Sports

Bryson DeChambeau shoots 70 in first round of Masters

Published

4 years ago

November 12, 2020

Harry Miller

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Bryson DeChambeau isn’t afraid to let it rip — with his clubs or his mouth.

Both caused him some trouble at the Masters this week.

The reigning U.S. Open champion raised eyebrows at Augusta National when he said he thought of the par-72 course as a par 67 because of his ability to reach the par 5s in two shots and the 350-yard, par-4 third in one.

But DeChambeau wasn’t able to back that up Thursday in the opening round, shooting a 2-under 70 to end the day five strokes behind leader Paul Casey. He played the par 5s at 1 under — not bad, but not where he could have been if it weren’t for a double bogey on No. 13, the very first par 5 he encountered in the tournament.

“I tried to take on some risk today. It didn’t work out as well as I thought it would have,” he said. “This golf course, as much as I’m trying to attack it, it can bite back. It’s still Augusta National, and it’s the Masters. It’s an amazing test of golf no matter what way you play it.”

After bulking up by more than 40 pounds during the coronavirus shutdown and muscling his way to earn his first major victory at Winged Foot in September, DeChambeau arrived in Augusta confident that a second — and some low scores — were within reach.

“I’m looking at it as a par 67 for me,” he said Monday. “If the conditions stay the way they are, that’s what I feel like par is for me. There is definitely a possibility I don’t play well, and I could shoot whatever every day, and shoot a lot over par relative to my par and still play decent.”

DeChambeau, who gladly traded the penalty of missing fairways for the extra yardage off the tee in the U.S. Open, said he also would be swinging for home runs again at Augusta National, especially on the par 5s.

And, for the most part, it worked: He had a 40-foot eagle putt on No. 15, one from 23 feet on No. 2 and another from 37 feet on No. 8. Each time he settled for a birdie.

But then there was that other par 5: No. 13, a 510-yard dogleg left.

DeChambeau hit his drive 313 yards into the pine straw behind a tree. He admitted he got greedy on his second shot, which failed to draw and went left into the azalea bushes behind the green.

It took a lengthy search to find the ball so DeChambeau could take a drop and avoid playing his provisional ball, which he hit into a tributary of Rae’s Creek and would have left him lying 5. (It was his second provisional of the day; he also hit one on No. 11.)

Even with the drop, he had a downhill slope and an azalea blocking his backswing and he duffed it.

“I just got too cute with it, and it came out a little dead,” DeChambeau said. “I should have been smarter and hit it out, took my medicine and hit it on the green.”

He pitched to 10 feet from the hole on his fifth shot but two-putted for double bogey.

Not a 4, his self-invented par for the hole.

Not a 5, the score to shoot for for everyone else at Augusta National, from Bobby Jones to President Dwight Eisenhower to Tiger Woods.

Not even a 6, a reasonably mediocre score.

A 7.

Did DeChambeau learn his lesson?

Probably not.

“Hopefully tomorrow I’ll hit it in the fairway and have a different opportunity for birdie — if not eagle,” he said.

“Sometimes I can get a little greedy, and I like taking risks,” DeChambeau said. “You’ve got to take risks to win tournaments, and albeit I made double from it, I still think over the course of four days, I can get that back to under par.”

Source: – Sportsnet.ca

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Sports

Sports betting roundup: NFL and college football were all about the favourites

Published

15 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Anne Joseph

The past weekend of football was all about the favourites.

The favoured teams went 13-1 straight up and 10-4 against the spread in the NFL. In college football, the three most teams bet at the BetMGM Sportsbook in terms of number of bets and money all won and covered. All three were favourites.

Trends of the Week

The three most bet college teams that won and covered on Saturday were Ohio State (-3.5) vs. Penn State, Indiana (-7.5) at Michigan State and Oregon (-14.5) at Michigan. Penn State has now lost seven straight home games as underdogs. The Nittany Lions were up 10-0 in the first quarter and were 3.5-point favourites at the time. The Buckeyes won 17-10.

