Heading into Thursday’s opening round of the 2008 Reno-Tahoe Open, you could have gotten 5-2 odds on Michelle Wie. Which is to say, she was part of the betting “field” at 5-2 for this relatively minor event – Ben Crane and John Merrick were the co-favorites at 20-1.

Wie is getting slapped around in the media for taking the sponsor’s exemption to play with the men. Some of her fellow golfers questioned her decision (or, quite possibly, the decision of her manager-parents) to skip the Women’s British Open. The blogosphere is kicking it up a notch, painting Wie as a joke and a failure.

Well, here’s the punchline: Wie went into the clubhouse at the Montreux Golf and Country Club at 1-over par for the first round. That’s tied for No. 77 out of 132 golfers, leaving Wie a serious contender to make the cut on Friday. I guarantee Steve Elkington (also +1) isn’t laughing.

This Sunday, Woods made his one shot victory was so intense that he went blank after holing a 25-foot birdie putt that caused pandemonium around the 18th hold at bay hill, and heartache for Bart Bryant, the challenger who gave Woods his stiffest test in the last 7 months. This win granted him his 64th win, tying him with Ben Hogan at No. 3 on the all time list.

Coming into the 18th hole he was tied with Bryant when he produced what he called the best swing of the week, a 5-iron from 164 yards into a stiff breeze over the water to a skinny green with bunkers behind it, then came that amazing putt.

“I was so into the moment of the putt going in and winning the golf tournament,” Woods said. “I kept telling myself, ‘I’ve done this before. I did it against Phil. And this time, it’s a little bit deeper into the green, and the putt has a little bit more break, and it has a little more grain. I’ve done it before and I can do it again.”

This time Bryant was the opponent. He made 2 birdies, 2 clutch saves, shot 67 and became the only player to break par all four rounds at Bay Hill and that sill wasn’t enough.

“I heard a big cheer, and I got up and left,” Bryant said. “That’s why he’s Tiger Woods.”

No one can say these guys are laying down for Woods. He still had to fight to the finish under a sweltering sun and Bryant was visibly disappointed when he heard the roar and saw the putt.

“I was pretty hopeless sitting there in the trailer, but I did what I thought I was supposed to do, which was put the pressure back on Tiger to make the play,” Bryant said. “And he has a habit of making it when he needs to.”

Country Clubs and elegant courses found far away from urban centers are one thing. But if you don’t have the time or necessarily the pocket book for one of these extravagant golf outings then take a look at our list of the top 10 golf cities in America. Ranked on weather, affordability and quality, the results might just surprise you.

1. Austin, TX
Home to 32 public courses.

2. Columbus, Ohio
66 public courses

3. Las Vegas, NV
53 public courses

4. Dallas, TX
107 public courses

5. Orlando, FL
86 public courses

6. Seattle, Wash.
62 public courses

7. San Jose, CA
23 public courses

8. Atlanta, GA
93 public courses

9. Portland, OR
49 public courses

10. Rochester, NY
65 public courses

Last Wednesday Scottish lawmakers backed government efforts to save Donald Trump’s proposed $2.1 billion golf resort that would be built on an unspoiled beach near Aberdeen, located along Scotland’s east coast.

The Scottish government took the unusual step of agreeing to review Trump’s application after a local council rejected it.

“The committee felt the decision has given a worrying message to the rest of the world that Scotland is closed for business,” Tavish Scott, the head of the committee, said after the meeting.

Environmental groups and local campaigners opposed the plans to build near sand dunes that are home to rare birds, skylarks and lapwings. The area is also protected as an area of special scientific interest.

“There is an important principle at stake here,” said Martin Ford, a Aberdeenshire council member. “It is certainly true that the council has been subject to hardball corporate American tactics.”

Trump, the billionaire property developer wants to turn the Menie Estate into a resort complete with two 18-hole courses, a 450-room hotel, 950 vacation homes, 36 golf villas and 500 luxury homes costing up to 1 million pounds (1.4 million euros, $2.1 million) each.

“The project would create 1,440 jobs across Scotland,” Councilor Debra Storr said.

The Trump Organization claims it has received more than 50 offers of land to build the resort. “An option to buy land in Northern Ireland has been signed and the clock is ticking on that at 30 days,” said Neil Hobday of Trump International Scotland.