2011 Nationwide Tour Year in Review

Golf Betting Lines

11/28/2011 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - If this year on the PGA Tour showed anything, it's that the Nationwide Tour should be looked at seriously for golfers of the future.

After a record number of rookies won on the big tour and Keegan Bradley won the PGA Championship, one can look at this year's Nationwide Tour finish and possibly see among it a future major champion. And not in the next five years -- more like 2012.

It was written after last year that the Nationwide Tour season turned out to be a dud because there was no in-season promotion. Once again, several players had a golden opportunity to earn win No. 3 of the year, but once again, nobody stepped up to the plate.

No matter, we've now seen what some of these players can do when given an opportunity on the biggest stage. And besides, two wins gets you promoted in the long run anyway.

If anyone considered the Nationwide Tour a place where borderline prospects get sent to the big stage, it's time to re-think your position. There will be winners on the 2012 PGA Tour from the group of 25 promoted. It's anyone's guess just who that will be.

The 2011 Nationwide Tour season was another good one with a few dominant players, some familiar names and some new ones. In the end, it was a new face that came out just a tad better than the rest of them.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR - J.J. Killeen

The winner of this year's money title, Killeen came out of nowhere to capture the Utah Championship and Cox Classic in back-to-back weeks in late July-early August. It had many people thinking he would be the one to earn the elusive promotion to the PGA Tour, but it didn't happen until the end of the season.

He had been knocking on the door with a pair of top-five finishes earlier in the year, but finally broke through in July for his first career win. Now, he'll get a chance to do the same thing on the PGA Tour for the first time.

Killeen finished rather slow, with two cuts missed in his last four events, but it doesn't overshadow his tour-leading six top-five finishes and $12,000 lead over Ted Potter, Jr. for the money title.

Missing the cut: Potter, Mathew Goggin and Jason Kokrak.

TOURNAMENT OF THE YEAR - Children's Hospital Invitational

Coming into the year, only one amateur had won in Nationwide Tour history. Early in 2011, Russell Henley made it two, and the Children's Hospital Invitational proved to be a guarantee for a third.

Whereas Henley fought off numerous professionals, this event had two amateurs battling for the title all week, with nobody else in contention by the end. John Peterson held the lead for each of the first three rounds, and Harris English came charging at the end to battle for the title.

Peterson led English by one at the start of the final round, and the two made up the final pairing of the tournament. Peterson found himself three strokes clear after a two-shot swing at the first hole.

Just when it looked as if Peterson, the NCAA Individual Champion, would cruise to the title, English birdied a pair of holes to cut the gap to one once again. English finally drew even with a birdie at the 12th, and there were six holes left to figure out which guy was going to take the crown.

English went ahead for the first time when Peterson bogeyed the 14th, but Peterson came back with a birdie at the 15th, and English bogeyed the hole to create a two-shot swing that changed the lead.

Heading into the final hole, Peterson held a one-stroke advantage, but it simply wasn't meant to be for the LSU Tiger. His tee shot off the final hole landed in a divot in the rough, and he ended up missing a 15-footer for par. When English drained a 10-foot birdie putt on the same hole, it was the Georgia Bulldog, English, who took the crown in exciting fashion.

In the end, the biggest beneficiary may have been Kyle Reifers, who got to take home first-place money after finishing in a tie for second. Reifers, who collected the biggest check because the two amateurs maintained their status, ended up fifth on the money list and earned a promotion to the PGA Tour.

English and Peterson, meanwhile, did not.

SHOT OF THE YEAR - The shot of the year turned out to be a miss, unfortunately.

Former Midshipman Billy Hurley III needed a couple balls to bounce his way in the Nationwide Tour Championship to earn his PGA Tour card for 2012. After five years post-graduation in the Navy, he had made it this far, but was about to barely miss the top 25.

David Lingmerth began the final event 50th on the money list, but had a five- foot birdie putt on the last hole to make it into the top 25. Instead, he missed it and finished 27th.

Unfortunate, but golf is a zero-sum game, meaning someone benefited from the miss.

That someone was Hurley.

He didn't have any wins this year, but Hurley got into the top 25 by about $5,000 over James Nitties. Hurley walked off the course in 26th, but finished in 25th to get the biggest prize of his life. Nitties and Lingmerth can both get onto the PGA Tour next year as they made it to the Final Stage of Q School.

GOOD YEAR

Potter: One of four players with two wins, Potter finished second on the money list, $12,000 behind Killeen despite seven fewer events. If he had had a better schedule, maybe he would have been a lock for an in-season promotion.

English: He finished 65th on the money list, just missing the field for the Nationwide Tour Championship. Had he foregone his amateur status when he posted his victory, he would not only have easily made that field, but would likely be ticketed for the PGA Tour as well (and likely would have knocked Hurley out). English could get that elusive tour card as he reached the finals of PGA Tour Q School.

