NEWS » fast start and am able to play my game, m

NAPLES, Fla. -- By Lydia Kos standards, this is a major slump.She hasnt won in nine starts since mid-July, her best finish being a silver medal at the Rio Olympics. She hasnt been among the top 10 in any of her last five starts and wasnt even in the top 40 in three of those.Despite all that, all the big prizes -- player of the year, money title, scoring title and the yearlong points chase called the Race to the CME Globe -- are well within Kos reach this week. The LPGA Tour season wraps up with the CME Group Tour Championship that starts Thursday, when Ariya Jutanugarn and Ko will basically go head to head for year-end honors.Obviously, Im not coming into this week with the greatest form, said Ko, who won the Globe in its inaugural season in 2014 and retained it last year. But I still feel like its been a season where Im really proud of it. For me to be in this position, to have an opportunity to go for the Globe again -- and all the other things -- its a pretty cool position to be in.Only a win this week would be enough to give Ko her second straight player-of-the-year award; any other result, and that title goes to Jutanugarn. They come in separated by $17,305 in the money standings, and Ko (69.611) enters with a minuscule edge over In Gee Chun (69.632) for the Vare Trophy presented to the player with the lowest scoring average.It would be a pretty special Sunday, Ko said.Its probably going to be anyway, whether thats the case for Ko or someone else. The LPGA got a dream scenario last season, when all the trophies were decided in the final holes on the final day.Such a scene could repeat itself this week, and the LPGA wouldnt mind some final-hour drama.Im not going to be nervous, Jutanugarn said.The points in the CME Globe standings reset for the final week, so Jutanugarn, Ko and Brooke Henderson all truly control their destinies when it comes to the $1 million bonus that goes to the points champion. Win this week, and the Globe is hers.Going into this year it was a big goal of mine to be in the top three and give myself a great opportunity in the final event of the year, Henderson said. Im really looking forward to it. I know itll be a tough week, a tough four rounds, but I know if I get off to a fast start and am able to play my game, maybe good things will happen.Jutanugarn turns 21 next week. Still, shes the elder stateswoman among the three who arrived in Naples this week with the most realistic chances of hoisting the CME Globe on Sunday.Im old? she asked.Well, yes, in this example.Ko, who has been the worlds No. 1 player for more than a year and will remain there for the foreseeable future, is 19. Henderson turned 19 in September. Of the nine players with a mathematical chance of finishing atop this years Race to the CME Globe standings, the oldest -- Shanshan Feng -- is all of 27.The average age of the players in that group is 21.9, though this event last year saw a tour veteran prevail.Definitely felt like a walk-off home run, said defending tournament champion Cristie Kerr, who is 39, essentially meaning shes been alive as long as Jutanugarn and Ko combined. Yeah, Ive had great memories since Ive been back walking around kind of remembering some of the shots I hit or how I felt. Ive played pretty well the last couple days, so fingers crossed.DIVOTS: Ko won on the Tiburon course in Naples two years ago, finishing at 10-under 278. Kerrs winning score last year was 271. ... As was the case last year, the three players atop the Globe points standings -- this time, Jutanugarn, Henderson and Ko -- will play together on Thursday. Cullen Gillaspia Texans Jersey . 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. Arian Foster Womens Jersey . Giroud, who wasnt in the starting lineup for two matches after allegations about his private life and a decline in form, scored twice in the first half. Tomas Rosickys chip made it 3-0 before half time at Emirates Stadium, while defender Laurent Koscielny scored an unmarked header in the second half. http://www.officialhoustontexanspro.com/Arian-foster-texans-jersey/ .Y. - General manager Billy King says the Brooklyn Nets are looking to add a big man and confirmed the team worked out centre Jason Collins, who would become the first openly gay active NBA player if signed. Lonnie Johnson Womens Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. DeAndre Hopkins Youth Jersey . -- Lou Brocks shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Bill Freehan during the 1968 World Series and Pete Roses bruising hit on Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star game could become relics of baseball history, like the dead-ball era. MONTREAL -- Venus Williams opened play in the Rogers Cup on Wednesday with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Barbora Strycova.Playing her last event before the Rio Olympics, the 36-year-old Williams finished off the overmatched Czech player in 58 minutes. Williams was coming a loss to Britains Johanna Konta on Sunday in the final of the Bank of the West Classic in California.It was definitely more straightforward than some of our other matches, Williams said. Im never happy with my matches. Even an easy scoreline is never enough. But its about figuring out how to win instead of playing perfect.The seven-time Grand Slam champion, seeded sixth, gave up 10 points in the 24-minute second set.The only hiccup for Williams was the seventh game of the first set. Up 4-2, she had her serve broken.I just needed to stay focused, said Williams. A 4-4 is definitely different than a 5-3. But it wasnt necessarily a turning point, because there are matches where Ive been down and came back, and vice versa, so you realize that the match isnt over uuntil its over.ddddddddddddWilliams will face Madison Keys in the third round. Keys beat fellow American Madison Brengle 6-4, 6-3.Konta also advanced, topping Vania King of the United States 7-5, 6-1.At night, second-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany beat Croatias Mirjana Lucic-Baroni 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.Fourth-seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland topped Monica Niculescu of Romania 6-1, 7-5; seventh-seeded Roberta Vinci topped fellow Italian Camila Giorgi 2-6, 6-3, 6-4; and Slovakias Kristina Kucova beat eighth-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.Hometown favorite Eugenie Bouchard beat a higher-ranked opponent for the second straight day, topping 11th-seeded Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia 6-2, 6-0. On Tuesday, Bouchard beat Lucie Safarova. Bouchard will face qualifier Kucova in the third round.Montreals Francoise Abanda tumbled out, falling 7-6 (2), 7-6 (3) to Ukraines Elina Svitolina. ' ' '