CBSSports.com European captain Colin Montgomerie is keeping everyone guessing about his Ryder Cup pairings.

For the second day of practice Wednesday in the rain at Celtic Manor, Montgomerie hardly kept an Italian brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari and the Northern Ireland duo of Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy.

Lee Westwood was playing with Ross Fisher, while Padraig Harrington was with Peter Hanson. The Swede had been paired with Miguel Angel Jimenez, but on Wednesday the Spaniard was with Ian Poulter.

Martin Kaymer and Donald were the other pairing for a practice round that Europe delayed by an hour because of the steady rain.

The Americans kept several of their players together, mostly noticeable Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker; Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson; and Zach Johnson and Hunter Mahan.

Jim Furyk is also in the Woods foursome with Rickie Fowler, the 21-year-old rookie who had never played with Woods until Wednesday. Matt Kuchar was with Stewart Cink, while Jeff Overton and Bubba Watson were together. There is speculation that Overton and Watson might only play once before the Sunday singles.

Montgomerie has said he wants all 12 of his side to play on the opening day of matches Friday.

Today we’ll cover one of the three $2 million Breeders’ Cup races going on Friday night November 5, the Filly and Mare Turf, but before we get there, a few words about the upcoming Oak Tree meeting at Hollywood Park is in order.

The meet will be held for the first time ever at Hollywood because of the renovation at Santa Anita and it kicks off Thursday September 30 and will run through Halloween. The first weekend will feature 6 Grade 1 events that will serve as stepping-stones to the Breeders’ Cup but bettors should know a few things about those that have excelled at this track of late.

Last year at Santa Anita, Rafael Bejarano won the riding title by one winner over Joel Rosario and they will fight it out once again. Pat Valenzuela, who has been keeping busy at Louisiana Downs since Fairplex is in action, finished third at the recent Del Mar stand and he will come to this meet full of momentum.

For those that stir the drink, the trainers, last year Bob Baffert ran away with the title with 24 winners with the usual suspects, John Sadler and Mike Mitchell in close pursuit. Three smaller barns did very well with limited starters and those conditioners, Eric Kruljac, Howard Zucker and Brian Koriner appear loaded for bear this year too.

Astute bettors have to be on the bandwagon of two other trainers that stabled at Hollywood during the Del Mar meet and that pair, Jeff Mullins and Ron Ellis, should have huge meets. Hollywood plays closer to a conventional dirt track than any other in SoCal at this point in time and runners that have shown an affinity for the surface must be given a definitive edge.

Now on to the Cup.

The Filly and Mare Turf goes at a mile and three eighths and some interesting things have happened in this race over the years.

The event has been won by some real runners including Banks Hill, Forever Together and the pair that won at Churchill in Perfect Sting and Ouija Board.

In 2000 Perfect Sting came from far back at 5-1 to score by a diminishing three quarters of a length for cagey Eastern trainer Joe Orseno. Six years later Ouiji Board became the only horse to win this event twice as she sat a perfect trip; about 5 lengths off a slow pace to win going away at odds-on for trainer Edward Dunlop.

You can get value in this race as despite Board’s short price, the superfecta with 16, 10 and 18-1 shots came back over $3,200.

This year it could very well be just another vehicle for last year’s winner, Midday. At Santa Anita last season, Midday was a close 2nd choice and won under urging from just 2 lengths off the pace. She has won 3 of 4 this year and is coming off a Group 1 win at Longchamp on September 12.

Oriental flare can look to Red Desire, who will likely use the Flower Bowl at Belmont as a final BC prep. She has been one of the best of her sex in her native Japan for a couple of years now and has won over $3.5 million.

The wise thing to do in this race most of the time is to concentrate on the foreigners in the fray as they are honed and bred for this kind of competition.

With that in mind, the world-class Andre Fabre could roll out Deluxe and Plumania for this event while Stacelita, who has earned close to $1.5 million, rates a longshot look.

CBSSpo One clutch shot gave Jim Furyk two big trophies Sunday.

He sat between them Sunday afternoon after his dramatic victory in the rain at East Lake, the crystal trophy for the Tour Championship on his left and the sterling silver FedEx Cup trophy on his right.

Which one meant more?

Furyk reached out his right hand and gently tapped the silver cup, which might be more valuable than the $10 million that comes with it.

Tour Championship Steve Elling Jim Furyks up-and-down on the final hole brings clarity to a process only a math major could love. More >> Final scores and earnings Notes: Kuchar consolation prize $3 million

Clinging to a one-shot lead, in a bunker so deep he could only see the top of the lip, Furyk hit a clean shot and watched it head for the flag. It landed inches from the cup and spun to a stop 2½ feet away for an easy par and a one-shot victory over Luke Donald.

He put his name on a trophy with Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh. He finally won the Tour Championship, giving him three victories in a season for the as PGA Tour player of the year.

Maybe that explains why his stoic demeanor gave way to a celebration never before seen out of Furyk.

“It just hit me,” said Furyk, who closed with an even-par 70. “I was excited and dropped the putter and … I dont know. I guess at that moment, youre not really responsible for what happens next.”

He thrust his fist toward the grandstand with such force that it looked like he heaved his golf ball into the crowd. And he shared a hug with his wife, Tabitha, asking her, “Did I win the bonus?”

Furyk had a pretty good idea when he walked off the 18th tee, and the cheer of the crowd when he tapped in only confirmed it.

It was the kind of finish the PGA Tour had in mind when it created the FedEx Cup four years ago. Six players had a chance to claim the $10 million prize over the final hour at East Lake, from Matt Kuchar as the top seed to Nick Watney all the way down at No. 28.

Then came the final hole.

Donald chipped in for birdie from 100 feet on the 17th hole to keep his hopes alive. Furyk, who had a three-shot lead with three holes to play, made bogey on the 16th and 17th holes and hit his hybrid into a bunker on the 18th. If he made bogey, Furyk and Donald would go back to the 230-yard 18th hole for a sudden-death playoff with $11.35 million riding on the outcome.

Then came a bunker shot that defined a career worth of grit. He was in a bunker nine times at East Lake, and saved par every time.

Donald didnt bother going to the range. He waited in the scoring trailer.

“I didnt feel like going out in the rain and drowning myself even more,” Donald said. “So I was just watching the action, seeing if there was a chance I was going to get in a playoff. But Jim made a great up-and-down at the last and deserved the victory.”

Furyk finished at 8-under 272 and earned $1.35 million, along with the $10 million bonus, the biggest payoff in golf. He moved to No. 5 in the world ranking.

Furyk was the No. 3 seed when the playoffs began, but was disqualified from the opener when he missed his pro-am time at The Barclays because the battery died in his cell phone, which he used for an alarm. He was No. 11 in the standings going into the Tour Championship, and became the first player out of the top 10 to win the cup.

Turns out he joins Woods as the only FedEx Cup champions to miss the first playoff event – Woods in 2007 because he didnt want to play, Furyk this year because he couldnt.

He still ranks the U.S. Open as his biggest win, although this was a close second.

“Its only 4 years old,” he said of the FedEx Cup. “But 40 years from now, there should be a lot of history in this trophy. And to have Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk … Im ve two of the most dominant players of my era, for sure.”

This Sunday was so bizarre that Kuchar, who shot 71 and tied for 25th in a 30-man field, still had a chance to win the FedEx Cup. He wound up second for a $3 million bonus. Donald moved up to third in the standings and picked up an extra $2 million.

Retief Goosen also had a chance at both trophies until a bogey on the 17th. He shot a 71 and finished alone in third at the Tour Championship. Watney (67) and Casey (69) tied for fourth.

The celebration was dampened by a two-hour rain delay that sent most of the fans home from East Lake. For those who stayed, it was tough to applaud with one hand on the umbrella as the rain pounded the players over the final hour of competition.

Even so, a FedEx Cup finale has never had so many possibilities, so much movement.

Watney wasnt even a remote candidate when he went into the weekend tied for 25th in the 30-man field, 13 shots out of the lead. Then came a 63 in the third round, and he kept right on going. Watney shot a 28 on the back nine Saturday, then had a 30 on the front nine Sunday to pull within one shot of the lead.

Watney could have won the FedEx Cup with a victory at East Lake, provided Kuchar did not finish alone in 25th. Kuchar missed a 7-foot par putt on the final hole.

That became irrelevant when Watney failed to birdie the par-5 15th and made his first bogey of the round on the 16th.