BAD YEAR

John Smoltz: He got an invitation to play in the South Georgia Classic, and the future Hall of Fame pitcher, who is a scratch golfer, was expected to prove his worth. While he wasn't expected to win, he wasn't expected to finish nine strokes worse than anybody else. At 27-over-par through two rounds, Smoltz was never in the hunt to make the cut.

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MySportsbook.com: NFL draft - The NFC South


In part two of MySportsbook.com’s draft preview, we’ll take a look at a division that was extremely disappointing last season: the NFC South.  Many “experts” predicted the Panthers to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, of course they could not even make the playoffs in an extremely weak NFC.  The Saints definitely made up for the disappointing seasons of their NFC South brethren by exploding out of no where en route to the NFC Championship game.  For the avid NFL gambler, it is imperative to pay attention to the NFL draft.  Although free agency gets a ton of publicity, the successful franchises build their teams around the draft.

1. New Orleans Saints
Who would have thought this time last year that the Saints would be the favorites to win the NFC South for the 2007 campaign?  New Orleans is loaded with firepower on the offensive side of the ball but with the exodus of Joe Horn they will most likely look to draft a WR on Day 1.  Despite having the NFL’s 3rd ranked pass defense last season, the Saints will most likely upgrade their CB’s with one of their first two picks. Other possibilities for the Saints will be TE and DT.  Because of where they will be selecting (27th), the Saints could go the “best available player” route which could net a LB.

Key additions: Eric Johnson TE, Troy Evans LB, David Patten WR
Key loses: Joe Horn WR,
Team needs: CB, WR, TE, LB, DT
Possible draftees: Aaron Ross CB Texas, Darrelle Revis CB Pitt, Ted Ginn Jr. WR OSU, Paul Posluszny LB PSU, Chris Houston CB Arkansas, Greg Olsen TE Miami

2. Carolina Panthers
Carolina was one of the biggest disappointments in the NFL last season.  With the signing of David Carr, expect the very first quarterback controversy to come out of Carolina if Jake Delhomme doesn’t rebound quickly from an average 2007 season. With veteran safety Mike Minter getting up there in age, they will look to draft a safety on Day 1 but probably not in the first round.  LB is another need with the loss of Chris Draft to go along with Dan Morgan’s concussion problems.  If TE Greg Olsen is still on the board, he might be too good to pass up despite their needs on the defensive side of the ball.

Key additions: David Carr QB
Key loses: Chris Draft LB
Team needs: LB, TE, S, OT
Possible draftees: Greg Olsen TE Miami, Patrick Willis LB Ole Miss, Paul Posluszny LB PSU, Levi Brown OT PSU

3. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons were another NFC South team to have a disappointing 2007 season.  The Falcons have been plenty busy during the off season with plenty of players coming and going including a new head coach.  The Falcons were able to improve their draft position with the trade of coveted backup QB Matt Schaub.  High on the list of Day 1 needs will be a defensive end to replace Patrick Kerney and a hard hitting safety since Lawyer Milloy is nearing the end of his career.  With an additional 2nd round pick, the Falcons could attempt to trade up to acquire local product WR Calvin Johnson. 

Key additions: Joey Harrington QB, Toniu Fonoti OG, Joe Horn WR
Key loses: Justin Griffen RB, Patrick Kerney DE, Matt Lehr OG, Ashley Lelie WR, Matt Schaub QB
Team needs: DE, S, OT, WR, DT
Possible draftees: LaRon Landry S LSU, Amobi Okoye DT Louisville, Levi Brown OT PSU, Jamaal Anderson DE Arkansas, Alan Branch DT Michigan

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Age really caught up to the Bucs last season.  The Bucs still have plenty of household names on defense in Ronde Barber, Simeon Rice and Derrick Brooks but the one thing those three have in common is unfortunately age.  It is imperative for the Bucs to get much younger, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Despite having bigger needs on the defensive side of the ball, WR Calvin Johnson is the most likely pick if he is still available when the Bucs pick at the four spot.  This would suit Bucs’ faithful just fine as Johnson is widely considered the top talent in the draft and it is a position of need for the Bucs.

Key additions: Jeff Garcia QB, Kevin Carter DE, Torrie Cox CB, Cato June LB
Key loses: Dewayne White DE, Sean Mahan OG
Team needs: WR, LB, DE, CB (Youth on defense!)
Possible draftees: Calvin Johnson WR Georgia Tech, Gains Adams DE Clemson, Jamaal Anderson DE Arkansas

It is never too early to start betting on the NFL. Log on to MySportsbook.com to checkout all of the NFL futures for the upcoming season.  On the clock: the NFC North

Odds to win the NFC South:
New Orleans Saints 8-5
Carolina Panthers 2-1
Atlanta Falcons 12-5
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9-2    

Odds to win the NFC:
New Orleans Saints 13-2
Carolina Panthers 7-1
Atlanta Falcons 20-1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 25-1

Odds to win the Super Bowl:
New Orleans Saints 18-1
Carolina Panthers 20-1
Atlanta Falcons 50-1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 75-1

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