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RIO DE JANEIRO -- Inbee Park is taking a gold medal back to South Korea to show anyone who doubted whether she should play in the Olympics.And to anyone who questioned her place in womens golf.Slowed all year by a thumb injury that led to speculation she might retire, Park was dominant as ever Saturday at Olympic Golf Course. She made three straight birdies early, never let anyone closer than three shots the rest of the way and closed with a 5-under 66 for a five-shot victory.Because I had an injury, a lot of people were saying maybe it was better to have another player in the field, which is understandable, Park said. But I really wanted to do well this week to show a lot of people that I can still play.She had a poker face and a putter that couldnt miss, a combination that was too much for Lydia Ko or anyone else.Even more remarkable is that Park had not faced top competition for two months. She took time off to recover, and to pour everything into being ready for the Olympics. But when she played a Korean LPGA event earlier this month and missed the cut, there was talk at home that someone else should go in her place.This is definitely one of the special moments in my golfing career and in my whole life, Park said. It feels great. Its just really all Ive wanted.Ko, who replaced Park at No. 1 in womens golf 10 months ago, didnt make a birdie until the seventh hole. The 19-year-old Kiwi at least made one that mattered. She holed an 8-foot birdie putt on the 18th for a 69 to claim the silver by one shot over Shanshan Feng of China, who also shot 69.Park is 28 and already has won seven majors, including the career Grand Slam, and two months ago became the youngest player to qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame.This victory -- the first gold medal in womens golf since 1900 -- might have topped them all.She kept her composure during her three straight birdies early, a 30-foot birdie on the 13th that turned back the last challenge and her 10-foot birdie on the 17th. When she tapped in for par on the final hole, she threw both hands in the air and leaned back her head at the cloudy sky.Ive won majors, but I havent won a gold medal, so this feels very, very special. Nothing I want to exchange, she said. Im so honored to represent my country. Being able to receive the gold medal was an unforgettable moment.Asked if fans might have forgotten that she was pretty good, Park only smiled.Ko, sitting next to her at a news conference, leaned into a microphone and said, Shes really good. Shes not pretty good. Shes really, really good.The Americans had an outside chance at a medal. Stacy Lewis birdied the 16th and 17th holes, but missed a 15-foot birdie on the 18th and shot 66, one shot behind Feng. Gerina Piller, who played in the last group, was part of a three-way tie for third until missing three straight putts -- two for par -- on the back nine.Maria Verchenova of Russia posted the lowest score, a 62 that featured the third hole-in-one of the tournament.This final round, however, was all about Park.South Korea has been the dominant nation in womens golf, so a gold medal was no surprise.Not many thought it would be Park because of her injury and poor form this year. She had not broken par on the LPGA Tour since April. She missed the cut or withdrew in her last four events, even skipping the U.S. Womens Open and Womens British Open to try to heal and get ready for the Olympics.There was a little bit of confusion from me whether I can perform well this week or not because I really havent performed well this year with the injury, she said. Being able to overcome injury this week and being able to play good, Ive worked really hard for this week and hard work really paid off.The pressure was as great as she has ever felt. Fans dressed in red shirts held up South Korean flags for her to see behind every green and on the way to every tee. Park stared straight ahead and kept pouring in putts.Kos best chance was around the turn. She made her first birdie on the seventh hole to cut the lead to five shots, and then hit a tee shot about 12 feet short of the flag at the par-3 eighth. Park answered with a 6-iron to 3 feet for another birdie. It was like that all day -- all week.Park finished at 16-under 268, the same score Justin Rose had when he won the gold medal in mens golf. Jack Youngblood Rams Jersey . Supported by three-run homers from Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos, the young right-hander went seven strong innings in the Washington Nationals 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. Los Angeles Rams Jerseys . Barcelonas entertaining victory ensured the defending Spanish champions retained their share of the league lead with Atletico Madrid two rounds ahead of their meeting in the capital. Real Madrid needed a late goal by substitute Jese Rodriguez to earn a 3-2 victory at Valencia to stay in third place and three points behind its title rivals. http://www.laramsfootballshops.com/torry-holt-jersey/ .Y. -- Bills receiver Stevie Johnson has a bone to pick with the NFL schedule maker. Clay Matthews Womens Jersey . "Hes going to have hip surgery on Jan. 7, and hell be expected to rehabilitate for four to six months beyond that," Canucks general manager Mike Gillis said Friday in an interview. Clay Matthews Rams Jersey . Malkin got tangled up with Detroits Luke Glendening early in the third period and his left skate took the brunt of collision with the boards behind Pittsburghs net.HOUSTON -- Mark Appel received high praise from MLB commissioner Bud Selig on Wednesday when the No. 1 overall pick signed with the Houston Astros. Speaking at a MLB diversity business summit at a convention near Minute Maid Park, Selig praised Houstons rebuilding efforts. He then likened Appel, a right-handed pitcher, and Houstons 2012 No. 1 pick, shortstop Carlos Correa, to two of the franchises greatest stars, Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell. "The Astros are on their way to building the foundation that every club needs for sustained success and I believe this club has the right people in place to execute their very sound plan that is going to bring winning baseball back to the fans of Houston," Selig said. "I look forward to the day when players like Carlos Correa and a hometown pitcher Mark Appel ... will be among those who form a new core as successful as Bagwell and Biggio were for so many years." Appel, a polished and well-spoken Stanford graduate, was left speechless when told of the commissioners remarks. "Thats, uh, its very nice words that he said," he said, shaking his head. "Just hearing that comparison is pretty special, especially being a hometown Houston guy. Bagwell and Biggio were two of my favourite players and knowing that Bud Selig sees me and Carlos Correa as potentially the next Bagwell and Biggio is exciting." Terms were not disclosed but Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow said it was "the most significant investment" the Astros have ever made in an amateur player. The 21-year-old Appel was 10-4 with four complete games and a 2.12 ERA this season. He had 130 strikeouts in 106.1 innings pitched and allowed opponents a .203 batting average. Appel is an Astros fan who grew up in West Houston before moving to California at the age of 12. The Astros had a chance to draft him last year but instead went with the 17-year-old Correea from Puerto Rico.dddddddddddd Appel slid to Pittsburgh at No. 8 last year but turned down a $3.8 million offer and returned to Stanford for his senior season. Appel said when he rejected the Pirates, he wasnt thinking about potentially being drafted by Houston this season. When it happened, he could barely believe how well everything worked out. "Growing up in Houston I came to games at the Astrodome and at Minute Maid," he said. "That was the dream. It was every kids dream to play for your home team and now its a reality. Its still surreal. I dont think its sunk in." The 6-foot-4, 195-pound Appel will be a welcome addition to the hard-luck Astros with his mid-90s (mph) fastball, nasty slider and improving changeup. "Drafting and signing Mark Appel was a top priority for our organization this year," Luhnow said. "We are an organization focused on winning championships in the future and we expect Mark to be a big part of that effort." Astros amateur scouting director Mike Elias raved about Appel and believes he will be a key piece in turning around this franchise which has lost 100 games in back-to-back seasons. "This is what we believe is going to be a high-impact addition to our organization," Elias said. "He is someone who has the potential to be a front-line starting pitcher for a very long time." Luhnow said that Appel will report to Houstons spring training facility in Florida next week and that hell likely begin his professional career at short A Tri-City. He expects him to then move to Single-A Quad Cities and possibly Double-A Corpus Christi by the end of the season. He said he will be at major league camp next season, but that he wasnt sure when he could be pitching in Houston. "Its too early to speculate on timelines," Luhnow said. "We need to get him out there and get him pitching." ' ' '