Even when Furyk had a three-shot lead after his birdie on the 15th, the FedEx Cup remained in doubt.

Casey, who has not won a tournament all year, could have claimed the $10 million bonus by fini when he hit his approach toward the corporate tents on the 17th. After a free drop, he hit a wedge to just outside 5 feet and badly missed the putt.

Furyk has no time to celebrate. He was to join his teammates on a charter flight to Wal this one worth no money at all.

CBSSports.com wir John Parry of England captured his first European Tour title Sunday, winning the Vivendi Cup by two strokes over Johan Edfors of Sweden after shooting a 2-under 70.

Vivendi Cup Related links Leaderboard

The 23-year-old Parry, a former Walker Cup player who turned professional in 2007, finished at 17-under 271 at Golf de Joyenval Club.

Edfors had a 71 to finish a stroke ahead of five players: Francois Delamontagne of France (71), Robert-Jan Derksen of the Netherlands (71), Jarmo Sandelin of Sweden (71) and Soren Kjeldsen (70) and Mark Haastrup (72), both of Denmark.

Padraig Harrington showed signs of rounding into form ahead of the Ryder Cup, which begins Friday at Celtic Manor. The Irishman shot a 64 to finish tied for eighth at 13 under, ending the weekend with 15 birdies and an eagle.

“I am getting to Wales early, I am enthusiastic and I am ready to go,” said Harrington, who just made the cut at 2 under. “Its been nice to play well here in France, its nice to post a score, though I did leave a few shots out there, which meant I could not put any pressure on the leaders.

“But I hit a lot of good shots. I had my head in the right place most of the time and I was happy with what I saw.”

Peter Hanson, another European Ryder Cup player, will join his teammates in Wales on schedule Monday despite pulling out of the Vivendi Cup because of illness.

His agent, Marcus Day, said that after two days resting at home in Sweden the 32-year-old Hanson had resumed practicing and would be ready to make his Ryder Cup debut.

Parry led last weekends Austrian Open after 36 holes before buckling under pressure to finish 20th. He appeared to learn from the experience, making four birdies Sunday to protect the one-shot lead he took into the final round.

“I didnt feel comfortable in the lead in Austria,” Parry said. “But I came here, practiced hard and played really well, and I feel really comfortable in the lead this time.

“The win means to much to me because I was 116th in the money list and fighting to keep my playing card for next year. Now I know I have got one and can go ahead and plan the whole of 2011.”

Parry faltered only once down the stretch. Holding a two-shot lead, he drove into a bunker at No. 17 and took a bogey. But Edfors found the same sand and also bogeyed the hole.

CBSSports Russ Cochran shot an 8-under 64, making six birdies in a seven-hole stretch in the middle of the round and eagling No. 17, to take a one-stroke lead over defending champion Tom Pernice Jr. on Friday in the Champions Tours SAS Championship.

Cochran, coming off his first victory on the 50-and-over tour two weeks ago in South Korea, had the best first-round score in the history of the tournament.

SAS Championship Related links Leaderboard

“I think thats probably the reason I played good today because Ive been on a high from the last three or four weeks,” Cochran said “I was certainly a little shaky starting off. I had a lot of par saves, so really a lucky round. But I played some really good golf the last 12 or 13 holes.”

Pernice had a hole-in-one on the 188-yard 11th hole.

“I hit it right at the hole, and I thought it was going to be short,” Pernice said. “I turned away to put my club away, and the next thing I know, theyre screaming that it went in the hole. So I didnt get to see it, but thats OK. … The hole-in-one was great, really got me going. But the save for birdie on 12, since I hit it out there and had a pretty simple shot to reach and missed the green and then got up and down, really, was really the key to the round.”

Bob Gilder and David Eger opened with 66s, and Nick Price and Ted Schulz followed at 67.

Bernhard Langer, the tour leader with five victories, and Fred Couples had 71s.

Who: Thoroughbreds – Exhi, A Little Warm, Morning Line, First Dude, Apart, Hurricane Ike, Golden Moka
What: Horse Racing Betting Tips – The Pennsylvania Derby, The Super Derby
Where: Philadelphia Park, Louisiana Downs
When: Saturday, September 25th

There’s a pair of derbies this Saturday, and both appear to be interesting betting affairs. The Pennsylvania Derby at Philadelphia Park (now called Parx Racing) features a field of seven (although Friend or Foe is likely to be scratched), with First Dude the 8-5 morning line favorite. The Super Derby at Louisiana Downs is a six-horse affair, with Hurricane Ike the 9-5 morning line choice. I’ll be betting against both of them.

