punched out short of the green and made bogey

Day 12 in 100 words or less The group stages turned the corner and entered the final stretch on Monday. Suddenly there was a different vibe in the air in Brazil. A wind of caution and a realization that one moment could be the difference in staying or flying home. The games were more timid but there were still plenty of enormous talking points. Mexico 3-1 Croatia Nine months is a long time. Just ask a pregnant lady. Yet, apparently, we were told, it wasnt enough to change the fortunes of Mexican soccer. It was the late summer of 2013 and in a crucial World Cup qualifier, Mexico travelled to Columbus to take on their despised rivals, USA. The Mexicans needed it more but they were pathetic. Two goals in the second half didnt tell the entire story, the visitors were battered. The next act has been a story already told many times. Mexico didnt back into Brazil, they lay down on the ground and USA, Graham Zusi in particularly, dragged them there. They were supposed to still be a shambles, given little chance to progress. Suddenly two games in, they were excellent but the goal had not been accomplished. It was time for Croatia. It was time for the Herrera and Herrera show. Mexico had at least been as good as Brazil over the first two games and on Monday, after all three teams had played each other, it was clear that El Tri were indeed the most in-form team during group play. The standings didnt reflect that, after all Mexico were denied two goals against Cameroon which cost them the goal difference tie-breaker, but this team defended better than Brazil, countered better and, Cameroon aside, finished better than them, too. The latter was cemented with three precise finishes on Monday, killing off Niko Kovacs side with an arrogance that had been lacking for too long in Mexican football. The scenes to follow were in complete contrast to nine months earlier. A disjointed bunch had become a united force. Strike rivals Oribe Peralta and Javier Hernandez embraced, the newly formed brilliant back three high-fived and Paul Aguilar sprinted towards his coach and dived into his arms. Herrera fell immediately on to the floor but he didnt care how it looked. Mexico had turned it around, led by a true midfield maestro in Hector Herrera who did it all. The World Cup has unearthed some truly wonderful young stars and on a day when captain marvellous Rafa Marquez made history, Herreras heroics shouldnt go unnoticed. In a group with Paulinho, Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic, he was, without question, the best midfielder during group A play in Brazil. Brazil 4-1 Cameroon Some of it was all too easy to predict. Neymar got his goals, Cameroons defence was suspect and the scoreline reflected a rout in Brasilia. And then there was the bit that few saw coming. Three weeks today, this team plans on showing the World Cup to the people of Brazil. In the tournaments first two weeks, they have done nothing to show why they deserve it. The key sixth man in a formation (in front of a back four and holder) has been important in this tournament and in Paulinho, Brazil have an out-of-sorts player. Luiz Felipe Scolari told anyone willing to listen that he cared little for club form but his loyalty will be tested now with the Spurs man. Fernandinho, who replaced him and scored, is likely to come in for the game against Chile. There will be no replacing Marcelo and David Luiz, however. The defensive pair may send Thiago Silva to the hospital soon. The PSG defender is a wonderful player but how much longer can he continue to do three jobs? Fred got his goal, which shouldnt have counted, but remains a problem up front, Oscar and Hulk disappear out of games, too. World Cup winners have started slower before but the hosts have no more time for mistakes. Netherlands 2-0 Chile It is fitting that the finest player, to date, at the counter attacking World Cup, is one of the worlds best in transition. Arjen Robben skippered his side to glory on Monday, in a game that just may have huge consequences later in the tournament. It was a game that requires few words but which leads to many significant storylines heading into the knockout stage. Chile, who look like potential World Champions for parts of two games, never replicated their tempo and pressing that left opponents stunned. It was a pedestrian performance that now hands them Brazil in the last 16. Brazil. The same opponent who got in their way the last two times they have made it past the group stages. It is a matchup that terrifies Chile and it should based on how they played on Monday without Arturo Vidal. Brazil, too, however, will be terrified. They wanted no part of Chile this early. The Dutch, meanwhile, march on. Mexico will be tough but is very winnable as is a likely quarterfinal tie against one of Ivory Coast, Greece or Costa Rica. Dont look now but Louis van Gaals men have suddenly become real contenders. Spain 3-0 Australia It had a feeling like a testimonial match. David Villa scored and later left the game in tears as his international career closed. The strikers position in the squad should have been questioned but no one will question his position amongst the greats on this special team. Without him, they would not have been World Champions. The majestic Andres Iniesta got his 100th cap and gave us another glimpse at greatness with a sublime pass for Fernando Torres to score. There were hugs all around at the final whistle and they will continue into Tuesday when Spain fly home to Madrid. They leave Brazil a broken team, full of superstars of yesterday but the next time they fly to a World Cup you can guarantee they will be one of the favourites once again. Man of the day Nominees Andres Iniesta - what a pass, what a player. Please give us one more World Cup. Arjen Robben - amazing to think the once petulant winger is now a mature, all-around star leading his nation. Rafa Marquez - the captain always finds a way to get in the headlines and his header sent Mexico on their way. Hector Herrera - he can pass, tackle, run, take set pieces and shoot. Future captain and star for Mexico. Neymar - the Golden boot could be on for Mr Box Office after