4 Tied For Lead At Phoenix Open Chilly

“Somebody mentioned about playing in Minnesota where I grew up,” Lehman said on Thursday after his first round of the Phoenix Open in frosty

The 51-year-old Lehman thrived in cold conditions at the TPC Scottsdale, shooting a 6-under 65 for share of lead in any suspension.

“Once you get playing, you kind of forget about it,” Lehman said. “I started hitting the ball better and better and better as the day went on.”

He played the back nine in 5-31 to join Bill Haas, Jason Bohn and Tom Gillis tops the list. Senior PGA Championship winner last year, Lehman opened its season two weeks ago and was second in the event of the Champions Tour in Hualalai. He won the 2000 Phoenix last of his five PGA Tour titles Open.

“There’s three rounds to go, but it was a good start,” Lehman said.

Canada To Resolve Visa Problems

Canada has received a timely boost before the news of the World Cup, that a visa has been granted to three players born in Pakistan, who were still waiting for Indian authorities clear their applications.

The team returned to Dubai for a training camp on January 28 with vice-captain Rizwan Cheema, Khurram Chohan and Hamza Tariq unclear whether they would be allowed to go to India. With all clear now Canada takes a full team for the tournament and they have two warm-up matches - against Bangladesh and England - before their opening match against Sri Lanka on February 20.
Cricket Canada's president, Ranjit Saini, had earlier said Canada's preparation had been damaged when the three players were prevented from attending a training tour to India last year. "We couldn't take these players to India and as a result our training plans have suffered," Saini told the Pakistan's Daily Mail earlier this month. "[It was] a source of distraction."
Canada's first match in India is against Zimbabwe on February 28.

Phoenix Open Affected By Cold Conditions

Frozen peat swept the Pro-Am round of the Phoenix Open and the temperature would have very long delay before playing on Thursday and Friday.

The temperature rose to 20 F (-2 C) early in the morning when the players began arriving at the TPC Scottsdale and only 35 F (1.5 C) about 11 hours when the pro-am was canceled.

“The greens are still frozen,” said Slugger White, the PGA Tour’s vice president of rules. “The approaches are frozen. And it just would do a tremendous amount of damage if we walked on it, just tracking everything up with the greens being frozen.”

With nighttime temperatures in the 20's, the gel could cause long delays before play can begin on Thursday and Friday.

“Anything could happen with the weather, but it doesn’t look good tomorrow morning,” White said. “It’s supposed to be colder. And it might be even colder on Friday. So, we’ll just see.”

NBA Betting: Tuesday NBA Picks

NBA Betting: Not one of the seven matchups Tuesday features two teams that each have a win-loss record above .500 but this Western Conference rivalry between the Suns and Trailblazers is a close as it gets.

Portland started last season at 12-8 before going on to win 50 games but the Trailblazers are 2-6-1 ATS vs. teams with a winning record. Sportsbook have the home side favored.

Phoenix (11-9) at Portland (9-11)
Line: Trailblazers -3
Over/Under: 204
Portland started the season 6-3 but fell into six-game spiral that sent their fans into a tizzy.

The Blazers led at half-time in three of the six losses and three were by four points or less, but was Sunday’s win against the Clippers a turning point or an aberration?

Strong play in the defensive zone will a key for Portland but the Suns (109.8 ppg) lead the league in scoring and for seven-straight games have notched 105-plus points per game. Look for the Trailblazers to fall behind in the second-half and for this game to finish with a margin of less than three.
Pick: Take the Suns

Washington (6-13) at L.A. Lakers (14-6)
Line: Lakers -13
Over/Under: 206.5
The Lakers won their first game in over a week Friday, beating Sacramento 113-80 SU/ATS. It was LA’s most convincing win of the season, covering the spread by more than 20 points, and after a three-day layoff the sports betting books are calling for more of the same.

The Wizards are a likely target, opening the season with a 0-10 SU record away from home, and looking back to last season when Washington was 1-6 SU through the first month away from home, the Lakers should be ready to pour it on thick.

Washington was beat up in Phoenix Sunday and the Wizards are 7-2 ATS in their last nine games that followed a loss of more than 10 points but in three games this season as an 11-point (or greater) underdog, Washington is 0-3 ATS.
Pick: Take the Lakers

Champions League Picks: Matchday Six

This midweek sees the final games from the group stage of the Champions League, who will reach the knockout stages? We’re looking at the biggest games.

Group A sees Tottenham Hotspur and Inter Milan locked at the top of the table with ten points from their opening five matches and both are playing away games this Tuesday, with Spurs at FC Twente and Inter facing Werder Bremen, with the aim of topping the group. Of the two sides, Spurs are in better form and are unbeaten in their last six matches, while Inter have lost three of their last five games. How will these games go? Let’s look at the matchups and the updated Champions League odds.

Spurs face a tough task to claim all three points against an FC Twente side that has lost just one of its last 22 games at home in the last year, however they have not won in this year’s Champions League at home and have drawn both games played. Spurs are patchy on the road and have lost four of their last seven away games, and they have drawn one and lost one away in the Champions League this season.

However, with winning the group at stake we expect them to win this match and we’re backing them to win the game. Sportsbook have the current odds @ 2.00.

Both Werder Bremen and Inter Milan are in poor form, with Werder having collected one win their last nine games and they have earned just two points from their five Champions League games so far. At home they have won three, drawn three and lost three in their last nine games, including losing 2-0 to FC Twente recently. Inter are just as poor and have lost three and drawn one of their last four away games.

We cannot see either side winning this one and we’re backing the draw @ 2.98.
In action on Wednesday are Chelsea, who travel to France to face Marseille. Chelsea have already topped the group but Marseille need a point to ensure their progress, but can they get it? Chelsea are in terrible form with the Premier League champions having collected just two wins from their last seven games and their away form has seen them lose two and draw one of their last three games. Marseille are without a win, and a goal, in two matches but have won five and drawn two of their last seven games at home. They know they must get something from this game as Spartak Moscow are likely to beat MSK Žilina and we feel that with Chelsea’s poor form they’ll take all three points.

Back Marseille to beat Chelsea @ 2.04.