Rookie Min leads LPGA Championship

Golf Betting Lines

06/10/2007 - Havre de Grace, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Na On Min was making just her sixth start on the LPGA Tour.

Sunday, she'll carry a lead into the final round at her first major.

Min, a rookie from South Korea, fired a seven-under 65 Saturday at Bulle Rock to take the third-round lead at the McDonald's LPGA Championship, the second women's major of the season.

She was at 10-under 206, one shot ahead of overnight leader Suzann Pettersen.

"Maybe tomorrow I'll be nervous. But I'll just do my best and not think about my position," Min, who has spoken English for less than two years, said in an on-course interview.

Pettersen made a 12-foot birdie putt at the 17th hole and shot a one-under 71 to join Min in the final group Sunday. She is at nine-under 207.

Karrie Webb, the 2001 champion, also had a 71 Saturday and was tied with Angela Park, another rookie, at eight-under 208. Park fired a 68 in the third round.

"I've never experienced anything like this before," the rookie said.

Morgan Pressel, the season's first major winner at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, shot a 70 and was alone in fifth place at seven-under 209.

Kim Saiki-Maloney (70) was a stroke further back at 210.

Behind her, Lorena Ochoa (69) led a group of six players who were knotted in seventh place at five-under 211. The world No. 1 is still looking for her first major championship.

"Hopefully I'm not too far back and I have a chance tomorrow," said Ochoa, who was five back.

Another young star wasn't so lucky.

Michelle Wie, bothered by a left wrist injury that forced her controversial withdraw from the Ginn Tribute last week, shot an 11-over 83 Saturday and was in last place out of 84 players who made the cut.

It was her worst round against the men or women since she shot an 85 in the first round of the LPGA Tour's CJ Nine Bridges Classic in November 2003, just weeks after her 14th birthday.

Wie, now 17, was at 14-over 230 and unsure if she would even play the final round Sunday.

"I really want to play," Wie said, her wrist wrapped in ice. "I think it would be awesome to get another experience, a round under my belt. Just have to see how it goes tonight."

Wie's highest round against the men was an 81 in the second round of last year's 84 Lumber Classic.

Annika Sorenstam, a vocal critic of Wie's withdrawal last week, and her subsequent practice rounds over the weekend at Bulle Rock, shot a one-over 73 and was tied for 13th place at four-under 212.

Sorenstam was one of 16 players within six shots of Min, whose 65 Saturday was the best round by three shots.

Min recovered from an early bogey at No. 2 with eight birdies over the next 14 holes. Her two-putt birdie from the fringe at the par-five 15th moved her into a first-place tie with Birdie Kim.

Pettersen moved one shot ahead of both players when she knocked her second shot at the par-five 11th within 10 feet and made the eagle putt to reach 10- under.

But Min tied her with a 10-foot birdie putt ahead at the 16th, and Pettersen fell two back when she made a sloppy double-bogey at the 13th after missing the fairway and taking a penalty.

That opened the door for Min's surprising overnight lead.

"This is my first major, so I'm nervous," said Min, who hit every green in regulation Saturday until the last two holes. "I will just try to keep my tunnel vision and play steady (on Sunday)."

Pettersen redeemed herself by making the 12-foot birdie try on 17, where her preparations included getting down on her stomach to read the putt.

The often intense Pettersen missed a chance to win her first major when she coughed up four shots in a three-hole stretch at the end of this year's Kraft Nabisco Championship, handing Pressel the victory.

Pettersen finally broke through for her first LPGA win at the Michelob ULTRA Open in May. Sunday, as she makes another run at her first major, she'll be paired in the final twosome with a player she's not sure she has even heard of.

"I'll probably know her when I see her on the first tee," Pettersen said.

Defending champion Se Ri Pak had a 74 Saturday and was 11 shots back at one- over 217.

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How did changes to college football betting rules affect bettors?

The 2007 college football rules changes that were implemented to shorten games are now history. The NCAA rules committee did what they set out to do; games were cut by an average of 14 minutes per game last season. There were also, on average, 14 fewer plays per game. We’ll get into how that did (or didn’t) affect games in regards to the pointspread a bit later.

While the NCAA rules committee may have had the betterment of the game in mind, they'll now “turn back the clock” for next season. Two key rules have now been overturned by the NCAA committee for the 2007 season, something definitely for the better.

For those of you who may not remember what those rules actually were, let us refresh your memory.

1) The first one was actually starting the clock on a kickoff as soon as the kicker touched the ball rather than waiting until the returner touched it. The problem here was near the end of the half (or game), if the team leading was kicking off, they could milk the clock by intentionally running offsides and then re-kicking. They could run 10-15 seconds off the clock each play while taking just five-yard penalties each time. They could run the clock down and simply cause the half (or game) to end on a kickoff, keeping the opposing offense off the field. In 2007, the clock will now start when the returner touches the ball as it had before last season.

2) The second rule dealt with starting the clock after a change of online football betting possession rather than waiting until the ball was snapped. This took a lot of time off the clock throughout the game as teams changed possession, however it caused the most problems late in games (or halves). Rather than huddling up and calling a play, the offensive team would have to rush onto the field as the clock started. This was a definite disadvantage to a team that was trying to come from behind late in the game. This year the clock will start on a change of possession, after the ball is snapped.

How did those rules affect the college game last year and will it make a difference this year when it comes to the pointspread? We commonly heard two theories when it came to these changes. First, it would affect scoring negatively. Second, it would hurt favorites as they would have less time and fewer plays to cover the number.

Did the rules hurt scoring? Yes. It seemed obvious that shortening the game by what amounted to 14 plays would push scoring downward. That was the case last year. Of the 119 Division 1A teams, 69 squads scored fewer points in 2007 than they did in 2005. Just 48 teams had a higher PPG scoring average and two stayed the same. Almost 59 percent of the teams in college football last year had a lower PPG average than they did in 2005. Expect more scoring in 2007 as we revert back to the old rules.

Did the rules hinder favorites from covering the number in 2007? Not really. Last year the favorites posted an overall spread record of 336-350-16 (48.9 percent). The year before, favorites were 316-326-13 (49.2 percent). In 2004, the favorites were 316-339-2 (48.2 percent). In fact, college football favorites have been above 50 percent for the season just once in the last seven years (in 2003). Last year’s numbers fell right in line with where they have been historically.

How about big favorites? The rules must have hurt them? Maybe a little bit. Double-digit favorites last year came in at a 47.8 percent clip compare with an average of just over 50 percent over the last seven years. Since 1980, favorites of -10 or more have covered at exactly a 50 percent clip (measured over 6,716 games).

Even bigger favorites must have struggled? Not really. In fact, it was just the opposite. Favorites of three TD’s or more were 59-54-2 last year (52.2 percent). Since 2000, those same favorites (-21 or higher) hit at 51.3 percent and since 1990 came in a clip of 50.3 percent. Stepping it up a notch to four TD favorites or higher, we actually see they've covered at a much better rate last season than before. Last year, favorites of -28 or more were 31-21-1, or almost 60 percent. Historically, four-TD-or-higher favorites have come in at a 50.7 percent spot since 2000 and only 48.9 percent since 1990. The “perceived” problem with the favorites covering at a reduced rate really never came to fruition.

Bottom line is, there might be some more scoring in 2007, but no real revelations when it comes to finding any pointspread golden nuggets.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on college football needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.