PGA Golf Preview: WGC California Championship

The second World Golf Championship event of the season gets underway Thursday, as 68 players will participate in the CA Championship at TPC Blue Monster. To preview this event, let’s check out all the PGA golf betting options currently available at the Sports Interaction online sportsbook:

The Field

Headlining this event is Phil Mickelson, currently ranked No. 3 according to the Official World Golf Ranking. Lefty won this tournament a year ago and is currently listed at 8/1 to take home the 2010 crown, this despite a rash of inconsistent play this year.

One player to watch has to be Steve Stricker, who has been lights out in 2010 and is currently ranked No. 2 in the world. Stricker has played four events this year and scored three Top-10 finishes (won the Northern Trust Open, finished third a the Sony Open in Hawaii, tied for 10th at the WGC Accenture Match Play) and, at 14/1, is the second only to Mickelson in terms of odds-on favourites.

Another player that warrants mention is Camilo Villegas, fresh off a win at last weekend’s Honda Classic. Villegas has played in three tournaments this year and finished in the Top-1o in all of them — he placed third at the WGC Accenture Match Play and tied for 8th at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in late February. Villegas is currently listed at 16/1 at the Sports Interaction online sportsbook.

If you’re looking for a sleeper pick, how about American Nick Watney? Watney finished second to Mickelson at the 2009 CA Championship and has been playing solid golf this year, including a recent 9th-place finish at the Farmers Insurance Open. Watney is currently listed at 45/1, but his ability to go big off the tee (287.3 driving average, well above the tour average of 279.8) could pay dividends at Blue Monster.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention Sergio Garcia in our rundown of chief competitors. He’s scored two third-place finishes at the CA (in 2005 and 2007 respectively) and, despite an up-and-down 2010 season that features just one Top-10 finish, he’s always a threat. Like Watney, Garcia is currently listed at 45/1 and could be a tasty sports betting option for those looking to play a longshot.

Here, now, are some other notables from the field:

• Paul Casey   18/1
• Lee Westwood   22/1
• Geoff Ogilvy   25/1
• Rory McIlroy   25/1
• Jim Furyk   25/1
• Ian Poulter   25/1
• Retief Goosen   33/1
• Anthony Kim   33/1
• Dustin Johnson   33/1
• Vijay Singh   35/1
• Robert Allenby   35/1
• Padraig Harrington   35/1
• Ernie Els   35/1
• Martin Kaymer   40/1
• Hunter Mahan   40/1
• Alvaro Quiros   40/1
• Zach Johnson   40/1
• Henrik Stenson   45/1
• Sean O’Hair   45/1

If you’d like to get in on this type of PGA golf betting or other golf betting lines, head on over to the Sports Interaction online sportsbook today!