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2011 PGA Arnold Palmer Invitational Preview/Picks

Preview and free golf picks for the PGA 2011 Arnold Palmer Invitational, which is hosted by Bay Hill Club & Lodge, in Orlando, Florida. The purse is $6 million, and the defending champ is Ernie Els…

PGA Betting – Arnold Palmer Invitational Preview & Pick

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LOOKING TO BET ON THIS WEEK’S 2011 ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL? CHECK OUT BETUS.com’s PGA Tour Betting Odds Today!!!!!

LAST WEEK: The Transitions Championship marked my first horrible miss of the season. I had Padraig Harrington winning and the Irishman missed the cut. Before that, I was at least close on pretty much every pick so far this season. So don’t give up yet! All it takes is one correct pick to make your money back for the year.

THIS WEEK’S PGA BETTING
Date: March 24 – 27
Event: Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard
Course: Bay Hill Club & Lodge, Orlando, Florida
Purse: $6,000,000
Defending Champ: Ernie Els
Winning Share: $1,080,000
FedEX Cup Points Up For Grabs: 500

The Arnold Palmer Invitational at Arnie’s Bay Hill this week is all about bombers and birdie-makers. The par-72 is 7.419 yards, up from last year, and the fairways aren’t too tough to hit, meaning distance off the tee is important whereas accuracy isn’t as much. Also keep in mind guys who make lots of birdies.

THE TIGER CATEGORY

Tiger Woods
Arnold Palmer Invitational odds: +815

Argh, this pisses me off. Tiger gets his own tier with odds almost twice as good as the next guy..even though he continues to accomplish nothing on Tour. It’s too bad that he’s only +815, as Tiger actually makes for a reasonably educated pick this week. He has six wins at Bay Hill, including his last two starts, and his length will come in handy. Shot a 66 in his last round this season.

THE ELITE

Dustin Johnson
Arnold Palmer Invitational odds: +1415

Picks don’t get any better than Dustin Johnson this week. We all know how long he hits. He’s hot, coming off a second-place finish at Doral. He leads the Tour in birdie average. He’s even 11th in greens in regulation and 21st in putting. If golf betting wasn’t so fickle, it would be an open-and-shut case for Johnson this week.

THE CONTENDERS

Graeme McDowell
Arnold Palmer Invitational odds: +1850

McDowell has the birdie ability and putting to make a splash at Bay Hill but he struggled in his last event two weeks ago, making 14 bogeys. I love McDowell but I’d like to see him heat up a bit before I try him again.

Hunter Mahan
Arnold Palmer Invitational odds: +1850

Mahan is the definition of rock-solid this week. He’s been consistent, cracking the top 10 four times in seven starts this season. He’s also never finished outside the top 25 at Bay Hill. Mahan is 10th on Tour in birdie average as well. He’s a great ball striker but is that the most important skill this week? I’m not so sure. Bay Hill is forgiving.

Phil Mickelson
Arnold Palmer Invitational odds: +2050

If Tiger’s odds are +815, why aren’t books using Mickelson’s name to pull the same larceny? Interesting. Lefty hasn’t flirted with success much since opening his season with a second-place finish at the Farmers Insurance Open. His recent history at Bay Hill is ordinary at best. Look elsewhere.

SOLID PICKS

Justin Rose
Arnold Palmer Invitational odds: ++3050

Rose flashed some brilliance at Copperhead last week, climbing into contention with consecutive 65s before faltering on Sunday with a 74. He’s a good scrambler with a great eye for the green (sixth on Tour in greens hit). Rose is a solid veteran play who also offers decent value at +3050.

Bubba Watson
Arnold Palmer Invitational odds: +3350

I’m surprised Bubba’s odds to win this tournament aren’t better. He leads the Tour in driving distance and greens in regulation; he’s also seventh in birdie average and fifth in par breakers. He has the exact makeup you want from a golfer this week.

THE SLEEPER

Chris Couch
Arnold Palmer Invitational odds: +6550

For a deep sleeper, Couch offers a ton of upside. He was a solid fifth at Copperhead last week and he finished fourth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last year. Couch is also a top-10 guy on Tour in putting, birdie average and all-around ranking. “Sleepers” usually don’t have this much going for them.

THE PICK

I was so sure about Dustin Johnson that sorting through the other names on this list was supposed to be a formality. Then I got to Bubba. He brings so many similar tools to the table and gives you more than double the return on your sportsbook investment. Watson is less consistent than Johnson, so he’s a roll of the dice, but the conditions are right for some Bubba magic.

Arnold Palmer Invitational pick: Bubba Watson +3350

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2011 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Odds to Win – Updated Betting Odds

Martin Laird 40-1
JB Holmes 40-1
Aaron Baddeley 60-1
Brandt Snedeker 40-1
Brendon de Jonge 60-1
Brian Gay 80-1
Bubba Watson 30-1
Chad Campbell 80-1
Charl Schwartzel 40-1
Charles Howell III 60-1
Chris Couch 50-1
David Toms 60-1
Dustin Johnson 15-1
Ryan Moore 50-1
Sean OHair 50-1
Sergio Garcia 40-1
Spencer Levin 50-1
Stephen Ames 60-1
Steve Marino 60-1
Stewart Cink 50-1
Stuart Appleby 60-1
Tiger Woods 8-1
Vijay Singh 40-1
Webb Simpson 60-1
Zach Johnson 40-1
zx Field (Any Other Golfers) 7-2
Edoardo Molinari 60-1
Bill Haas 50-1
Ben Curtis 80-1
Ernie Els 40-1
Gary Woodland 50-1
Fredrik Jacobson 60-1
Graeme McDowell 20-1
Ian Poulter 50-1
Hunter Mahan 20-1
Jeff Overton 60-1
Jhonattan Vegas 60-1
Jim Furyk 30-1
John Senden 60-1
Justin Leonard 60-1
Justin Rose 30-1
KJ Choi 60-1
Kevin Na 50-1
Mark Wilson 80-1
Matteo Manassero 60-1
Peter Hanson 80-1
Phil Mickelson 20-1
Rickie Fowler 30-1
Ricky Barnes 60-1
Robert Allenby 40-1

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