SAN MARTIN, Calif. -- Just when it seemed as if the U.S. Womens Open would come down to the final hole of the three-hole playoff, a rules violation changed everything and helped deliver Brittany Lang her first major title.Lang was the beneficiary of a delayed, two-stroke penalty called on Anna Nordqvist on Sunday, as she won the title she was so close to seizing when she was runner-up 11 years ago as an amateur.You never want to win with a penalty or something like that happen, especially to Anna, who is a friend of mine and a great player and a classy girl, Lang said. But its unfortunate. Its part of the game and it happened that way.Lang made par on all three holes of the aggregate playoff and Nordqvist was given a two-stroke penalty for touching the sand with her club in a fairway bunker on the second playoff hole, helping deliver Lang the title.The players were not told of the penalty until they were in the middle of playing the final hole, after officials reviewed replays in the latest controversy at a USGA event after the delayed penalty called in the final round on eventual mens U.S. Open winner Dustin Johnson last month.Seemed kind of unreal that it happened, but it does, Nordqvist said. It wasnt any reason to question it. But Im certainly disappointed of the timing of it.Lang then sealed the win with a short par putt on the final playoff hole, while Nordqvist made bogey to lose by three shots.Lang shot a 1-under 71 to finish with a 6-under 282 for the tournament at CordeValle for her second win in 287 tournaments on the LPGA Tour. She survived a bogey on the 17th hole that led to the playoff before recovering in the playoff for a breakthrough win at age 30.I think this is absolutely huge, a huge momentum builder to say you won the U.S. Open, Lang said. I think this is a huge, a huge step in the right direction for my career.Both players made pars on the first hole of the playoff, which was played on the final three holes of the course. Then things got interesting on the next hole after Nordqvist hit her tee shot into a fairway bunker.While preparing to hit the shot, Nordqvists club barely touched the sand. She did not realize it and both players made par on the hole, heading to the final playoff hole seemingly tied.But after seeing a replay, broadcaster Fox asked the USGA if there was a violation. That led USGA official John Bodenhamer to go to the television truck to see a replay which showed the violation that was not evident on the live broadcast or to the official watching the hole in person.Bodenhamer then said he decided to immediately tell the players but the news got to Nordqvist after she hit her third shot at 18 and before Lang did. Nordqvist said she would have been more aggressive going for the pin if she knew she needed birdie. Lang changed clubs for a safer approach shot, knowing a par would win the tournament.It certainly changed her game plan, Nordqvist said. But, you know, hopefully we can all learn from it and hopefully we can all get better.Lang hit her shot onto the green and the two-putted for the win, getting hearty congratulations from many of her fellow Americans on tour after she joined Michelle Wie (2014) as the only U.S. golfers to win the Open in the past six years.Lang came on the scene as an amateur back in 2005 when she finished tied for second at the U.S. Womens Open at Cherry Hills. But in more than a decade as a pro, Lang had won just one tournament, the 2012 Manulife Financial LPGA.Lang capitalized on a surprising final-round collapse by world No. 1 and 54-hole leader Lydia Ko, who made a double-bogey 7 on the ninth hole and shot 3-over 75 on the day, finishing two shots off the lead in a four-way tie for third with Amy Yang, Sung Hyun Park and 2009 winner Eun Hee Ji.Ko had a two-shot lead heading to the eighth hole and seemed on her way to becoming the youngest man or woman to win three majors. But then she bogeyed the eighth hole before her collapse on nine.Kos tee shot went left into the rough. Instead of just chipping out, Ko decided to try to clear the hazard and get back into position to make a possible birdie. But her shot from the rough landed in the hazard and she ended up with a 7 instead.I should have judged the lie a little better and maybe played a little smarter and laid up short of the hazard, she said. Then just lay up again and try and make up-and-down for par. Authentic Custom Bills Jersey . Emery skated the length of the ice and fought an unwilling Holtby during the third period of the Flyers 7-0 loss Friday night in Philadelphia. He was given 29 penalty minutes, including a game misconduct. But Emery did not face even a disciplinary hearing with NHL senior vice president of player safety Brendan Shanahan because rules 46. 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We witnessed that when Zack Kassian hit Edmontons Sam Gagner in the face after a missed check. LOS ANGELES -- Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin had many faults during his tumultuous coaching tenure at Southern California. Featuring his best receiver was never one of them.Its a trait that cornerback Adoree Jackson is prepared to deal with when the No. 20 Trojans face the No. 1 Crimson Tide and sophomore Calvin Ridley on Saturday.Coach Kiffin is the offensive coordinator, so that is going to separate (Ridley) a lot from everybody else, Jackson said. You know what (Kiffin) likes to do. That speaks volumes of what they are trying to mold (Ridley) into.Jackson is expected to play primarily man-to-man pass defense under new coordinator Clancy Pendergast, allowing the young front seven to blitz. Coach Clay Helton instituted a similar game plan against UCLA last season and the athletic Jackson thrived.After alternating between defense and offense in his first two seasons at USC, Jackson only played defensive back during training camp. It was a necessary change to bring him up to speed on Pendergasts schemes after missing spring practice while trying to compete in the long jump at the Rio Olympics. It also allowed Jackson to focus on the technical aspects of playing corner, something he wasnt always able to do while playing on offense, defense and special teams in 22 of 27 games at USC.The lack of specialization seemed to hurt Jacksons performance on defense last season after only allowing one touchdown pass as a freshman, none in the regular season. He lost his footing resulting in a momentum-changing touchdown late in the first half of Stanfords 41-31 victory, and Notre Dame receiver Will Fuller got behind Jackson for a 75-yard touchdown on the Irishs first offensive play.Helton ideally plans to keep Jackson on the field for 80 plays per game and would defer to allocating that time on defense. Jackson said he would play wide receiver if asked to do so against Alabama and will handle punts and kkickoffs, where he has scored four of his 10 career touchdowns.ddddddddddddWill we use him offensively throughout the season? Yes, but I dont think it will be what you saw last year, Helton said. Allow him to be what he truly is, which is one of the best corners in college football and a dynamic returner.Jacksons primary focus is stopping Ridley. He even expressed a desire to shadow Ridley no matter where Kiffin lines him up on the field.It would say something about me if I wasnt going out there and trying to compete, if I was just shying away from it, Jackson said.Given Kiffins high-usage tendencies for his top receiver, Jackson will be kept busy by Ridley. Robert Woods had 111 receptions for 1,292 yards receiving as a sophomore at USC in 2011, and Marqise Lee set school single-season records with 118 receptions and 1,721 yards the following season. During Kiffins first season at Alabama in 2014, Amari Cooper set an SEC record with 124 receptions and his 1,727 yards smashed Julio Jones school single-season record by nearly 600 yards.Ridley looks to be the next receiver to benefit from Kiffins high-volume approach after leading Alabama as a freshman in receptions, yards and touchdown receptions en route to the national championship. At 6-foot-1 and 188 pounds, Ridley has the size and speed to be a dominant force, but USC defenders recognize Kiffins influence is what elevates him above the rest.Lane is Lane, said safety Chris Hawkins, one of 19 players still on the USC roster that played for Kiffin. In my opinion, hes one of the top five offensive coordinators in the country and he has always had a knack for getting that guy the ball. I feel like hes going to try to do the same with Calvin Ridley, but were setting some stuff up now to where were going to try and prevent that. ' ' '
