Liang, Sterne share lead at Hong Kong Open

Golf Betting Lines

11/20/2008 - Hong Kong (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - China's Liang Wen-chong and Richard Sterne of South Africa both shot six-under 64 to share the first-round lead Thursday at the Hong Kong Open.

Chinese Taipei's Lin Wen-tang and Frankie Minoza of the Philippines stood one shot back at five-under 65, while European Ryder Cup player Oliver Wilson of England led a four-way tie at four-under 66.

Overall, there were 44 players who were within five shots of the leaders after the first round at Hong Kong Golf Club. They included John Daly (68), Colin Montgomerie (68), Bernhard Langer (69), Paul Lawrie (69) and Jose Maria Olazabal (69).

Liang, the No. 1 player in China and the Asian Tour's 2007 Order of Merit champion, started strong on the 10th tee with a birdie. He made three more birdies on his first nine holes -- at the 12th, 13th and 18th -- to make the turn in 32 shots.

He would also shoot a 32 on the shorter front nine, making back-to-back birdies at the third and fourth holes and another birdie at the eighth. He squandered an opportunity to hold the overnight lead by himself, however, after stumbling to a closing bogey at his last hole.

Liang -- still with three rounds to play -- will be seeking Asia's first win at this tournament since Kang Wook-soon titled in 1998. It is the second event of the European Tour's 2009 season (and is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour).

"My performance was good, but there are still three days left," said Liang. "My putting feels good and I have been very patient in taking every hole step by step."

Sterne played in a later group off the first tee and made four birdies in his first six holes to climb up the leaderboard. But his round took a bad turn with back-to-back bogeys at the eighth and ninth holes.

He played without a mistake on the back nine, however, making four more birdies to join Liang in a share of the lead.

"I had a pretty good start and I just kept going," said Sterne.

Wilson, who lost a playoff to Sergio Garcia at the HSBC Champions two weeks ago, had seven birdies and three bogeys Thursday and was perhaps the best- known player near the top of the leaderboard.

He was joined at 66 by Francesco Molinari, Chawalit Plaphol and Wang Ter- chang.

Daly, the two-time major champion who is traveling the world without status on any major tour, posted a score in the 60s for just the third time in his last 12 rounds.

"I felt like I putted well," said Daly. "I made five or six one-putts, meaning I hit a lot of greens. I am pretty happy with that."

Michael Campbell (71), defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez (71), Graeme McDowell (71), Paul McGinley (71), Rory Sabbatini (71), Scott Strange (71) and Nick Faldo (72) were among the other top names in the field.

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Big 12 Conference betting odds

Work left to do: Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas State

Texas joins Texas A&M and Kansas as locks after getting league win No. 11. Texas Tech greatly helped its own hopes and crippled OK State's with the two-point win Saturday. Is K-State the last reasonable hopeful? Could be an elimination match in Stillwater on Tuesday, at least for the Cowboys.

Work left to do:

Texas Tech [18-11 (7-7), RPI: 44, SOS: 12] A critical two-point win over OK State leaves the Red Raiders with Baylor and at Iowa State left. Get both and the Red Raiders likely are good to go. Get one and there could be some interesting comparisons with a K-State team that could finish two or three games "ahead" of them in the standings but doesn't have any of the quality wins Texas Tech has. Not a lot in nonconference play (against Arkansas in Little Rock being the best win, by far) to lean on.

Oklahoma State [18-9 (5-8), RPI: 50, SOS: 35] Still without a road win, the Cowboys now need to win two on the road just to get to .500 in conference play. It's hard to recall a team (OK, other than Clemson) falling so precipitously from lock status to almost certainly out of the NCAAs at this point. There are wins to be had in the last three, including a very big home game against K-State on Tuesday, but this team is reeling. Can you tell the pressure to win is getting to them with the way the final possession played out at Texas Tech? There are some good nonconference performances to lean on, specifically beating Missouri State and Syracuse on neutral floors and Pitt in OK City, but if the Pokes don't right this very, very soon, that won't be enough.

Kansas State [20-9 (9-5), RPI: 56, SOS: 96] It pays to be in the Big 12 North. The nine league wins are Colorado (twice), Missouri (twice), Iowa State (twice), Baylor, Nebraska and (a good one against) Texas. That helps explain the middling computer profile. The win over USC is nice, but the nonconference leaves a lot to be desired. The game at OK State in Stillwater on Tuesday is huge, as it could KO the Cowboys and leave K-State with a home date against Oklahoma with which to work.









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A two-time Pro Bowler, Green was going into a feet-first hook slide when he was knocked unconscious by a thunderous, head-snapping hit from Cincinnati's Robert Geathers.

Oddsmakers at online sportsbook MySportsbook.com currently have the Chiefs listed as 7-point favorites versus the 49ers.

The 49ers got beat by Philadelphia 38-24 as a 6.5-point underdog last week. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (42.5).

Alex Smith completed 27-of-46 passes for 293 yards with a touchdown. Michael Robinson rushed for 29 yards and a pair of touchdowns on five carries.

The Chiefs lost 9-6 to Denver last week as an 11-point underdog. The combined score was well UNDER the posted over/under total (38).

Larry Johnson rushed for 126 yards on 27 carries. Damon Huard completed 17-of-23 passes for 133 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.

To visit this online sports book got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs.