When it began to look as if Laetitia Beck would represent Israel at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janiero, the second-year LPGA golfer was reminded about the sports very low profile in her country as she inquired about her apparel and equipment for the Games.My Olympic committee doesnt know much about golf, said Beck, Israels only LPGA player. Im responsible for everything. They told me to do what I want as long as its according to the rules, and they would reimburse me. I had to find someone to make my uniform, order a bag and get my hats. Im a very independent person, but it was a little stressful because I want to represent Israel and its culture the right way.With so much attention having been focused on which stars wont compete for various reasons in golfs return to the Olympics after 112 years, players like Beck are a reminder that its a big opportunity -- and a priority -- for others. Although currently ranked outside the top 200 in the Rolex Rankings, Beck was 42nd in the final Olympic qualifying list for the 60-player womens golf field because individual countries are allowed a maximum of four, and in most cases, two, entrants.This is special to me, being able to represent my country and help Israel have a bigger overall Olympic team, said Beck, a two-time golf gold medalist (2009, 2013) at the Maccabiah Games for Jewish athletes. We tend to be big in judo, track and field and wind surfing, but the numbers are pretty small, around 45 people. Being able to be an ambassador for Israel is important. And it will be great to be part of the team.Beck, 24, moved from Belgium to Israel with her family when she was 6 years old. They settled in Caesarea, in the Israeli coastal plain between Tel Aviv and Haifa, home to the countrys only 18-hole golf course, Caesarea Golf Club. From age 8 to 12, golf became part of Becks active sports life along with tennis and soccer.My mom says, I dont how you happened because youre so different from all of us. But Im super athletic and always had very good hand-eye coordination, Beck said. I would play golf twice a week, tennis three times a week and soccer at school. When I was 12, the pro at my club encouraged my mom to sign me up for the Israeli Ladies Championship. I was not good -- I only broke 90 the last round -- but I won in a playoff.Inspired by the victory, Beck dropped other sports and concentrated on golf, becoming a scratch player in a year. At 13, she won the national title by 30 or 40 shots, Becks prowess prompting her family to send her to the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, the following year. Beck continued to improve at the Academy, also the training ground for fellow LPGA players Paula Creamer and Jessica Korda. Beck earned a womens golf scholarship to Duke University, where she was a two-time All-American and a key member of the Blue Devils sixth national championship in 2014. Later that season she tied for 11th at LPGA Q-School.After finishing 111th on the 2015 LPGA money list, Beck has struggled for consistency in 2016 -- she is currently 223rd in earnings -- although she had consecutive top-20 finishes in May at the Yokohama Tire Classic and Kingsmill Championship.I think I have as much talent as the best players, Beck said. With me, it seems to be in my head. Im a long way from my potential, and I think I can beat them all. I want to be the best, but I want to do something with it too.Beck has worked with some golf mental coaches but hasnt found the right fit.Its hard for me. I can get a little tough on people. I definitely need to find someone I can trust.That can take time, as Becks college coach, Dan Brooks, recently told the schools student newspaper, The Chronicle.When she came in as a freshman, I didnt know if she and I were going to make it, Brooks said. I probably have had no greater evolution of a relationship than she and I had. By the time she left, we were real tight and continue to be.Said Beck of her attitude: Im such a big perfectionist. Thats what gets me coming back the next day, to see if I can get better.Now living in a community with a large Jewish population in Miami-Dade County, traveling home to the Middle East for only a few weeks a year, Beck is proud of her heritage.Being the only Israeli golfer out here, I want people to know where I come from, she said.Beck always wears a Star of David necklace and has the symbol stitched on her golf bag, which is in the Israeli colors of blue and white.Im not too religious, Beck said. Its more about the culture than religion. On the high holy days Ill go to temple.Beck bypassed a college tournament in 2001 because it conflicted with Yom Kippur, and she adheres to a Kosher diet.It was interesting at Passover during the Swinging Skirts event this year, she said. No bread and no yeast, and I usually eat pasta and make a peanut butter sandwich or have an energy bar on the course. The only thing I could have was fruit.Diet doesnt figure to be a problem at the Olympics. The news of how Beck fares in Rio will travel back to Israel, if awkwardly.Slowly, there are more articles back home if I do well, Beck said. But the articles are pretty funny because they dont know much about golf. Theyll say things like, She advanced into the final. In judo, you advance.By whatever description, though, Beck will be glad to be there representing her country.The first time I was at the Maccabiah Games, when I was 13, the opening ceremony was very emotional, she said. 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Despite dominating possession, Schalke needed an own goal from Nicolas Hoefler for the breakthrough a minute before the interval. The Freiburg midfielder misjudged Jefferson Farfans corner and bundled the ball into his own net. AUSTIN, Texas -- After Eric Davis Jr. finally made some shots and emerged from a season-long slump, teammate Tevin Mack turned to him and said, Welcome back, E.D.Back indeed, at least temporarily. Davis scored 16 points to help Texas erase a 12-point deficit and defeat Long Beach State 71-65 on Saturday.Mack scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half. Kendal Yancy added 11 points and some critical hustle.Davis, a sophomore, hit 3 of 7 3-pointers, a marked improvement after a 6-for-41 (14.6 percent) start this season. Last season he converted 38 percent of his 3-pointers.While he tried to work through his ordeal, Davis teammates provided encouragement.They said keep shooting the ball, Davis said. I stay confident. Thats who I am.Coach Shaka Smart is not so sure of that.Absolutely not, Smart said. Youd have to be a machine to not be affected by having a string of games when things dont go your way. Hes 19 years. Nobody wants to admit those sorts of things.Evan Payne led Long Beach with a season-best 26 points,Payne, a junior, made a career-best eight 3-point baskets. His 3-pointer early in the second half gave Long Beach (2-10) a 12-point lead.But Texas chipped away, with Mack and Davis combining to score 12 straight Texas points as the Longhorns overtook Long Beach and created separation.Davis made consecutive baskets, one a 3-pointer, to give Texas (5-4) a seven-point lead with less than six minutes remaining. Macks 3-pointer from the corner put Texas ahead by eight with 4:40 to go.Long Beach coach Dan Monson said his perimeter players were supposed to help defend inside against Texas big men, but not by leaving Mack, the Longhorns most reliable shooter this season.If you dont stay with the game plan, they are gonna burn you, Monson said. He sure did.Payne averaged 12 points a game before Saturday. He scored 17 in the first half against Texxas, converting 5 of 6 3-point attempts while helping Long Beach to a 34-28 lead at the break.ddddddddddddBut the 49ers could not sustain the effort.We let them hang around, Monson said. In the second half defensively we got tired and just let them in the paint too much.BIG PICTURELong Beach: Monson has believed in aggressive scheduling since the late 1990s when he was the head coach at Gonzaga, setting the stage for that schools elevation to national prominence under Mark Few. This season the 49ers are 0-6 against teams from Power Five conferences by an average of 23 points. The 49ers also lost to non-Power Five Wichita State by 37. Before beating Pepperdine at home on Wednesday, Long Beach went 0-9 on a road trip during which it traveled 15,125 miles.We played this schedule to get better, Monson said. I think we got better today, but this team needs to reward themselves with some wins.Texas: The Longhorns began the game ranked last in the Big 12 with 42.7 percent field-goal-shooting accuracy. They hit 33.3 percent in the first half against Long Beach and broke loose in the second half to hit 53.8 percent and score 43 points.ADVANTAGE TEXASBefore Saturday, Long Beach State ranked 331st in the nation in 3-point field goal defense, allowing opponents 41 percent accuracy. Texas, meanwhile, ranked 337th in 3-point shooting accuracy at 27.5 percent. But the Longhorns hit 9 of 25 against Long Beach, a pretty decent 36-percent mark.UP NEXTLong Beach faces Oregon State on Friday in Portland, Oregon. This will be the 49ers seventh game against teams from Power Five conferences away from home.Texas faces Arkansas in Houston on Dec. 17 as part of the Lone Star Shootout doubleheader. Texas A&M meets Arizona in the other game. ' ' '
