Group in Round 4 – YES/NO
Best Finishing Position (Tournament) v Tiger Woods (Tie no Bet)

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