MLB - LA Dodgers @ CHI Cubs

Jose Hernandez homered and drove in five runs to propel the Los Angeles Dodgers (67-45) to an 11-1 rout of the host Cincinnati Reds in the National League on Thursday, extending their lead over San Diego in the National League West Division to 7 1/2 games. The Padres lost to the Cubs at Wrigley Field, and third-place San Francisco fell to 8 1/2 games back with an extra-inning loss at Pittsburgh. The Dodgers moved 22 games over .500 for the first time since they were 92-70 at the end of the 2002 season with their seventh win in their last nine games. They have won five of their last six road series.

In Chicago, Carlos Zambrano returned from suspension to pitch eight solid innings and lead the Cubs to a 5-1 victory over the San Diego Padres. Zambrano (11-6) was banned five games for hitting Jim Edmonds of St Louis with a pitch last month but came back strong, allowing one run on five hits with six strikeouts and one walk. Corey Patterson homered off Sterling Hitchcock for the Cubs, his fourth home run off a left-hander this year, and is now batting .333 since moving to the leadoff spot on August 1st. The win helped the Cubs regain a two-game lead over the Padres in the National League Wild Card standings.

NASCAR Nextel Cup Series - Sirius at the Glen

Su Aug 15 - 2:00 pm (TNT)
Jeff Gordon is the man to beat on the road courses, and it will be no different as the road to the Nextel Cup passes through Watkins Glen International. Six weeks ago Gordon won his eighth career NASCAR road race at Infineon Raceway, and he is no doubt one of the greatest road courses drivers in NASCAR history. Jeff is definitely in the groove right now coming off his fourth Brickyard 400 win, and a win this week would complete a sweep of the roads this season, something he has done twice already. No wonder he comes in here as our 3/1 favourite, despite more competition on the roads than ever before, due to the greater emphasis place on these races by all the top teams. Now might also be the time to get on him for the Championship while the field is still open from seventh place down. The last two times he's won the Brickyard he went on to win the title, while his car is likely to be good at all the tracks in the final 10-race stretch. Back him now at 2/1.

This week's event takes on added significance as there are now only five races remaining before the final 10 drivers are set for the Championship chase, which puts the heat on those drivers on the cusp of making it into the playoffs. The driver that figures to make up most ground on those in front of him is Mark Martin. Martin currently sits 123 points behind the 10th and final spot in the chase, and is Watkins Glen's all-time money winner, having finished in the top-5 eleven times in his 16 driver starts that include three wins. He looks the main danger to Gordon, along with good road racers Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray. Watch out also for the Burton Brothers who have done well at Watkins Glen of late. Jeff's car has definitely looked better, and the Hendrick horsepower of Ward's car is more evident over the last few weeks.

Nigel's Checkered Flag... Jeff Gordon @ 3/1, Jeff Burton @ 28/1!

NFL - SEA Seahawks @ GB Packers

On Monday night Head coach Mike Holmgren leads his Seahawks into Lambeau to open the exhibition season against his old team, the Packers. Seahawks fans will not need reminding that they let their Wild Card playoff game against the Packers slip away 33-27. Seattle are fancied to dominate the Rams this season in the NFC West in what looks a two horse race, and could even develop into true contenders for Super Bowl honours. A full NFL season preview will follow next week.

US PGA Championship

Th Aug 12 - 2:00 pm EST (TNT)
Fr Aug 13 - 2:00 pm EST (TNT)
Sa Aug 14 - 2:00 pm EST (CBS)
Su Aug 15 - 2:00 pm EST (CBS)
The final Major of the season is being played at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin, a brand new course designed along the lines of a classic British links course, being located on the shores of the wind swept Lake Michigan. At over 7,500 yards it is also the longest course in Major championship history, and if the wind blows a score over par, maybe well over par, is almost certainly expected to win the tournament. In fact, a 'Winning Score' of 290 (2 over par) and over is favourite at 7/4 here at bet365. For the winner a case can be made for a whole number of players including Tiger Woods, who looked near to peaking again in his last event, and Phil Mickelson, who has successfully geared his season around the Majors (1st, 2nd and 3rd this season). Ernie Els and Vijay Singh will have their supporters too, but they could all be bigger prices in our In-Running market, so the value could lie elsewhere?

There is a strong contingent of Australians in with a chance this week, and the boys from down under may well be inspired to lift their games further by compatriot Rod Pampling's win in Colorado on Sunday. Adam Scott has already won twice in the States this year, and his superb long-iron play could be the key on a course with three par fours over 500 yards. He does lack 'links' form, however, and at the prices the chances of fellow Aussie Stuart Appleby are just preferred. Having reached an Open play-off back in 2002, and with a good effort in last year's Australian Open on the similarly styled Moonah Links course, he looks ideally suited to cope with the rigours of Whistling Straits. He also fits the profile of previous USPGA winners - a player in his thirties winning his first Major having won on the regular Tour - while his record in this event has been most consistent - 23-17-16-4 in the last four years!

The stats are strongly against a European win this week, with none having won this Major since the event became a strokeplay event back in 1958. In fact the last time a European won a major of any description was back in 1999, when Paul Lawrie took the Open Championship. However, the European contingent will take heart from the links layout of this course, and the likes of Sergio Garcia and Padraig Harrington must have a great shout on a course that will demand shotmaking flair and a great touch around the greens, just their sort of game. Another European player with strong credentials this week is Alex Cejka, who gave European Ryder Cup captain Bernhard Langer a timely reminder of his talents with a superb second place in the International on Sunday. Cejka was also top European in last year's US PGA, so August would seem to be

Some handicapping pearls coming soon...

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