a brilliant brace against Cameroon. The winner Rafa Marquez - has now scored in three World Cups for Mexico and led their defence brilliantly against Croatia. Maza Rodriguez and Hector Moreno are far better having the captain beside them. Whats next? Italy vs Uruguay and Costa Rica vs England (Noon/9am). Japan vs Colombia and Greece vs Ivory Coast (4pm/1pm) Burning question for tomorrow Can Mario Balotelli produce a consistent performance and be as clinical as his Uruguayan strike opponents? Stat of Day 12 Neymar scored the tournaments 100th goal when he opened the scoring against Cameroon. Boston Red Sox Pro Shop . Jim Leyland, in his eighth playoffs, has never had a starting rotation he trusts as much as the grouping of Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Anibal Sanchez and Doug Fister. Rod Beck Red Sox Jersey .com) - The NBA will be on display overseas Thursday with the New York Knicks taking on the Milwaukee Bucks at O2 Arena in London. https://www.cheapredsox.com/ . With the team he supported as a child on the verge of reaching the Champions League semifinals for the first time in 19 years, Ba instead scored the goal that knocked them out. Pablo Sandoval Red Sox Jersey . The thinking at the time was Clowney could have already been promised he would be selected first overall by the Houston Texans, therefore negating any need to meet with any other teams. The plot took another twist this week. David Price Jersey .J. - Pete Carroll is in support of the NFL looking further into whether medicinal marijuana could beneficial for players.HONOLULU, Hawaii - Jimmy Walker was getting coffee Sunday morning when he saw that U.S. Open champion Martin Kaymer had lost a 10-shot lead with 13 holes to play in Abu Dhabi. He went back to his room and told his wife, Winning is hard.Later that afternoon, Walker made it look easy.With the most impressive performance of his career, Walker blew away the field Sunday in the Sony Open by closing with a 7-under 63 to win by nine shots, a record margin for the tournament and the biggest rout on the PGA Tour in nearly six years.Walker watched Jordan Spieth win the Hero World Challenge last month by 10 shots against an 18-man field and wondered if he was on another planet.And thats kind of the way it feels when you watch those performances, Walker said. You see them and are like, Man, what golf course is that guy playing? And to be able to say youve done that and youve distanced yourself like that, its really cool. I think its a good learning experience. Definitely happy to keep the pedal down.The timing could not have been better.Six days ago on Maui, Walker lost a tournament he felt he should have won. Sunday on Oahu, he played like he was on his own island.On a course that lends itself to a free-for-all, Walker shot 62-63 on the weekend and never gave anyone much of a chance. The previous Sony Open record for margin of victory was seven shots, last done by Paul Azinger in 2000. Walker became the first repeat winner of this tournament since Ernie Els in 2004.Scott Piercy closed with a 66 to finish alone in second. Matt Kuchar, who started the final round two shots out of the lead, didnt make a birdie and shot 71 to tie for third with Harris English and Gary Woodland, who each had a 67. Kuchar ended his streak of 255 rounds on the PGA Tour with at least one birdie.But this was Walkers show, and it came with a small measure of redemption. Walker had a three-shot lead with five holes to play at Kapalua last Monday when he wound up losing to Patrick Reed in a playoff at the Tournament of Champions. With a quick turnaround, he quickly put it behind him.I really wanted to finish out the day like I didnt do last week, Walker said.He finished at 23-under 257.David Hearn of Brantford, Ont. was the top Canadian at the Sony Open. He shot a 68 on the final day to finish tied for 51st place at 5-under for the tourrnament.ddddddddddddThe text message Sunday morning from swing coach Butch Harmon was to keep the pedal down today. The message from caddie Andy Sanders over just about every putt was, Dont let up.The decisive moment came at the par-4 eighth hole. Walker and Kuchar both opened with seven straight pars, and Walker stuffed his pitching wedge from 126 yards to 3 feet for birdie. Kuchar pulled his tee shot into the royal palms, punched out short of the green and made bogey.That two-shot swing gave Walker a four-shot lead, and he was on his way.I felt like up to that point everything was kind of stale, Walker said. I was playing hard, and I hit some really good shots on the first three holes, just didnt make a putt and finally got it open and I finally made the putt. Made a good birdie on 9, another one on 10, and the putts starting go in after that.Walker made all seven of his birdies over the final 11 holes, and he couldnt miss on the back nine. He took a total of 20 putts on the back nine at Waialae in the third and fourth rounds. And even with a big lead, he kept grinding away over putts he didnt need to make.It was the largest margin of victory on the PGA Tour since Brian Gay won at Hilton Head by 10 shots in 2009. This was more reminiscent of the last time someone lost in a playoff, and then won the next week. That was Kyle Stanley in 2012, though the circumstances were entirely different.Stanley made triple bogey on the last hole at Torrey Pines and then lost in a playoff. He won Phoenix the following week with a great rally. Walker didnt do that much wrong at Kapalua except for one bad swing off the tee and failing to make a few putts. Still, the loss stung, and he was more than happy to head home to Texas for a two-week break with another trophy.Hes one of the hottest players in the world, Piercy said after his round, when Walker was pulling away. What hes done the last year or two years, nobodys catching him. Its just a cake walk.Walker didnt treat it like one, which might be why he won by such a healthy margin.It was his fourth win in his last 32 starts, and he should move up to career-high No. 13 in the world ranking. During his two-week stay in Hawaii, Walker averaged 66 each round and picked up just under $1.7 million. Most importantly, hes going home with another trophy. ' ' '