team has been without star guard Russell Westbrook and with the free agent departure of sharpshooter Kevin Martin, hes had to carry the majority of the load to not only keep his team afloat but more importantly, at an elite lev

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Inbee Park could tell right away Wednesday that this was not an ordinary golf tournament.Walking onto the practice range, the South Korean flag on her red shirt and the Olympic rings just about everywhere she looked, the jangled nerves made her realize that playing in the Olympics -- the first for womens golf since 1900 -- brought the kind of pressure she doesnt usually feel.On the golf course, Park was as unflappable as ever.Facing top competition for the first time in two months, Park was flawless in a round of 5-under 66 that left her one shot behind Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand.Seiyoung Kim of South Korea also shot a 66.I was able to feel a lot of the players nerves when I was on the range and when I was playing out there, Park said. I havent played in a while, but this is not what I usually get all the time. I was able to tell -- everybody was quite proud to represent their country and quite excited and quite nervous at the same time.Jutanugarn, a four-time winner coming off her first major at the Womens British Open, kept her calm during a wild ride.She pulled a 6-iron into the native area left of the green on the par-3 fourth hole and made double bogey, quickly erasing birdies on the previous two holes. Jutanugarn followed with another 6-iron to 8 feet for eagle on the next hole, and she was on her way.I had one double, but I felt OK, Jutanugarn said. I want to play my game and not worry about it.A short birdie putt on the 16th gave her a one-stroke lead after an opening round noted for the heat and laborious pace of play. It took the final threesome just over 5? hours to complete the opening round.For the second straight week, a Brazilian native opened the golf competition. Miriam Nagl was picked to hit the first tee shot.Being in my home country and golf being back in the Olympic Games ... its just very special to me, she said. Nagl and Victoria Lovelady, the two Brazilians in the 60-player field, each shot 79.Womens golf was last part of the Olympics in 1900 in Paris, and then it was only a nine-hole competition among 10 women.These games are all about the South Koreans, who have dominated womens golf for the last generation. The maximum four players who qualified are among the top 10 in the womens world ranking, and there has been talk back home about sweeping the podium.Being a Korean womens golfer, I think we always have that kind of pressure on our shoulders, Park said. Its hard, because we play 30 events a year, and there isnt many weeks where all Korean golfers finish 1, 2, 3. Being able to do it in the Olympics would be something unreal, but obviously its going to be something thats very, very hard to do with all the great competitors around the world.At the same time, it is pressure for a lot of us, she said. It is a really hard one. But you know, we really cant help it.Spain got off to a strong start behind Carlota Ciganda (67) and Azahara Munoz (68), and Lexi Thompson led the three Americans at 68. Lydia Ko, the No. 1 player in womens golf, got into the picture only late in the day when she holed out with a 9-iron from 135 yards for eagle on the par-4 15th hole.It was my first eagle at the Olympics, Ko said after a 69. So I think its great.Park, 27, last competed on a big stage two months ago at the KPMG Womens PGA Championship, where she became the youngest player to qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame. Park missed the cut and skipped the next two majors because of a thumb injury that has been bothering her all year.The time off allowed her to get ready for the Olympics. Park felt good in practice and carried that to the course, looking much like the player who has won seven majors.Park never came seriously close to bogey. Her bid for a fourth straight birdie spun out on the 13th hole, and she missed a 6-footer on the next hole. Park missed six birdie chances from 10 feet or under, though that presented more hope than frustration.I always like to deal with missed opportunity than not even having an opportunity, she said.Air Max 720 Outlet . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. Nike Air Max Plus Tn Ultra Customize . The Brazilian goalkeeper signed a loan deal with the Major League Soccer club on Friday as he looks to get playing time ahead of this summers World Cup in his home country. http://www.wholesalenikeshoesclearance.com/cheap-kevin-durant-shoes.html . -- Tony Stewart is 20 pounds lighter and has a titanium rod in his surgically repaired right leg. Paul George Shoes Buy . -- Playing time has been limited for Maxim Tissot this season, so the Montreal Impact defender made the most of his first scoring opportunity on Saturday. Custom Air Max 97 Plus . Here are his mid-season NBA awards. MVP: (KEVIN DURANT-Thunder) - Has been sensational this season and more importantly, the most consistent player in the league. Considering that his team has been without star guard Russell Westbrook and with the free agent departure of sharpshooter Kevin Martin, hes had to carry the majority of the load to not only keep his team afloat but more importantly, at an elite level.NEW YORK -- Sacramento Kings guard Darren Collison has been suspended eight games without pay by the NBA because of a domestic violence incident involving his wife.Collison pleaded guilty Sept. 2 to a misdemeanor domestic battery charge resulting from the May 30 incident.The NBA said Sunday it conducted its own investigation and consulted a panel of experts in the field of domestiic violence before determining its penalty.dddddddddddd.Collison will lose about $380,000 of his $5.2 million salary this season. His suspension begins with the Kings season opener on Oct. 26 and he will be eligible to return Nov. 8 against New Orleans. ' ' '