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Tiger Already Setting Some Odd Records

An unidentified bettor has placed a 10,000-pound wager ($16,300) with London oddsmakers Ladbrokes for Masters champion Tiger Woods to win the U.S. Open.

It is the largest wager placed on one golfer to win a tournament.

The bet forced Ladbrokes’ odds on Woods down to a 4-1 favorite from 5-1, the shortest in a major tournament since Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson dominated golf in the 1970s and ‘80s.

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Add Tiger: Woods is trying to win the second leg of golf’s Grand Slam--the British Open and PGA Championship are the others--and oddsmakers are hoping he fails. “The U.K. betting industry faces liabilities of well in excess of 1 million pounds [$1.6 million] if Woods wins the Grand Slam,” said Ian Wassell, Ladbrokes’ deputy chief officer.

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Trivia time: What is the lowest final-round score by a U.S. Open winner?

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Is that all? After Colorado recently defeated Florida in three of four games at Miami, Marlin Manager Jim Leyland had this explanation: “They out-hustled, outplayed, outpitched, outhit and out-managed us this whole series. We basically stunk.”

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Counterpoint: Phil Rosenthal in the Chicago Sun-Times: “Everyone makes the cheap joke about there’s no Jazz in Utah. When was the last time you saw Bulls grazing in Chicago?”

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Worth a try: Brian Williams of the Chicago Bulls has an idea on how to motivate his teammate, Dennis Rodman: “Maybe a shopping spree at Victoria’s Secret.”

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Bang-up idea: Minnesota Twin outfielder Marty Cordova, on the possible alternative use for the much-despised Metrodome:

“Use [it] for monster truck pulls, and then blow it up for New Year’s. You could get a lot of people to come out and watch that.”

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Trashing Deion: Philadelphia Phillie pitcher Curt Schilling, on the Cincinnati Reds’ Deion Sanders: “What’s he ever done in this game? He’s basically a glorified flag football player who can run.”

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FYI: Bobby Wadkins, brother of Lanny, has earned $2.6 million in 22 years on the PGA Tour without winning an event. He is now No. 4 on the Nike Tour money list--without a win--and has earned $75,000.

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Looking back: On this day in 1930, Max Schmeling won the vacated heavyweight championship on a fourth-round foul from Jack Sharkey. In the rematch in 1932, Sharkey became the champion with a 15-round decision over Schmeling.

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Trivia answer: Johnny Miller shot a 63 at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa., in 1973.

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And finally: In response to Chicago Tribune columnist Melissa Isaacson’s list of what Chicagoans may not know about Utah, Brooke Adams of the Deseret News counters with what Utahans may not know about Chicago. A sampling:

* “Dennis Rodman is actually Tina Turner’s long-lost twin.

* “Official city slogan: ‘The Windy City: Where gangsters blow you away.’

* “What a waste. All that wind, no mountains for hang-gliding.”

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