Kaymer beats Westwood in Paris playoff

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07/05/2009 - Paris, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Martin Kaymer defeated Lee Westwood in a playoff Sunday to win the Open de France, rolling in a lengthy par putt on the first extra hole to claim his third European Tour victory.

Kaymer closed with a three-under 68 at Le Golf National, missing several good birdie opportunities down the stretch that could have given him the win in regulation.

Instead, the 24-year-old German holed a 30-footer for par on the 18th green to win the playoff. An emerging threat in Europe, Kaymer claimed his other two victories last season.

"This is very special for me to get this trophy today," he said.

Westwood, the 36-year-old Ryder Cup star from England, was attempting to win for the 19th time on tour. He fired a six-under 65 in the final round to climb from a tie for seventh into a share of the lead with Kaymer.

But Westwood knocked his approach shot into the water in the playoff, ending his chances.

The duo finished regulation at 13-under 271, three shots in front of Ian Poulter, whose final round included a blow-up at the 15th hole when the Englishman hit into the water and then shouted at a photographer.

"What are you doing? Are you that stupid?" screamed Poulter, who shot a 67 and took third place at 10-under 274. He went on to bogey the hole.

Ugly as that incident was, it was trumped by the late struggles of third-round leader Rafa Echenique, who shot a six-over 77 and dropped into a tie for 13th place at five-under 279 -- eight shots back.

Among the Argentine's missteps Sunday were two shots hit into the water at the 15th, where he took a triple-bogey seven. Echenique also made a triple-bogey at the 18th hole.

As Echenique failed to protect the lead, Kaymer and Westwood emerged to battle for it.

They both made key birdies early on the back nine -- Kaymer when he drained a long putt at the 10th and Westwood after he nearly holed his approach at the 13th.

But they also took bad bogeys in key spots. Kaymer bogeyed the 12th moments before Westwood, after finding trouble off the tee, bogeyed the 14th when he came up well short on a chip-shot.

Westwood avoided another bogey when he holed a 10-foot par save at the 17th.

Kaymer, meanwhile, missed a 12-footer for birdie at the 16th and an eight-foot birdie putt at the 17th, both times with a chance to take sole possession of the lead.

He hit an iron off the tee at the par-four 18th, later saving par from five feet to force the playoff.

Sticking to his game plan, Kaymer again hit an iron off the No. 18 tee to start the playoff, finding the rough. Westwood, as he did in regulation, hit driver and also landed in the rough.

Barely carrying the water with his approach shot, Kaymer got lucky with a lie in the rough. From there, he chipped it to the far side of the green.

Westwood wasn't as lucky. He sent his second shot into the hazard -- it dropped in between the wooden boards and a sponsor's signage fronting the green.

After taking his one-stroke penalty, Westwood came up well short of the hole with his fourth shot. He then missed his long bogey putt, leaving Kaymer with two chances to win.

Kaymer needed only one shot, as he rolled the long par putt into the center of the cup.

Winning in such dramatic fashion had little effect on the unassuming German, who offered a quick and modest description of his final stroke.

"Four is a really good score on [18] any time," Kaymer said.

The loss earned Westwood his fifth second-place finish in the last two seasons. It all might have been different if he hadn't found the water in the playoff.

"Martin's ball carried the water by a foot and mine must have went in by a foot," said Westwood, who hasn't won since 2007. "That's the chance you take in playoffs."

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Super Bowl XLIV Odds

Super Bowl XLIII isn't even a week old yet and oddsmakers have already released Super Bowl XLIV odds.

Despite the Pittsburgh Steelers winning Super Bowl 43, the New England Patriots are 8/1 favorites to win Super Bowl 44.

Bet Super Bowl XLIV Future Odds

With their 27-23 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, the Steelers became the latest NFL champion. But believe it or not, oddsmakers from online sports book MySportsbook.com don't have the Steelers the favorites to win Super Bowl XLIV next season.

That honor belongs to the New England Patriots, who are 8/1 favorites to win despite not even qualify for the postseason in 2008. The Pats also have a major decision to make regarding what to do with Matt Cassel, who played well in Tom Brady's (knee surgery) absence last year but is also a free agent this offseason.

Ironically, the Steelers aren't even oddsmakers second choice to win Super Bowl 44, as the Dallas Cowboys are listed right behind the Patriots at 9/1 despite not making the playoffs themselves. Clearly oddsmakers think the public will hop back on the Cowboys' bandwagon considering the immense talent they have and the opening of a brand new stadium.

After Dallas, then comes Pittsburgh at 10/1, but they share those odds with the New York Giants, who won Super Bowl XLII. The Indianapolis Colts and San Diego Chargers round out the top six teams at 12/1, while the Baltimore Ravens (14/1), Tennessee Titans (16/1), Carolina Panthers (18/1) and Philadelphia Eagles (18/1) complete the top 10.

The NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals got no love from oddsmakers as they were established as a 30/1 long shot to win next year's Super Bowl. They share those same odds with the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers – two teams that didn't even qualify for the postseason. Other long shots are the Kansas City Chiefs (100/1), Detroit Lions (100/1), St. Louis Rams (75/1) and Oakland Raiders (75/1).

To see a complete list of all the team's odds to win Super Bowl XLIV, check below.

NFL TEAM FUTURE ODDS TO WIN SUPER BOWL XLIV

New England Patriots 8/1

Dallas Cowboys 9/1

New York Giants 10/1

Pittsburgh Steelers 10/1

Indianapolis Colts 12/1

San Diego Chargers 12/1

Baltimore Ravens 14/1

Tennessee Titans 16/1

Carolina Panthers 18/1

Philadelphia Eagles 18/1

New Orleans Saints 20/1

Atlanta Falcons 25/1

Denver Broncos 25/1

Green Bay Packers 25/1

Jacksonville Jaguars 25/1

Minnesota Vikings 25/1

New York Jets 25/1

Arizona Cardinals 30/1

Chicago BearS 30/1

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30/1

Buffalo Bills 35/1

Houston TexaNS 35/1

Miami Dolphins 35/1

Washington Redskins 35/1

Seattle SeahawkS 50/1

Cleveland Browns 55/1

Cincinnati Bengals 60/1

San Francisco 49ers 60/1

Oakland Raiders 75/1

St. Louis Rams 75/1

Detroit Lions 100/1

Kansas City Chiefs 100/1

Odds as of: 2/2/09

Bet Super Bowl XLIV Future Odds

To visit this online sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your NFL football betting needs.