When I’m handicapping golf, I try to look for players who have a history of doing well at the course they are playing that week. It’s like a goalie in hockey, he could have lost his last 5 starts, but as soon as he plays that one team he owns, he breaks his streak.

Same thing in baseball, let’s say Detroit Tigers Pitcher Justin Verlander has lost his last 7 starts, but he’s up against the Baltimore Orioles in his next game, well, odds are pretty good he’s going to get the win, because he’s 8-1 SU lifetime vs. the Orioles.

Verlander’s Record vs. Baltimore Orioles

No Date D/N Home HS HST Road RS RST Line Total HS RS SUwinner O/U

• 1 09-24-2011 N DETROIT VERLANDER JUSTIN R BALTIMORE GUTHRIE JEREMY R -255.0 7.5 5 6 BALTIMORE O
• 2 04-06-2011 N BALTIMORE B BERGESEN R DETROIT VERLANDER JUSTIN R 131.0 8.5 3 7 DETROIT O
• 3 09-12-2010 D DETROIT VERLANDER JUSTIN R BALTIMORE C TILLMAN R -225.0 8.5 6 2 DETROIT U
• 4 08-03-2009 N DETROIT VERLANDER JUSTIN R BALTIMORE C TILLMAN R -265.0 8.0 6 5 DETROIT O
• 5 05-30-2009 N BALTIMORE GUTHRIE JEREMY R DETROIT VERLANDER JUSTIN R 110.0 8.5 3 6 DETROIT O
• 6 08-16-2008 N DETROIT VERLANDER JUSTIN R BALTIMORE D SARFATE R -210.0 10.5 5 3 DETROIT U
• 7 07-20-2008 D BALTIMORE BURRES BRIAN L DETROIT VERLANDER JUSTIN R 130.0 10.0 1 5 DETROIT U
• 8 04-11-2007 N BALTIMORE LOEWEN ADAM L DETROIT VERLANDER JUSTIN R 106.0 9.0 1 4 DETROIT U
• 9 05-10-2006 N BALTIMORE LOPEZ RODRIGO R DETROIT VERLANDER JUSTIN R 110.0 9.5 3 6 DETROIT U

Stats courtesy of www.ATSDatabase.com

Therefore, using a bit of that strategy in your golf handicapping, how would you bet on this weekends US Masters Winner?

Let’s look at the heavy Favorites to win the 2012 US Masters; Tiger Woods +515 and Rory McIlroy +550. Tiger played very well in his last appearance and won the 2012 MasterCard bay hill Arnold Palmer Invitational. However, I think the mainstream media stress and questions about Hank Haney’s new book will take a toll on Tiger and it might throw him off his game. Rory has shown to be inconsistent on the main stage, but will be in the top 5 come Sunday. Therefore, I’m going to go with lefty Phil Mickelson to win this weekend in Augusta, Georgia. Phil has won this event three times since 2004 and I like the fact he will be flying under the radar this week because most of the attention will be given to Tiger and Rory.

Here are my top 3 picks to win the 2012 US Masters.

• Gold Pick: Phil Mickelson +1015
• Silver Pick: Steve Stricker +4550
• Bronze Pick: Angel Cabrera +8550

Odds to win 2012 US Masters

When: April 5 - 8, 2012 –

• Tiger Woods +515
• Rory McIlroy +550
• Phil Mickelson +1015
• Lee Westwood +1815
• Luke Donald +1615
• Justin Rose +3050
• Hunter Mahan +2550
• Adam Scott +2850
• Keegan Bradley +3250
• Jason Day +4050
• Charl Schwartzel +4050
• Sergio Garcia +5050
• Bubba Watson +3550
• Steve Stricker +4550
• Dustin Johnson +5250
• Nick Watney +5050
• Martin Kaymer +6050
• Webb Simpson +4050
• Matt Kuchar +5250
• Graeme McDowell +5250
• KJ Choi +6050
• Louis Oosthuizen +8550
• Padraig Harrington +10550
• Kyle Stanley +9550
• Angel Cabrera +8550
• Brandt Snedeker +8050
• Rickie Fowler +9050
• Bo Van Pelt +6050
• Zach Johnson +9050
• Bill Haas +9050
• Ian Poulter +8550
• Geoff Ogilvy +8550
• Jim Furyk +10550
• Trevor Immelman +10550
• Aaron Baddeley +10550
• Paul Casey +12550
• Alvaros Quiros +12550