First Dude has been a model of consistency, hitting the board in 9-of-10 lifetime starts, including five straight Grade 1 events. The problem is – he’s won just once, breaking his maiden at Gulfstream Park in late January. He’s usually forwardly placed, but just can’t seem to close the deal. He gets in with a feathery 114-lb. impost, and Robbie Albarado returns to ride for the first time since ‘Dude’s second career start. First Dude can win, but I want no part of him at 8-5. Exhi is a nice horse, but has yet to win on dirt. A Little Warm won The Jim Dandy at Saratoga in a gutsy effort, but his connections entered him in this race at the last minute, and don’t seem convinced that he’s at his peak.

Morning Line will be my play at odds of 4-1 or better. He’s royally bred with a conformation to match, and fetched $700,000 as a yearling. He won at the Pa. Derby distance of a mile-and-an-eighth last out at Saratoga, cruising under the wire 11 lengths ahead. The Beyer Speed Figure he earned that day (98) stacks up well with these. His most recent 4-furlong work in :46 flat over the deep Saratoga Training Track is one of the fastest I can recall seeing there. It looks to me like Morning Line is ready for prime time.

In The Super Derby, a case can be made for most of the entrants, but I’ll be backing the undefeated Golden Moka. Bred in Canada at Adena Springs, this colt somehow wound up in Panama for his first three career starts, all victories at odds on, sprinting. Then he showed up in The Prince of Wales Stakes, the middle leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, and defeated a solid field at odds of 10-1 off an 8-month layoff! This horse appears to be something special. His 6-furlong breeze last week in 1:12 3/5 suggests he’s ready to roll. Apart won the prep for this race, but hasn’t faced this caliber yet. Hurricane Ike looks like the horse to catch, but he’s a question mark at the distance. Distorted Economy is in good hands (Drysdale/Valenzuela), but has yet to defeat winners. Pick your poison underneath in the exotics.
Those are my horse racing betting tips for the weekend. Best of luck and happy gambling!

CBSSports.com Chalk up one victory for Tiger Woods this year.

Construction on Woods first American golf course, The Cliffs at High Carolina near Asheville, N.C., is back in full swing after developers agreed to reduce the planned impact the layout would have on area trout streams by almost half the original design.

Woods said in a statement Thursday that new routing makes the course a tad shorter and some of the walks between greens and tees a little longer, but does not take away from his intent to have a walkable mountain course with breathtaking views.

“High Carolina remains a truly amazing golf course,” Woods said. “Im looking forward to getting back there to check on construction.”

The Southern Environmental Law Center, Western North Carolina Alliance and Trout Unlimited had challenged permits issued by North Carolinas Department of Environment and Natural Resources. They charged that developers planned too much impact to trout streams without sufficient mitigation.

Attorney D.J. Gerken with the Southern Environmental Law Center said The Cliffs quickly got in touch with the environmental groups to see how best to settle the dispute. The new design calls for 1,655 linear feet of impacts compared to 3,132 linear feet in the original design

Gerken said mountain construction involves steep slopes that require significant grading and the underground piping of streams in the way.

“There was a lot of back and forth,” Gerken said. “Eventually, The Cliffs came up with a creative solution.”

Woods PGA Tour season ended with the BMW Championships two weeks ago. He is scheduled to play for the U.S. team at the Ryder Cup matches in Wales next month.

Jim Anthony, founder and CEO of The Cliffs Communities, said he was initially disappointed in the challenge because of how hard his company worked with North Carolina state and local agencies to limit environmental impacts. Still, Anthony said they slowed down construction to discuss the issues.

The agreement also calls for increased protection of other area streams. The environmental groups agreed to drop their challenge to the Cliffs permits.

“We are pleased with the outcome and we applaud The Cliffs for their willingness to work hard to address our concerns,” said Julie Mayfield, executive director of the Western North Carolina Alliance. “They were committed to reaching an agreement and made significant changes to the golf course to do so.”

