Fans of online golf betting have something to cheer for. Officials are gearing up for one of the largest sports events to grace the Somerset County of Pennsylvania: the 2012 USGA Women’s Amateur Public Links Tournament held from the 18^th to the 23^rd. This high profile golf tournament will be held in Somerset’s Neshanic Valley Gold Course which will be transforming into a green gaming arena fit for the elite, complete with a gaming scoreboard and small changes to the Branchburg Golf Course. With this makeover, Somerset will be given a new identity, and with this popular event underway, it is predicted to bring in the money as well as a great number of people. Fans who tune in into the 2012 USGA Links Tournament will surely be provided with excitement just like online sports betting does.

Teresa Belmont, in charge of the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links for the USGA praises Neshanic Valley for the richness of their greens, friendly staff and welcoming buildings, stating that there is no other place better for the 2012 tournament.

An estimated number of over 150 guests will be attending this tournament, ensuring an increase in tourism business, so Somerset County officials are making sure that not a hair will be out of place come tournament day. Director of Tourism for the Somerset County Business Partnership, Jackie Morales, expects several thousand spectators. Morales stated that with the success of the Public Links Tournament, people of Somerset County can bet on being host to other sports-oriented events for the near future.

Somerset has only been host to some golf tournament qualifiers, and although it opened in 2004, this is the first time the championship will be held in Neshanic Valley.

Golf pros and fans should really watch out for Willie Mack III. His skills and determination will shake the world of professional golf, bring a new option for online sports betting regulars and bring excitement to golf betting online.

Willie Mack III whacked his opponents by winning the Indian River Open held at the New Smyrna Beach Golf Club in Florida. Mack knocked an eight-foot birdie putt on the 18^th hole, making the game a one-shot victory for him. In addition to this victory, Mack has also proved himself to the golf world, by winning the Michigan Amateur in 2011, making him the first African American to win the said title. Commenting on his sudden popularity, Mack says that it’s still weird to think about but it has been his dream since he was a kid to play professional golf. But to handle fame, he believes that staying grounded is the key to a smooth career.

Plans after this tournament are endless; Mack will continue to compete on the Florida Tour and will also prepare for the eGolf Tour, which will start on February 2012. In the coming year though, Mack plans to play in the PGA Tour, by competing in several qualifying events.

Mack still believes that golf is a passion than a profession and keeping that one in mind has made him and helped him to be where he is right now. This kind of attitude is something that most athletes today are lacking. But with athletes like Willie Mack III, sports, particularly golf, will surely have more heart and passion.

14-year-old golfer Lydia Ko has proven her skills and determination to be part of golf’s history when she bagged the title as champion in the previously-held New South Wales Open.

She was born in South Korea but then moved to New Zealand when she was five years old, the same year when she started to play golf and since then been named the number one amateur golfer in the world. Lydia Ko has beaten the record of other young golfers like Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa and Australia’s Amy Yang. Her skills truly impress golf fans as well as regular bettors on online sports betting sites.

Lydia Ko was unable to accept the winner’s check for the New South Wales Open, because of rules implemented that aim to preserve athletes’ amateur status. With regards to visiting the US to compete with the world’s best young golfers, Lydia Ko’s coach, Guy Wilson says that the prize money could have been a big help with their plans to go to the US to join a tournament but another problem arises related to age limitations on the Kraft-Nabisco Championship to be held in Palm Springs, Florida. He says they are still waiting if the organizers of the tournament could make Ko an exception. However, given or not a chance for the competition, he still thinks that they cannot afford to make the trip. But given Lydia Ko’s skills, many supporters are crossing their fingers that she makes it to the tournament. Because after all, what she showed is more than amateur level. Forget tennis betting or any other sports where you could wager your money in. There are a lot of potential young players in the field of golf today that many sports fans should watch out for…and she’s definitely one of them.

They say America wouldn’t be America without baseball. It has been part of the country’s rich culture and has made both the young and old citizens love sports even more. Baseball has stretched out worldwide, with the Internet’s help in promoting it, and the addition of online sports betting sites, increasing the number of sports enthusiasts and online betting fans.

Baseball has also introduced a number of great athletes next to George Herman Ruth Jr., Hank Aaron and Alex Rodriguez. These names have made a line of baseball royals that both men and women idolize. Today, we have Prince Semien Fielder.

Now playing for the Detroit Tigers of the Major League Baseball, Prince Fielder is the youngest draft pick athlete selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the first round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft. He agreed to a nine-year $214 million contract with the Tigers to play first base, making him one of the highest-paid athletes in baseball history today. It is only right that he gets paid well for his performance. He was three times MVP for the year 2007, 2009 and 2011, a two-time Silver Slugger awardee and a Hank Aaron awardee for 2007. In 2011, Prince Fielder had 230 homeruns, a batting average of .282, a slugging percentage of .540 and 996 hits. It proves that not only does he have steady hands and a good arm, but also the right to have a royal title in the field of baseball.

