Press Release

For Immediate Release June 3, 2014

Bookmakers establish parimutual lines for 2014 Western Golf Alliance Open

The odds identify Mark Herms as this year's frontrunner

BOTHELL, Washington. With the courses and field set for the 2014 Western Golf Alliance Open in Central Oregon, the sports books have begun releasing their odds for this summer's premier golf event. Keeping with tradition, the Boar's Head and Thistle Pub, Sportsbook and Cricket Club of London is the first sports book to post official odds, naming Mark Herms the pre-tournament favorite.

"We are proud to continue our practice of being the first organization willing to handicap the exciting and competitive Western Golf Alliance Open," said Nigel Smythe, owner and manager of the Boar's Head and Thistle. "The WGA Open has been played on Northwest style courses three times, and every time those venues produced champions that were WGA veterans who can keep their drives out of the woods. Our overall odds reflect that fact."

As indicated, the top of this year's odds include golfers who are known for straight and accurate driving off the tee. The top of the board includes former champion Peter McGarry who has won twice at Northwest destinations, Canadian Doug Brunton, WGA Open veteran Bob McCoy, and former champ Brian Gray who has also previously won in Oregon.

All that said, Herms has been named the favorite due to his experience in prior WGA Opens. He finished fourth in 2012, and proved a tough competitor the last time the Open was contested in Oregon - keeping himself in the mix at Bandon Dunes despite the fact the airline lost his clubs on the way to the event.

"My failed effort to accomplish a top-three finish in 2012 still gave me the competitive knowledge I'll need to compete at the high level necessary to win this event," Herms said. "Furthermore, please advise all golfers to bring sufficient funds to pay me with. My new swing is kicking in and this could get ugly real quick with the other golfers having to give me daily payments."

"The best thing about this year's Open," concluded Smythe, "will be the fact the golfers will have access to real beer in Central Oregon, instead of that weak yellow piss water the Yanks call 'American lager'. And the smart money remains with our Canadian brothers drinking the rest of the field under the table."

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

Mark Herms, 3-1

Peter McGarry, 4-1

Brian Gray, 6-1

Bob McCoy, 8-1

Doug Brunton, 10-1

Mike Nadon, 15-1

David Duval, 15-1

Trever Esko, 18-1

Norm Keen, 20-1

Doug Atchison, 25-1

Mark Taylor, 35-1

Big Al Torrico, 100-1

"Field", 14-1

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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/.

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