Echenique birdies the last for the lead in Paris

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07/04/2009 - Paris, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Overnight leader Rafa Echenique birdied the last hole Saturday to hold on to his spot atop the leaderboard after the third round of the Open de France.

Echenique shot a one-under 70 and finished 54 holes at 11-under 202 and is one clear of first-round leader Martin Kaymer, who managed a 69, at Le Golf National.

Paul Waring posted a three-under 68 and is alone in third at minus-nine.

Seve Benson (68), Richard Green (70) and Peter Hanson (70) are knotted in fourth place at eight-under 205.

Echenique began the third round with a two-shot cushion, but a bogey at the first hole hurt him out of the gate. He atoned for the error with a birdie at the fourth and made it two in a row with a 12-footer for birdie at the par- four fifth.

Echenique dropped a shot at the par-three eighth hole and fell to 10-under par for the championship.

Kaymer, Waring and Charl Schwartzel all eventually tied Echenique atop the leaderboard. Schwartzel bogeyed 12, 14 and 15 to fall down the board, then Waring bogeyed 14.

Kaymer kept pace with Echenique thanks to smart, even-par golf. Kaymer, the German who matched the course record on Thursday, birdied six and seven and parred nine straight around the turn.

At the 17th, Kaymer holed a tricky, multi-breaking 25-footer for birdie to match Echenique atop the leaderboard at minus-10.

Echenique, playing in the final group, narrowly missed the fairway at the par- four closing hole. He knocked his approach to six feet and drained the birdie putt to take sole possession of first.

"That last birdie was very good because the putter just didn't work for me today," acknowledged Echenique. "When you are playing in the last group in these conditions then you are always going to be a little nervous, but after the first three holes I realized that I should calm down and try to play my game."

Echenique will be in search of his first European Tour victory on Sunday. He has two Challenge Tour titles, but never broke through on the big circuit.

It certainly looked like Echenique had a good chance at that first win last week at the BMW International Open. The Argentine holed his second shot at the par-five 18th on Sunday to scare eventual winner Nick Dougherty.

"This is one of the biggest and best events on the European Tour and I believe that I can do it," said Echenique. "I did it in the Argentinean Open, so why not here? I will try to keep the same strategy as I have all week -- try and take irons off of most of the tees and get the putter working again because it wasn't working great today. It would be very big for me to win here."

Schwartzel finished with a one-over 72 and is tied for seventh place with Lee Westwood (70) and Robert-Jan Derksen (68). The trio is knotted at seven-under 206.

Ian Poulter carded a five-under 66 and is alone in 10th at minus-six.

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Academy Award Betting Odds for Best Picture Offer Great Value

If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture.  Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet).

For value, take a look at MySportsbook.com Oscars betting odds on my personal favorite, The Queen - a remarkable 12 to 1 long shot.  The film hasn't won any pre-awards for Best Picture (compared to The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine), but there is a tremendous following and it is a strong enough film to warrant a surprise win.

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Who is to say independently produced Little Miss Sunshine won't be this year's Crash.  Last year, Crash won for Best Motion Picture, shocking those who bet on gay cowboy flick, Brokeback Mountain, as the favorite to win. 

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Problem with Bears?

Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.

"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."

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Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.

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