Flesch cruises to third PGA Tour win

Golf Betting Lines

08/06/2007 - Reno, NV (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Steve Flesch only managed an even-par 72 on Sunday, but it was enough to cruise to a five-shot victory at the Reno-Tahoe Open.

He finished the event at 15-under-par 273 and came in well ahead of Charles Warren (71) and Kevin Stadler (70). That pair posted four-round totals of 10- under 278.

Rich Barcelo (68) and John Merrick (74) shared fourth place at minus-eight.

Flesch began the final round with a five-shot victory and was never seriously threatened. This was his third win on the PGA Tour to go with the 2003 event in New Orleans and the Colonial the following year.

The win netted Flesch the $630,000 first-place check and more importantly, guaranteed his spot in the field next week at the PGA Championship at Southern Hills.

"After yesterday, I had a good feeling," said Flesch, who was the second alternate next week, but got in with the win. "I'm not sure I would hold off a low round but today I hung in there."

Heavy winds swirled through the Montreux Golf and Country Club and it impacted Flesch early in the final round. He bogeyed the first, came back with a birdie at four, but dropped another shot at No. 6.

"I made a cruddy bogey at one," said Flesch. "That's the last way you want to start."

Flesch's lead briefly dipped to two, but no one could get closer. Flesch could not get up and down from a bunker at the 10th, but nearly holed his third at the par-five 11th. He settled for a birdie and his lead jumped back up to four strokes.

Warren birdied the 13th to get within three, but that would be the closest anyone got. Flesch made a nice par save at 14 and Warren bogeyed 15 to expand the lead back to four.

Flesch did not look like he was going to make birdie at the par-five 17th, but holed a 28-footer for birdie. His lead was five and he two-putted from 13 feet for a par at the last.

"I got the job done," said Flesch. "I did the hard part the first three days and today I just hung in there. I'm pleased."

Former PGA Champion Shaun Micheel (72), Brendon de Jonge (72) and another past PGA Champion, Steve Elkington, (73) shared sixth place at seven-under-par 281.

Michael Allen (70), Brian Davis (70) and Todd Fischer (76) tied for ninth place at minus-six.

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Pacific-10 Conference odds

Teams that should be in: Stanford

Oregon and USC get their tickets punched after taking care of business this weekend. Yes, the Trojans' computer numbers aren't great, but there's no way the third-place team in this league is getting nixed. Grudgingly, I added Arizona after consultation with our Bracketologist. I don't know that Arizona will lose its last three (including a Pac-10 quarterfinal game), and even if the Cats do, I still can't see how they'd be left out, given the overall profile. That said, it bears watching, as three more L's would leave them at 18-12 (9-9) and on a 6-11 skid entering the Dance. It would be nice to see the Wildcats get at least one W in the Bay Area next week, as Cincinnati (albeit without Armein Kirkland and with a worse profile) was axed after a similar slide last season. I just couldn't rationalize having some of the other teams as locks and not having Arizona in that category -- there just aren't enough good teams behind the Cats to threaten their spot, it seems. Stanford has its fate in its own hands with the Arizona schools coming to the Farm to close out the regular season next weekend.

Should be in:

Stanford [17-10 (9-7), RPI: 40, SOS: 21] No shame in not getting a win in L.A., but that makes the home game against Arizona State a must-win ahead of what could be an intriguing meeting with Arizona should the Cats lose at Cal. Getting to 11 Pac-10 wins would make Selection Sunday much more comfortable, but 10's probably more than enough this season. The Cardinal have nonconference wins over Texas Tech and at Virginia to lean on, although they also lost badly to Air Force and Santa Clara at home.

Southeastern Conference odds
Work left to do: Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Mississippi State

It looks more and more possible that no one from the SEC West will make the NCAAs. How weird is that? Tennessee and Vandy move into the locks category after more good work this weekend. Kentucky stays there, although it would be smart for the Cats to handle Georgia at home Wednesday ahead of a trip to the Swamp. Could a disaster scenario (two more L's and a first-round SEC tourney exit) somehow dislodge the Cats despite their incredible computer numbers? Still unlikely, but not worth chancing it.

Work left to do:

Alabama [19-9 (6-8), RPI: 43, SOS: 47] The tough L at Tennessee was understandable, and even created some hope. Unfortunately, that hope was dashed by a home loss to Auburn, which leaves the Tide in some real trouble. There's still no signature win on the profile (no, Kentucky doesn't count), and the computer profile is weakening rapidly. The Tide conceivably could beat Ole Miss and win at Miss. State to get to 8-8 and clinch at least a share of the West crown, but that's probably not enough right now. The Tide will need to do some work in the SEC tourney.

Georgia [16-10 (8-6), RPI: 52, SOS: 23] This is the team with the best chance to make it from this section right now. The Bulldogs rebounded from a terrible performance at Ole Miss to beat down Miss. State. Now they are at Kentucky (king of the RPI 51-100 win) and home to Tennessee. That would be worth a lot of computer points to get both (which is doable), as both teams are in the top 11 in RPI. Finishing at least 9-7 is an absolute must, and I would feel much better about the Dawgs' chances if they got both to get to 10 SEC wins. They also beat Gonzaga, but lost to ACC bubblers Georgia Tech and Clemson.

Mississippi [18-10 (7-7), RPI: 63, SOS: 79] Like everyone else in this division, Ole Miss gacked up a chance to stake a claim, losing by double figures at South Carolina. Even 9-7 likely is not nearly enough with a nonconference profile devoid of anything notable.

Mississippi State [16-11 (7-7), RPI: 66, SOS: 37] With a chance to get in the mix, these Bulldogs were leashed by their Georgia counterparts. Could they get to 9-7? I guess -- although winning at Arkansas, then beating Alabama is no lock -- but would that mean all that much for a team with this overall profile? Probably not. There's nothing of note (on the good side) in the nonconference profile.

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