The Cliffs has resumed major construction on the course, scheduled to open in the fall of 2012. Course builder Medalist Golf, Inc., has begun clearing, grading and shaping.

Anthony said it was the willingness of Woods and his design team to work with area residents that made the agreement possible. “Their passion for the project and positive attitude helped create a win-win solution,” Anthony said.

In the next few weeks we’ll attempt to preview the Breeders’ Cup with every single race and we’ll kick it off here with the Marathon, the Juvenile Fillies Turf and the Filly and Mare Sprint.

These races will likely all be carded as action kicks off Friday November 5.

The $500,000 Marathon goes at a mile and three quarters on the main and there is little history to review as the race was inaugurated only 2 years ago.

In 2008 Muhannak came off a win on the synthetic in Ireland to sit mid-pack early but rally just in time to post the 12-1 upset.

Last year Iron Man used a similar race to Muhannak to cash as he came from second to last on the synthetic at Santa Anita to get up by a nose with a 98 Beyer. The bad news for the runner is he is 0 for 3 since.

Some of the main threats this year could be Temple City, who ran poorly in the Pacific Classic but had won a mile and a half stakes in July with a 100 Beyer. Eldaafer will be coming to the race right if he shows and he likely will after winning a Grade 3 at Turfway Park on September 11 with a 95 Beyer.

Pacific Classic hero Richard’s Kid may opt for the Marathon if not for the Classic and he would obviously be a legit threat.

Rezif would rate an upset glance as he comes off a clear win on the demanding Kentucky Downs turf course.

The Juvenile Fillies Turf has also only been run twice but let’s take a look at those winners. Maram took the first running in her third start after graduating in a maiden $75,000 claimer. She got a hot pace to close into and got up in the last jump.

In 2009 Tapitsfly was making only her 2nd start on turf, hence the fat 9-1 odds, and she got a super trip when sitting second before pouncing in time to get up by a half with a 84 Beyer.

This season Fancy Point and Kathmanblu must be respected as they just ran one/two respectively in a $70,000 turf stakes at Saratoga while those with an eye toward Alaska has a vehicle with Winter Memories, who was impressive winning her debut.

Memories also has a right to have a nice career as her dam, who was also conditioned by trainer Jim Toner, won a number of Grade 1s on way to over $1.4 million resume.

The Filly and Mare Sprint will be run for the 4th time this year as Maryfield, Ventura and Informed Decision took the first 3 events. The inaugural running was carded at 6 furlongs but changed since to the demanding distance of 7 panels.

Informed Decision dethroned former champ Ventura last year by sitting just off the pace to win inching away with a 103 Beyer.

Rightly So will be a handful in this fray. She was visually impressive taking the Grade 1 Ballerina with a career best 100 Beyer on August 28.

Champagne D’Oro has a pair of Grade 1 wins this year but has never posted a triple digit Beyer and she ran poorly the other time at Churchill when troubled in the spring.

Previously mentioned Informed Decision is always tough and she comes off a hard fought victory over Dubai Majesty in the Presque Isle Masters. Decision fires every time and will have to be respected.

The consistent Sweet August Moon could be the early value. She recorded back-to-back 96 Beyers in Graded company and could get away on the tote.

Next week we’ll delve into how the other Friday races, the Juvenile Fillies at a mile and a sixteenth, the Ladies Classic at 9 furlongs and the Filly & Mare Turf at a mile and three eighths are shaping up.

The PGA Tour and LPGA took last week off, but that doesnt mean that CBSSports.com senior writer Steve Elling or columnist and golf writer Scott Michaux are off the hook. With the Tour Championship and the biggest bonus in sports up for grabs this week, and the Ryder Cup just days away in Wales, the season crescendo is near. Take a Dramamine. Because this promises to be eventful.

One of the sports largest websites was lobbying for the inclusion of Tiger Woods in the Tour Championship, claiming the PGA Tour dropped the ball by failing to find a way for the world No. 1 to slide in the side door. Agree or disagree?

