08/22/2008 - Zandvoort, Netherlands (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Darren Clarke fired a six-under 64 on Friday to share lead with Robert Rock and Alexander Noren at the midway point of the KLM Open.
Clarke, Rock (64) and Noren (66) are knotted at eight-under 132 at Kennemer Golf Club.
World No. 6 Henrik Stenson shot a five-under 65 and shares fourth place with Ross McGowan, who posted a 64 on Friday. The pair is tied at seven-under-par 133.
Clarke had a great front nine on Friday. He recorded birdies at three, five, seven and nine and all of those odd-hole birdies got Clarke in striking distance at minus-six.
The 11-time winner on the European Tour added birdies at 13 and 15 to join Rock and Noren in the lead. Clarke parred out to complete his lowest round on tour in years.
"I was just very relaxed out there," said Clarke, who won this year's Asian Open. "With the boys (sons Tyrone and Conor) here I've got to be on my best behavior and my attitude is just pretty good.
"I've taken a lot of pressure off myself and feel comfortable. I've been playing well and I'm in a good position now."
Clarke is not in a good position for one of the 10 automatic spots on the European Ryder Cup team. Those 10 slots will be filled after next week's event, but Clarke, who has played in each Ryder Cup since 1997, could be one of captain Nick Faldo's two picks.
"I need to play well this week and next week and so far this week I've done that," said Clarke. "If Nick then feels I am worthy of a pick, so be it. If not, then that's acceptable."
Rock flew out of the gate on Friday with three straight birdies to open his round. He parred the next seven holes before back-to-back birdies from the 11th.
The Englishman bogeyed the 13th for the second consecutive round, but atoned for the error with two birdies in a row from 14. Rock parred out for his piece of the lead.
"I don't think I have led after two rounds before, but I have been close and maybe not pressed on enough to the weekend," acknowledged Rock, who is winless on the European Tour. "I have maybe shot level or one-under and that isn't good enough. I have to try and shoot the same sort of scores over the weekend that I have for the first two days here and I will have a good chance to win."
Noren teed off on No. 10 Friday and birdied the par-five 12th. He bogeyed No. 13, but got back to one-under for the round with a birdie at the par-three 17th.
At the start of his second nine, Noren birdied three in a row. Those birdies were enough to grab a share of the lead and the Swede parred his last six to stay there.
"I just love this golf course," said Noren. "I love playing in the wind, it's fun, but today was calmer and I managed to score well again. I was third here last year and had a chance but (Ross) Fisher played great in the last round. But I just think this place looks great and plays great."
Former U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell (66), Felipe Aguilar (64), Simon Dyson (64) and Soren Hansen (69) are knotted in sixth place at six-under-par 134.
Overnight leader Rolf Muntz struggled to a two-over 72 in round two and fell into a tie for 14th place at minus-four. Justin Rose, trying to secure his first Ryder Cup berth, is also at that number.
Fisher posted his second round of even-par 70 and finished 36 holes at even- par 140, which was the cut line.
Nick Dougherty (141) and last week's SAS Masters champion Peter Hanson (141) will miss the weekend.
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Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Baltimore Orioles recalled pitcher
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Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The transfer of Toronto FC midfielder Maurice
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Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Celtics signed oft-injured free agent
forward Darius Miles on Friday. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not
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Fish swims into second straight Pilot Pen final >>
New Haven, CT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - For the second time in two years, American
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The Revs are c
Barry Bonds Watch: Giants Slugger Says He'll Be Back
With only 21 home runs standing between him and Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds is indeed planning on coming back for more in 2007. At least, that's what his agent told the Los Angeles Times.
"Barry's going to play in 2007," Jeff Borris of Beverly Hills Sports Council told the Times on Tuesday. "I've had many discussions with Barry and he's going to play. My intentions are to see to it he's in a big-league uniform next season. Those are my marching orders."
Contract negotiations could get started as early as next week. Let's see which team has the deeper pockets. Will MLB baseball betting lines despite allegations of steroid use? Bet On It at www.MySportsbook.com .
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Mayweather picked to beat De La Hoya
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -- Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya and his rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. arrived at the MGM Grand here Wednesday amid the pomp and pandemonium befitting two of the biggest stars in the sport who are about to duke it out for the WBC super welterweight crown this Saturday (Sunday in Manila).
As of Wednesday, MySportsbook.com closed its book with Mayweather a favorite to defeat De La Hoya at -170 (a $100 bet wins $70), while De La Hoya is a +140 underdog (a $100 bet wins $140).
Mayweather arrived at about 11:30 a.m. on a big truck with his face and a big "World's Best Pound-for-Pound" sign scribbled across the vehicle. He was accompanied by his entourage made up of rappers and his training team.
A crowd of close to 3,000 eager fans packed the MGM Grand lobby, with their cameras in tow, all trying to vie for position to get a good angle at Mayweather, who is acknowledged as the world's best fighter pound-for-pound.
Eric Gomez, Golden Boy Promotions vice-president, described the fan turnout as "amazing" and swore he had never seen anything quite like this event.
"The crowd was fantastic. Everybody was just too eager to see the two fighters," said ALA manager Michael Aldeguer, who was among those who waited at the lobby together with his ward Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista and AJ Banal.
De La Hoya made his own grand entrance at the hotel lobby at around 12:30 p.m. accompanied by GBP chief executive officer Richard Schaefer and trainer Freddie Roach.
The same group of fans who trooped to see Mayweather also lingered around to get a close look at De La Hoya, who has been secretly working out at a Las Vegas gym for days after arriving from his main training camp in Puerto Rico.
The golden boy then took part in a closed-door afternoon workout with Bautista and Banal. The two, along with Aldeguer and wife Christine, as well as an HBO crew were the only ones allowed inside the gym.
De La Hoya and Mayweather take part in today's final press conference before the official weigh-in this Friday.
Ring Magazine, the acknowledged bible of boxing, reported in its June 2007 issue that 12 out of 20 boxing experts it interviewed have favored Mayweather to defeat De la Hoya, with only 8 favoring the latter.
But Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao said in a recent interview with The Freeman's Emmanuel Villaruel that De La Hoya will win by unanimous decision over Mayweather.
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