In the NFL, the three most bet teams in terms of number of bets and money were the Washington Commanders (-4) at the New York Giants, the Detroit Lions (-2.5) at the Green Bay Packers and the Buffalo Bills (-6) vs. the Miami Dolphins. All three teams won, but only two of the three covered the spread as Buffalo beat Miami 30-27.

When it came to the players with the most bets to score a touchdown on Sunday, only two of the five reached the end zone — Chase Brown (-125) and Taysom Hill (+185). David Montgomery (-140), Brian Robinson Jr. (+110) and AJ Barner (+500) did not score.

Upsets of the Week

The biggest upset in the NFL was the Carolina Panthers coming from behind to beat the New Orleans Saints 23-22. New Orleans closed as a 7-point favourite and took in 76% of the bets and 79% of the money in against-the-spread betting. The Saints fired head coach Dennis Allen following the loss. They have now lost seven straight games after starting the year 2-0.

Arguably the biggest upset in college football was South Carolina beating No. 10 Texas A&M 44-20 at home. Texas A&M closed as a 2.5-point favourite and took in 59% of the bets and 58% of the money.

Coming up

Right after the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Yankees to win the World Series, odds for the 2025 World Series were released.

The Dodgers have the best odds at +400, while the Atlanta Braves and Yankees are next at +800.

The Baltimore Orioles and Philadelphia Phillies round out the top five, both at +1100.

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This column was provided to The Associated Press by BetMGM online sportsbook.

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AP sports:

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Longtime rivals Ovechkin, Crosby join Necas as NHL’s three stars of the week

Published

15 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Anne Joseph

NEW YORK – Washington Capitals left-wing Alex Ovechkin, Carolina Hurricanes centre Martin Necas and Pittsburgh Penguins centre Sidney Crosby have been named the NHL’s three stars of the week.

Ovechkin had a league-leading five goals and nine points in four games.

The 39-year-old Capitals captain has 14 points in 11 games this season, and his 860 career goals are just 34 shy of Wayne Gretzky’s record.

Necas shared the league lead with nine points (three goals, six assists) in three games.

Crosby factored on seven of the Penguins’ eight total goals scoring four goals and adding three assists in three appearances. The 37-year-old Penguins captain leads his team with 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 13 games this season.

Crosby and Ovechkin, longtime rivals since entering the league together in 2005-06, will meet for the 70th time in the regular season and 95th time overall when Pittsburgh visits Washington on Friday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 4, 2024.

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Oliveira, Mitchell named as finalists for CFL outstanding player award

Published

5 days ago

October 31, 2024

Anne Joseph

TORONTO – Running back Brady Oliveira of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Hamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell are the finalists for the CFL’s outstanding player award.

Oliveira led the CFL in rushing this season with 1,353 yards while Mitchell was the league leader in passing yards (5,451) and touchdowns (32).

Oliveira is also the West Division finalist for the CFL’s top Canadian award, the second straight year he’s been nominated for both.

Oliveira was the CFL’s outstanding Canadian in 2023 and the runner-up to Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for outstanding player.

Defensive lineman Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund of the Montreal Alouettes is the East Division’s top Canadian nominee.

Voting for the awards is conducted by the Football Reporters of Canada and the nine CFL head coaches.

The other award finalists include: defensive back Rolan Milligan Jr. of the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Montreal linebacker Tyrice Beverette (outstanding defensive player); Saskatchewan’s Logan Ferland and Toronto’s Ryan Hunter (outstanding lineman); B.C. Lions kicker Sean Whyte and Toronto returner Janarion Grant (special teams); and Edmonton Elks linebacker Nick Anderson and Hamilton receiver Shemar Bridges (outstanding rookie).

The coach of the year finalists are Saskatchewan’s Corey Mace and Montreal’s Jason Maas.

The CFL will honour its top individual performers Nov. 14 in Vancouver.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31.

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