However, his move to Detroit Tigers has made him a little controversial. It was a decision that disheartened millions of Milwaukee Brewers fans, for they consider Fielder not only their Prince on the baseball field, but also the heart of the team. He has proven skills, determination and heart, things that every athlete must possess…and truly, his name says it all.

Sports enthusiasts as well as hockey and online betting fans should be aware of the rule changes being developed by the Minnesota Hockey board of directors.

Minnesota Hockey is an affiliate of USA Hockey, the governing body of youth and amateur hockey in Minnesota and the premier developer of hockey players in the state.

The recent board meeting of the Minnesota Hockey Board of Directors has brought new changes on hockey rules, particularly on the penalties for boarding and checking-from-behind infractions. The said changes are being adopted on a pilot basis and will be reevaluated at the end of the 2012 hockey season in Minnesota. Dave Margenau, President of Minnesota Hockey explains that the meeting was primarily held to address safety as well as eliminate the intimidation and illegal hits in hockey.

Effective January 25, 2012, these infractions will have a minimum five minute major penalty. The rule change will extend up to July 31, 2012 and will later on be reviewed by the board.

In addition to the rule changes, Minnesota Hockey will continuously educate hockey players about proper techniques in hockey.  Not only will this move create a more disciplined game, it will also make way to fairer online sportsbook betting, as many punters blame unfair referee calls and penalties for their loss. With this, Eric Olson, Minnesota Hockey Referee in Chief, adds that the rule changes will be called with zero tolerance and that along with Minnesota Hockey, they will work with local community associations, coaches and referees to make sure other existing hockey rules continue to be enforced.

It will also be helpful if Minnesota Hockey will communicate with online betting sites to help them announce the changes in hockey rules. Minnesota Hockey will also provide trainings to promote player development and progressive approach to teaching body contact and checking.

According to promoter, Kathy Duva of Main Events, “This series is about giving the fans exciting, action-packed fights where the outcome is in doubt.” It also turns out that this fight is a replacement for the Chambers and Liakhovich fight, because the promoters failed to find a replacement athlete for the injured boxer. Duva says that they have tried their best to find an alternate for the said bout, but in the end, just decided to put in high priority, the best interest of the fans and the series. She assures that boxing fans in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania will have an exciting Saturday Fight Night with the Byarm-Jennings fight.

An increase in the online sportsbook betting industry is surely expected, as this fight is also a big night for NBC Sports. A televised card will also feature a match between two undefeated heavyweight prospects, Damar Singleton and Sullivan Barrera. Sports enthusiasts and boxing betting aficionados should decide to place their bets well on the main fight’s fighters. Jennings has 11-0, 5 KO’s recently, beating Kevin Franklin in one round while Byarm has 3-0-1 and 9 KO’s. Greg Cohen of Greg Cohen Promotions says that he expects Maurice to have the upper hand on this fight, while team Jennings remains confident about the match. Jennings assures his supporters that he is confident about dealing with a fighter like Byarm and that this indeed, is a perfect match for him.

It’s absurd enough seeing a focused, meditative golfer suddenly enraged on the green, screaming and kicking, throwing tantrums (or worse—golf clubs). After all, the golf course is a serene environment that can be library-like in its extreme silence, and a golf game can be agonizing for its inherent lack of action and speed. But to have a rage tweet about golf—and how agonizingly long games take—all over the news is just… Whatever it is, it’s symptomatic of a deep-seated (yet simple) problem for the sport.

Fans who are into golf betting surely agree that it’s not fun to watch players obsessing over strokes until finally—oh no, wait, wrong club. Oh, wait, a leaf just fell onto my putting line… If even Luke Donald can’t help posting angry tweets about slow playing, what more online sports betting enthusiasts who have lives outside of sports? I wouldn’t be surprised to find a blog dedicated to the world’s worst slow players!

Although the PGA has penalties are in place for slow players (40 seconds per stroke—or else!) but they are for some reason, hardly ever enforced. The PGA has a history of, shall we say, pensive and deliberate players. Even legend Jack Nicklaus had some turtle in him. The thing is, being fast doesn’t need to mean being a careless, carefree hare—it just means being efficient, and to a degree, courteous.

The LPGA scene is a different story however, allotting players with only 30 seconds for each stroke, with even the first violation already resulting in a 2-stroke penalty. The result? Faster rounds, more action, and more fun in the end, for players and fans alike.

It is often said that those who can’t, teach. What about those who coach? Teaching and coaching are arts in themselves, and even the best players in any sport need a great coach, just as great coaches need a pool of talent. Whether or not that talent is developed is a whole other story, and the masterful skill of nurturing talent and leading athletes to push their limits is what earned ex-basketball coach Gene Bartow the title “Father of UAB Athletics”.