Past Masters Winners

Year – Winner – Country – To Par – Prize Money

• 2011 Charl Schwartzel South Africa -14 $1,440,000
• 2010 Phil Mickelson (3 time winner) United States -16 $1,350,000
• 2009 Ángel Cabrera Argentina -12 $1,350,000
• 2008 Trevor Immelman South Africa -8 $1,350,000
• 2007 Zach Johnson United States +1 $1,305,000
• 2006 Phil Mickelson United States -7 $1,260,000
• 2005 Tiger Woods (4 time winner) United States -12 $1,260,000
• 2004 Phil Mickelson United States -9 $1,117,000
• 2003 Mike Weir Canada -7 $1,080,000
• 2002 Tiger Woods United States -12 $1,008,000
• 2001 Tiger Woods United States -16 $1,008,000
• 2000 Vijay Singh Fiji -10 $828,000
• 1999 José María Olazábal (2) Spain -8 $720,000
• 1998 Mark O'Meara United States -9 $576,000
• 1997 Tiger Woods United States -18 $486,000
• 1996 Nick Faldo (3 time winner) England -12 $450,000

Shell Houston Open Golf Odds & Picks

Last week Ron Raymond gave out Tiger Woods as his top golf pick in the Arnold Palmer classic and it was a winner. This week, Ron has released his top 3 golf picks and they are listed below.

You can wager these picks at Ron’s top recommended sportsbook, Bookmaker Sportsbook. See Ron’s review on Bookmaker!

Ron Raymond's Houston Open Golf Picks

• Gold Golf Pick: Steve Stricker +1415
• Silver Golf Pick: Ernie Els: +2550
• Bronze Golf Pick: Anthony Kim +8050

Houston Open Odds

• Lee Westwood +1015
• Phil Mickelson +1215
• Charl Schwartzel +1815
• Steve Stricker +1415
• Hunter Mahan +2050
• Keegan Bradley +2050
• Graeme McDowell +2550
• Ernie Els +2550
• Aaron Baddeley +3550
• Johnson Wagner +4050
• Henrik Stenson +4550
• John Senden +4550
• Rickie Fowler +4550
• Kyle Stanley +5050
• Padraig Harrington +5050
• Peter Hanson +5050
• Sean OHair +5050
• Ryan Moore +5050
• Bryce Molder +5250
• Bud Cauley +5250
• Louis Oosthuizen +6050
• Robert Allenby +6550
• Jeff Overton +7050
• Kevin Stadler +7550
• Chris Stroud +7550
• Spencer Levin +8050
• Jimmy Walker +8050
• Anthony Kim +8050
• Fred Couples +8050
• Anders Hansen +8050

Houston Open Golf Tournament Information

• Location: Humble, Texas
• Established in 1946
• Golf Course: Redstone Golf Club
• Par: 72
• Length: 7,457 yards
• Format: Stroke play
• Prize fund: $5,900,000

Tournament record score

Aggregate:

• 266 Curtis Strange (1980)
• 266 Lee Trevino (1980)
• 266 Vijay Singh (2002)

To par:

• -22 Vijay Singh (2002)

Current champion: Phil Mickelson

Past Houston Open

• 2011: Phil Mickelson United States 268 -20
• 2010: Anthony Kim United States 276 -12
• 2009: Paul Casey England 277 -11
• 2008: Johnson Wagner United States 272 -16
• 2007: Adam Scott Australia 271 -17
• 2006: Stuart Appleby Australia 269 -19
• 2005: Vijay Singh Fiji 275 -13
• 2004: Vijay Singh Fiji 277 -11
• 2003: Fred Couples United States 267 -21
• 2002: Vijay Singh Fiji 266 -22
• 2001: Hal Sutton United States 278 -10
• 2000: Robert Allenby Australia 275 -13
• 1999: Stuart Appleby Australia 279 -9
• 1998: David Duval United States 276 -12
• 1997: Phil Blackmar United States 276 -12
• 1996: Mark Brooks United States 274 -14

The Honda Classic Odds to Win

Tiger Woods is $1015 odds to win the Honda Classic this weekend. Therefore, if you wagered $100 on Tiger to win the Honda Classic and he wins, you will win $1015 dollars. Rory McIlroy is the early favorite to win at $815. Need a Longshot to win the Honda Classic? My money will be on Y.E. Yang at $4550!

Current Odds

• Rory McIlroy +815
• Lee Westwood +1015
• Tiger Woods +1015
• Charl Schwartzel +2550
• Keegan Bradley +2850
• Kyle Stanley +3050
• Ben Crane +2850
• Graeme McDowell +3550
• Justin Rose +4050
• Padraig Harrington +4550
• Y E Yang +4550
• Robert Allenby +4550
• Jim Furyk +4550
• Louis Oosthuizen +5050
• Mark Wilson +5050
• Fredrik Jacobson +5250
• Charles Howell +6050
• Spencer Levin +6050
• Sean OHair +6050
• Jimmy Walker +6050
• Ian Poulter +6550
• Thomas Bjorn +6550
• Rickie Fowler +6550
• Robert Karlsson +6550
• John Rollins +6550
• Rory Sabbatini +6550
• Ernie Els +7050
• Ricky Barnes +7550
• JB Holmes +7550
• Sang Moon Bae +7550
• Carl Pettersson +7550
• Ryan Moore +7550
• Charlie Wi +7550
• Camilo Villegas +7550
• Retief Goosen +7550