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Tiger Woods is on top of his golf game after back-to-back tournament victories gave him his 11th major championship at the British Open and 50th career title at the Buick Open.

Now Woods enters the final major of the season at Medinah Country Club as PinnacleSports.com 9/4 favourite for the PGA Championship.

Woods is no stranger to being favourite, in fact, PinnacleSports.com made Woods the favourite in this year's previous three majors, but this time his odds for the PGA have been cut in half from both the U.S. and British Open where Tiger was a 5/1 shot.

Tiger is such a clear favourite this time due to his current form and the fact that he was victorious at Medinah the last time the PGA Championship was held there in 1999.

Mickelson follows Tiger in the betting at 10/1 although he has struggled to find form since his dramatic collapse in the US Open.

Ernie Els (14/1) and Jim Furyk (16/1) are solid contenders in the 156-player field to win their first PGA Championship, while Vijay Singh (16/1) hopes to win the event for the third time.

Further back in the betting several other players will feel they have a big chance to win their first PGA Championship including: Retief Goosen (25/1), Sergio Garcia (28/1), Adam Scott (30/1), Luke Donald (35/1), Padraig Harrington (45/1) and Chris DiMarco (50/1).

PinnacleSports.com also lists reigning U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy at 50/1 while 2001 champion David Toms is a 60/1 long shot and could well attract some interest from bettors.,/

How to ... Play poker with the big boys

Don't deny it. You're tempted. Everywhere you look there is an article about Positively Fifth Street, the story of James McManus going to cover the World Series of Poker for a magazine and playing instead, finishing fifth and winning $247,000 against the world's top pros. You think: "I could do that."

Before you hop that plane to Vegas, you better be ready. Be like Mac--read plenty of poker primers by pros David Sklansky and TJ Cloutier and practice on computer programs for countless hours. Then, when you're going head-tohead with these pros, be ready to face intimidation. The pros will push you to bet over your head or overplay your cards. Don't do it. "If the pros see you as a conservative rock who only plays pots with strong cards, they'll give you more respect than you often get in a friendly home game," McManus says. Then, when you raise them, they'll actually fold.

And don't forget poker requires lots of luck. McManus brought a half-dozen

lucky hats and kept pictures of his wife and kids in his shirt pocket or on the table. It worked for him.

From the lab to the net--French connection

If springtime in Paris sets you daydreaming about Roland Garros instead of romance, make a date with Babolat. U.S. tennis pro Andy Roddick loves Babolat's Pure Drive racket. So, when the French company came out with the VS NCT Drive (unstrung $209) and VS NCT Control ($199) aimed at us normal folks, Fanscape checked it out.

NCT stands for Nano Carbon Technology--the rackets were built with carbon tubes using nanotechnology, which is the spaceage manipulation of materials on an atomic level. Though it's strange--actually incomprehensible--that NASA scientists spend time moving molecules to improve Fanscape's forehand, the racket certainly works wonders, especially when combined with the old-fashioned natural gut strings that made Babolat famous.

With these light but well-balanced rackets, the ball stays on the strings longer, giving extra control and more spin, yet it still jumps off with zing. Getting the power of a stiff racket without the awkward can't-feel-the-ball effect apparently comes not just from nanotubes but also from Babolat's Dual Woofer shock absorbing system. Sometimes it's better not to ask.

Sultan of swap: rare Bambino jersey up for bids

There are only six known Babe Ruth Yankees uniforms, and Lelands.com is auctioning off a flannel, pinstriped one with "G.H. Ruth" stitched beneath the collar. Bids are being accepted online and by telephone until May 30; Lelands.com president Michael Heffner says the winner may have to shell out $500,000. You can get a genuine, live major league rookie for less than that.

E-mail comments or suggestions to fanscape@sportingnews.com.