Steph Curry is a talker, and there are few things he enjoys talking about more than golf. I once spent a half-hour with him at Abdi Ipecki Arena in Istanbul going shot-by-shot over the round be had played earlier that day on a lovely Turkish morning, and he had shot even par from the tips.
The difference between meters and yards had kept him away from red numbers.
A bunch of gambling was going on that day, because Team USA was getting ready to play David Blatt’s Team Russia, and the American federation could not decide whether they were more pissed off at Woj or Blatt.
The former had written a piece more or less validating Blatt’s revisionist history after he had told a gaggle of American reporters that the 1972 gold medal game was officiated properly.
The latter had gotten under the skin of Coach Mike Krzyzewski to the point where veins were popping out of his forehead as he told a tale of being in South Korea conducting field exercises for the U.S. Army at the very moment when Doug Collins was getting mugged by Russian thugs in short shorts.
Among the members of the U.S. federation that day was Mike Bantom, whose silver medal is still sitting in a vault in Geneva, where it will remain for eternity. The American media officials had action amongst themselves on whether any of the ink-stained wretches would interview Bantom.
Those who bet “Yes” were aptly rewarded.
All of this is relevant as we head into the final round of the British Open and the start of Team USA camp, one of those events happening Sunday, the other beginning next Thursday. (GetMoreSports.com will provide on-the-scene coverage).
The fact that I’m sitting here debating on whether to go to sleep or watch wall to wall coverage of @TheOpen is incredible.
— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) July 19, 2018
Curry will be absent from Vegas because of a family matter (a good one), and a bunch of journeymen guys who have been representing Team USA in World Cup qualifying will get to rub noses with the heavy hitters.
A scrimmage was supposed to be held, but it has been scrapped under the “What’s The Point?” rule.
By the time everyone assembles in Vegas, we will know who took home the claret jug. Tiger Woods is beginning the day just 4 shots back, packing a 2-iron to take advantage of the felt tables also known as Carnoustie’s fairways. He is 14-1 to win.
Jordan Speith, Xander Schauffele and Kevin Kisner are tied at 9-under heading into the final round, with Speith (+175) the betting favorite. Schauffele is +450 and Kisner is +550. Justin Rose, coming off a 64, is an enticing wager 5 shots back at 35-1.
The Claret Jug will not be awarded until the 18th hole is played, and Jan van De Velde can give you chapter and verse about how it ain’t over til it’s over.
With the 18th at Carnoustie yielding 400 yard drives (the ball is often rolling more than 100 yards), we may see someone channel Ben Hogan and dust the cobwebs off a 1-iron.
As Curry learned the hard way in Hayward, Calif., playing competitive golf is no joke. And although Speith and Bubba Watson have mad hoops skills, they found better things to do earlier this month than compete in the NBA Summer League.
So while we ponder the merits of a certain knucklehead site (that shall not be named) posting over/under odds on the Pacers at 41.5 wins, and as we breathlessly await developments concerning the best NBA free agent (restricted) still on the market — that would be you Clint Capela — we have precious little time left to wager on what will happen in Scotland. Over/under on haggis jokes is infinity.
Austin Cook (out of Little Rock, Ark.) made a move Saturday with a 67 that left him at 209, tied with Adam Scott, Rose, Charley Hoffman, Tony Finau, Zander Lombard and Erik van Rooyen. His odds are 150-1, and a victory would not represent golf’s first Cinderella story.
There are folks who were on St. Simons Island off the Goergia coast last November who will tell you that the young Razorback has some skills.
So wagering opportunities abound, and my partners at BetDSI.com will be taking live action during the final round (Use bonus code BBALL1000 to get $25 and a a 100 percent matching bonus up to $1,000).
Somewhere, probably in a smoke-filled haze, J.R. Smith will be watching, and I will wager one broken blackboard and one broken hand that the anti-hero of Game 1 of the NBA Finals will have some action on what’s going down.
Join him if you’d like, but don’t melt down. Van de Velde and J.R. do not need your company.
