Press Release

For Immediate Release May 30, 2006

WGA announces Open details and early odds

Former champion Brian Gray established as pre-tournament favorite

BOTHELL, Washington. In cooperation with various golf and gaming partners, the Western Golf Alliance today released the final details for the 2006 WGA Open, and announced the first posting of odds.

In its tradition of being the first sports book to post early odds for the WGA Open, the Boar's Head and Thistle Pub, Sportsbook and Cricket Club of London installed 2002 champion Brian Gray as the early favorite to recapture the Open title. This announcement will likely be followed by several sports books establishing wagering lines for this upcoming event.

"The competition for this year's open was more difficult to handicap than in the past," said Nigel Smythe, manager of the Boar's Head and Thistle. "In preparing our pari-mutuel model, we spent hours pouring over golf statistics, pouring over handicap numbers, and pouring over the rims of our pints," Smythe managed to slur before shouting something unintelligible about Nottingham Forest and running shirtless into the street.

Meanwhile the WGA Competition Committee announced the final courses for the August 11-13 event. The tournament will have a distinctive Bob Hope Classic feel to it, beginning with the newest course to be added to the PGA tournament rotation, and ending with the first course to ever host that profesional event. The courses to be played will be:

-- August 11, SilverRock Resort of La Quinta

-- August 12, Desert Willow Resort (Moutain View and Firecliff courses)

-- August 13, The TPC Stadium Course at PGA West.

Responding to both the courses and his status as the favorite, Competition Committee Chairman Gray was nonchalant. "I am confident I have planned a great combination of golf courses, and I have made it clear I am at the top of my game. I welcome having the target on my back as the favorite," he said, adding, "bring em on."

The full odds as posted by the Boar's Head and Thistle are as follows:

Brian Gray, 3-1

Robert Gibson, 9-2

Mark Taylor, 5-1

Peter McGarry, 8-1

John Peppler, 8-1

Brent Sumrall, 10-1

Jeff Hughes, 10-1

Mark Herms, 12-1

Matt Wakefield, 12-1

David Lindley, 15-1

David Duval, 15-1

Mike Contois, 15-1

Mike Mittelstaedt, 20-1

Robert McCoy, 20-1

Doug Atchison, 25-1

Trever Esko, 25-1

Jeff Braun, 35-1

Rich Tropp, 35-1

Peter Weidenfeld, 35-1

Vince Fraumeni, 40-1

Pat Frengle, 50-1

Adam Eyres, 50-1

Big Al Torrico, 100-1

# # #

About the Western Golf Alliance: The Western Golf Alliance is the premier golf organization in the United States. The WGA exists to further the greatness of this grand sport of golf through the improvement of golf play by its members, the promotion of golf rules, etiquette, and tradition, and the ability to gather together from time to time for golf events and tournaments. The regional organization spans five western states, and is organized into nine geographic regions. Further information is available at http://www.westerngolf.org/.

About the Boar's Head and Thistle: Further information is available at http://boarshead.homestead.com/.

Home | About | Contact