Rory, Tiger set for classic duels

SPORTS BETTING:

THE fire is burning again in Tiger Woods. But that doesn’t mean his major rivals are intimidated in the way they once were.

Remember when the likes of Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els used to capitulate once Woods’ name appeared on the leaderboard?

Those days have gone and a new order, headed by the precocious world number one, Rory McIlroy, is in place.

These guys are happy to look the Tiger in the eye and take him on.

That said, Woods is surely about to stake a claim for top honours once again.

It has taken golf’s greatest player a long time to get over the fall-out of his marriage break-up and recovery from major knee surgery.

But he is getting there and his final-round charge at McIlroy in the Honda Classic at the weekend suggests it is only a matter of time before he returns to the winner’s enclosure.

That could well be this weekend when the second WGC event of the year - the Caddillac Championship - is held at the TPC Blue Monster at Doral, Florida.

Wood is 7-1 to prevail, but guess who is is front of him in the betting? Yes, it’s young whipper snapper McIlroy, who showed he was not at all perturbed by Woods’ reputation when holding his nerve to clinch the Honda.

The Northern Ireland magician is 13-2 favourite to win again this weekend, with a rejuvenated Phil Mickelson and our own Lee Westwood bracketed at 14-1.

It should be a great tournament, as should the Masters at Augusta early next month.

McIlroy, who blew a four-shot lead in the final round last year, is a more steely competitor this time round and it’s not surprising he shares 11-2 favouritism with Woods, whose record at Augusta is terrific.

Mickelson is also a course specialist and potential winner at 9-1, but Westwood does not putt well enough to warrant odds of 14-1, and it’s 25-1 bar the rest.



MANCHESTER United are cranking up the pressure on neighbours City in the Premier League title race – and the bookies are taking evasive action.

I suggested last month that 5-2 about the Red Devils retaining the title was simply too big and now, after their 3-1 win at Tottenham on Sunday, United are into 11-10.

City remain favourites, but the 4-7 quotes of a fortnight ago are now replaced by a more generous 4-5. It really is too close to call.



RUGBY Union’s 6 Nations is getting down to the nitty gritty and our 3-1 selections, Wales, are a best-priced 2-5 to win the title after digging out a series of positive results.

They should dispose of Italy easily enough this weekend when Ireland entertain Scotland, and France – the 5-2 second favourites – host a rebuilding England side.