ELLING: I have made my opinions on Woods pretty transparent over the past few months, but this notion has absolutely nothing to do with any behavioral issues. The FedEx Cup playoffs, like the tour itself, are designed as a meritocracy. Woods had just as many chances as in fact, he had more opportunities than many and he didnt deliver. In fact, given where he started the four-week FedEx run, at No. 112, he mounted a decent rally with a trio of top-15 finishes to merely make it to Chicago. With all due respect for the loss of marketing mojo that will be felt in the TV ratings or at the gate without the defending FedEx champion on the course this week at East Lake, it was Woods decision not to play more tournaments over the summer to increase his chances of adding points. For the tour to revamp rules on the run in order to squeeze Woods in the side door would undermine the credibility of the entire venture. Suggesting it is anathema to the game. The tour would have been quite rightly savaged for a transparent attempt to pander to non-golf fans during football season. For once, doing nothing was exactly the right call.

MICHAUX: It really was stunning that a respected website like Golf.com crafted such a ridiculous argument. Maybe MLB needs to figure out a way to get the Yankees into the World Series every year. And the NFL really needs the Cowboys in the Super Bowl every year. And NASCAR needs Jimmie Johnson to win its Chase every year … oh, wait, that does happen. Anyway, you said it all with the word “meritocracy.” Either you have rules that reward merit in an annual points race or you dont. I dont feel the need to discuss this silly concept any further.

Veteran Kevin Streelman has become an unwitting, and undeserved, poster boy for the seemingly flawed design of the FedEx Cup points system. Do you think Streelman and the 29 other players who advanced to the Tour Championship deserve an automatic spot in the first three majors of the season, as the system is currently designed?

ELLING: Backing up a moment to Woods and the preceding question, Streelman was barely inside the FedEx top 125 with one regular-season event to play, then entered the Greensboro event and improved to No. 102. He managed to finish T3 in the FedEx opener, then was T45 and T43 in the next two playoff events. For his efforts, he advanced to the Tour Championship this week, where he is assured of a fat six-figure payday no matter how he plays, plus berths in the first three majors of 2011. Honestly, the decision to give Grand Slam invitations to those finishing in the top 30 in FedEx points was reached by the folks who run the Masters and two Open championships, not the PGA Tour, though you can bet there was some lobbying by the suits in Ponte Vedra Beach to get the organizations to exempt the Atlanta qualifiers. Woods started the FedEx at No. 112 and finished T12, T11 and T15, but was sent packing because he did not crack the top 30. Steve Stricker started the series at No. 2 and has finished T3, ninth and T8, yet has dropped two spots to fourth in points. Does that seem fair? Streelman has one top-10 finish in the series and makes a huge leap into Atlanta and three majors. Woods and Stricker, who already are qualified for the majors, are comparatively less rewarded for playing better over the three-week FedEx arc. And the tour wonders why fans dont understand the points system? Seems like the people at Augusta National, U.S. Golf Association and Royal & Ancient dont understand, either, or they might rethink the free passes handed to the 30 guys in Atlanta.

MICHAUX: Wow, you really are making it easy to give short answers this week. The answer to this is a hearty NO! Streelman basically earned a Masters invitation for tying for third in New Jersey. It was his only top-10 and just his second top-30 finish since March. Matt Bettencourt and Bill Lunde actually won PGA Tour “opposite events” in that time frame and arent automatically eligible for the Masters. Steve Elkington nearly won the PGA Championship (tied for 5th) and he isnt in the Masters. Augusta resident Vaughn Taylor, who outplayed Streelman most of the year with five top-10s and finished one stroke behind him in that defining event in New Jersey, is not in the Masters. Rewarding the Tour Championship qualifiers with back-door major berths puts those playoff events on par with other majors in terms of value. Thats ridiculous. The major organizations trusted the PGA Tour to ensure that only quality rose to the top in the playoffs and were sold a bill of goods. Its time to rethink that and go back to the deeper money list criteria to reward players for a balanced season instead of one half-decent week at the right time.

So, if you were European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie, what tricks would you employ in setting up Celtic Manor next week to best suit the European chances of winning?