Basketball fans will be saddened to know that Bartow, one of the greatest coaches in the history of the game (at a time when the internet as we know it and online sports betting did not exist), passed away recently after a 2 year-long battle with stomach cancer. In the same year that he was diagnosed with his fatal illness, Gene Bartow was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in Kansas City, claiming his rightful place of honor alongside fellow inductees like Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird. Basketball betting fans and stats geeks should be impressed with Bartow’s win-loss record of 647-353

Puerto Rico National Basketball Team enlisted Bartow to coach them in the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. Two years later, he coached the US national team to win the bronze model in the 1974 FIBA World Championship.

He was the head coach at six universities but he is most famous for being University of Alabama at Birmingham’s first head basketball coach and athletic director, a job which he held passionately for 18 years. In that span of he led the UAB Blazers to seven straight NCAA Tournament appearances.

Gene Bartow is survived by his wife of 59 years, Ruth, their daughter Beth, their sons Mark and Murry, and a total of eight grandchildren. Murry Bartow succeeded his father as head coach for the UAB from 1996-2002 before accepting the head coaching job at East Tennessee State University, which he currently still holds.

I know my buddies think some players on this list shouldn’t be here, but this is MY Top 5 Naismith contenders list.

5. Herb Pope, Seton Hall

Season: 21.9 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 1.4 BPG, 1.4 SPG, 55.4% FG, 38.9% 3PT, 69.2% FT

When Herb Pope isn’t busy punching people in the genitals, he’s giving fans something far more memorable every game, when even at his worst, he still performs. Against St. Joseph’s, with 4 out of 13 shots, he still managed to score 17 points and get 10 rebounds.

4. Jeremy Lamb, UConn

Season: 20 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.2 SPG, 51.2% FG, 37.9% 3PT, 85.7% FT

Jeremy Lamb has solid stats when it comes to scoring—but he’s a great defender, too. Problem is, he can be inconsistent. UConn suffered a painful loss against Central Florida, when at one point in the game UConn was already up by 17. Lamb’s 15 points in 5-of-16 shots, three turnovers, and two rebounds was far from spectacular.

3. Doug McDermott, Creighton

Season: 24 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 62.6% FG, 60.6% 3PT, 78.3% FT

Doug McDermott scores a massive 24 points per game. And he does so with efficiency, consistently shooting more than missing, even on 3-pointers. His focused playing led Creighton to a 7-1 standing for the season.

2. Tu Holloway, Xavier

Season: 17.6 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 4.9 APG, 2.4 SPG, 40.3% FG, 39.1% 3PT, 87.5% FT

Looking at Tu Holloway’s stats, you wouldn’t be amazed straightaway. They’re good, but the numbers don’t really jump at you. However, he has been a personal favorite because of his impeccable performance and reliability in moments of extreme pressure.

At Vanderbilt, he connected on back-to-back three-pointers to pump up Xavier’s lead to 74-66. The Commodores simply couldn’t fight back.

Just a few days later, this time against Purdue, Holloway scored three consecutive triples in the final two minutes of the game.

With the power to upset games during critical moments, Tu Holloway is a force to reckon with.

1. Marcus Denmon, Missouri

Season: 21.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.3 SPG, 53.3% FG, 49.2% 3PT, 91.7% FT

Marcus Denmon is a solid shooter even when it comes to three-pointers and free throws; and it seems that the young guardkeeps getting better.

The rising senior boasts of his the best season averages yet in three games against other BCS schools. Denmon averaged 25 points on 62.5 percent shooting against Notre Dame, California and Villanova.

Whether you love sports, your alma mater, or simply money, the college basketball news highlights compiled below might be of interest to you:

MISSOURI 104, KENNESAW STATE 67: 60% shooting from the University of Missouri Tigers won them 37 points over Kennesaw State Owls on Thursday night in Columbia, Mo. Marcus Denmon scored 17 points and Matt Pressey scored 15 points, while Phil Pressey had nine points and 10 assists for the Tigers. Can the team top their 10-0 streak and make it an 11-0?

MURRAY STATE 89, LIPSCOMB 65: Coach Steve Prohm has players Ed Daniel and Ivan Aska, who both scored 16 points, to thank—he’s enjoying the best start for any rookie coach in Murray State history. The Racers sped past the Bisons with 23 turnovers, 15 steals and 25 assists.

WISCONSIN 66, SAVANNAH STATE 33: Jared Berggren added 13 points, rallying the Badgers (10-2) to another double-figure lead this season (their fourth), this time over the Savannah State Tigers.

NORTHWESTERN 81, TEXAS SOUTHERN 51: Wildcats John Shurna led with 20 points, Drew Crawford had 17 and freshman Dave Sobolewski contributed 15, the entire team boasting of a strong presence from start to finish.