Chen and Dambaugh in U.S. Girls' Junior final

Golf Betting Lines

07/23/2010 - Village of Pinehurst, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Doris Chen and Katelyn Dambaugh won both of their matches on Friday to advance to the final of the U.S. Girls' Junior Championship.

Chen first knocked off stroke-play medalist Danielle Kang in Friday's quarterfinals, then toppled Gyeol Park, 4 & 3 in Friday afternoon's semifinal action.

Dambaugh had an easier time of it on Friday. She beat Stephanie Liu, 2 & 1 in the quarterfinals and crushed Ally McDonald, 7 & 6 in the afternoon's semifinals.

If Dambaugh were to emerge victorious in Saturday's 36-hole final, she would become the first female left-handed player to win a USGA championship. There were five left-handed male golfers to hoist a USGA trophy, but Dambaugh could be the first female.

Dambaugh fell 1-down in her match against Liu, but pulled ahead with wins at five and six. She stayed in front the rest of the match and even built a 2-up lead through 11 holes.

Liu cut her deficit to 1-down when Dambaugh double-bogeyed the 12th. Liu bogeyed the par-three 16th to go 2-down with two to play, then Dambaugh closed out the match at 17 when the pair both made pars.

"I didn't expect to get this far," Dambaugh admitted Friday after her quarterfinal win. "I was just hoping to make the cut."

When Dambaugh got to the semifinals against McDonald, she won the second hole and never looked back. She built a 5-up lead at the turn and extended to 6-up with a par at No. 10.

McDonald made a mess of the par-five 12th and that was enough for Dambaugh. She won the hole and that ended the route at 7 & 6.

Chen never trailed in her match against Kang. They halved the first five holes and Chen won the sixth with a par. She got to 2-up at eight, but Kang won nine to get back to 1-down.

Chen birdied the par-three 13th and was once again 2-up. The match stayed at 2-up until Kang took the 16th with a par. The two halved the 17th with birdies, then halved 18 with pars to allow Chen to advance.

"I didn't play well the first two rounds," Chen said after her quarterfinal win. "I wasn't hitting the ball as well in the practice rounds. Since the third round, I am hitting more back to normal. I know where I cannot hit it. I am just improving every day."

In the semifinals, Chen jumped out early against Park with a win at the third. Chen's advantage was 3-up at the turn and after a par at No. 10, she was 4-up.

Chen stayed 4-up over the next five holes and that was enough to move her into the final.

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MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.

Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.

According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).

Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.

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Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.

Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.

''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''

Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
   
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.

”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
   
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.

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