ELLING: As ever, the captain of the home team gets to manipulate tee boxes, grow the rough or pinch the fairways. Frankly, theres going to be plenty of attention paid to the squadron of bombers on the U.S. team, because the likes of Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton rank in the top 30 in driving distance in the States. Even U.S. captain Corey Pavin admitted that hed probably crimp the fairways at around 280 yards to cramp the American style. But those guys hit 3-woods as far as most of the European Id consider an alternate solution. If the Euros have an edge beyond the mostly intangible benefits of the home crowd, it might be on the greens. I would try to bury as many flagsticks in the corners and on knobs as possible and make the Yanks, led by sputter-with-the putter Woods, try to accomplish something they have ac make some meaningful putts under duress. The Americans have not won on foreign soil since 1993 and putting has been at the root of the issue. So I would let the U.S. bombers whale away in Wales. But make them earn their birdies on the greens. Monty already has claimed a possible edge, courtesy of his counterpart. The American side will be wearing outfits that include purple sweaters and striped, red-white-and-blue belts, which ought to generate even more catcalls from the fans. Oh, brother.

MICHAUX: Of course Monty needs to where the bombers can clear the water add a few extra yards of forced carry with rough on the far end of the water to keep them from getting the short-cut advantage. Of course, those set-up tricks can cut both ways. The thing that can benefit the Euros the most on home soil is emotion, and Monty already has put an effective plan in place for that. The first tee is surrounded by about five times as many bleacher seats as Valhalla and will be the most intimidating place on the golf course. An overflow Euro crowd singing songs could put the shank in a nervous Yank. If Monty really wants to dial up the emotional meter, he should figure out some way to get Seve Ballesteros and perhaps even Jose Maria Olazabal to walk on that first tee at least on Sunday to send off every singles match. Seves presence would stoke the Continental fires to a full-blown inferno. I wouldnt want to be an American trying to pull the club back with the Spanish Armada standing off the starboard bow of the tee box. As for the uniforms, maybe Pavin isnt so daft after all. Ian Poulter is going to be so jealous he might be neutralized.

Horse racing’s World Series, Super Bowl and World Cup all wrapped into one will be staged for the 27th time on November 5th and 6th and Churchill Downs will be hosting the event for the 7th time.

Perhaps John Gaines, one of the founding fathers of the series, summed up the event best: Gaines: “Championship day is unquestionably racing’s finest hour. It defines our reason for being and elevates the spirit of an entire industry.”

The concept of the innovators of the extravaganza was to showcase the sport at various venues around the country and they have tried to spread the wealth along those lines but intrinsically, Churchill, which was incorporated in 1937, has always seemed like the natural home for the event.

The first Cup was staged at Hollywood Park in 1984 and it was a coming out party for Classic winner Wild Again and legendary pilot Pat Day. It has been raced in California 7 times since, splitting time between Hollypark and Santa Anita.

New York has seen 5 Cups between Belmont Park and Aqueduct and other stops along the way have been Gulfstream (thrice), and once each at Woodbine, Lone Star, Monmouth Park and Arlington Park.

The Twin Spires is what everybody identifies about Churchill Downs at the Kentucky Derby but the history of the Louisville track is much more than that and as rich with tradition as any track in the world.

The track came to being in 1873 when Lutie Clark, the grandson of Missouri governor and of Lewis and Clark explorer fame William Clark, came up with the concept of a racetrack after several trips to Europe. Two years later, Churchill Downs opened on May 17 in front of a throng estimated at 10,000 and staged the inaugural Kentucky Derby won by world record holder Aristides.

The story of Lutie Clark is not a pretty one. He was once shot in the chest after an argument with a prominent breeder, and Clark himself pulled a rifle on a bartender in Chicago and demanded respect. It all came full circle for Clark in the late 1890s. After reeling from the ravaging of Stock Market losses, and after years of traveling and working as a steward at regional tracks, Clark took his own life before the end of the decade.

This, however ironic, prompted the purchase of the Downs by bookmakers, who built the famed twin spires constructed a betting enclosure that would bring gambling into an entire new arena.

When betting the Cup this year be fully aware of the styles that have been successful at Churchill. In the Distaff and in the Classic tactical speed has been preferred and the trend has continued in the Mile, but if you are best, like War Chant was in 2000, you can come from left field. It has been possible to steal the mile and a half Turf on the front end like Great Communicator did at 12-1 but racing luck is the most important element.

Stalk and pounce types have been the order of the day with Sprint winners at Churchill including the last time when Thor’s Echo sat a perfect 3-hole trip.

The juvenile events have been won by basically lightly-raced runners who could be positioned fairly close to the early action as evidenced by Street Sense in 2006, who had only 4 races before the Cup.

The best thing for bettors about the Cup is that the information will be out there for all to see several days before the event itself.