The stage is set for womens golf to finally get the attention it deserves.The U.S. Womens Open is the biggest prize on the LPGA Tour schedule and has been for years. It starts Thursday at CordeValle Golf Club, located among the vineyards a few hours south of San Francisco, only the third Womens Open to be played in California. No other major sporting events are scheduled for late afternoon this weekend, golf included. Devastating flooding forced the PGA Tour to cancel The Greenbrier Classic in West Virginia.The cast of characters is stronger than ever.Lydia Ko and Brooke Henderson might be the latest rivalry to take root in womens golf, both teenagers, each claiming a major championship this year. Not to be overlooked is Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand, who won three straight times in May and probably should have won the ANA Inspiration in California, the first major of the year.What can go wrong? Historically, there is reason to worry.The last time the LPGA Tour had the stage to itself was in 2005 at Cherry Hills (Colorado) for the U.S. Womens Open, and the tour promised a great show and a big future.Among those tied for the lead going into the final round was a pair of teens in ponytails, 15-year-old Michelle Wie and 17-year-old Morgan Pressel. One shot behind was 18-year-old Paula Creamer, fresh off high school graduation. Still in the mix was Annika Sorenstam, the dominant player in her sport going for the third leg of the Grand Slam on the very course where Arnold Palmer charged to victory for his only U.S. Open.Lights, camera, struggles.On a Cherry Hills course with brutal rough and fast greens, the lasting image was Wie missing putts inside 3 feet on three out of four holes on her way to an 82. Sorenstam, five shots behind, tried to drive the first green just like Palmer did in 1960. She hit a tree, went into the creek and made bogey. Creamer struggled to move the ball more than 10 feet out of the rough. Lorena Ochoa snap-hooked a tee shot into the water on the 18th right when it looked like she was the winner.This was not a celebration of womens golf it should have been. It was an occasion to cringe.That wasnt the only time when the elements won out over timing. Go back to 2001 to find the mixed-team version of the Battle at Bighorn in California featuring a quartet of the best in golf -- Tiger Woods and Sorenstam against David Duval and Karrie Webb. They had won five of the six majors that had been played that year.The LPGA Tour commissioner at the time was Ty Votaw, who said the Monday night exhibition on a network (ABC Sports) in prime time would be the biggest day in LPGA history based on the number of eyeballs that are going to be on our product.What he couldnt predict was that 30 minutes before they teed off, the notorious Santa Ana wind showed up. It brought 30 mph of hot air that came roaring over the mountains and created some of the toughest conditions of the year for men or women.Webb hit a 20-foot birdie putt some 60 feet beyond the hole when a gust showed up at the wrong time. Sorenstam hit a 25-foot birdie putt some 30 yards into the fairway because of the slope and a gust. It looked bad.The hope was that another moment like Cherry Hills would arrive, and here it is.What makes it the most successful womens sport is that the LPGA has been going at it alone for six decades. They are not subsidized like the WNBA. They do not share the golf course with the men during the Grand Slam events. They have to work harder, and they do.The LPGA survived the retirement of Sorenstam and Ochoa two years apart and now has the potential for a most compelling rivalry.Ko won her first LPGA Tour event at age 15, and she might as well have the youngest as part of her name for all the records she keeps setting. She won two majors at 18, and the question now is when her LPGA victories (13) will catch up to her age (19).Henderson won for the first time last year when she was 17 and not even eligible to be an LPGA member. The Canadian delivered the most clutch moment in a major this year when she tracked down Ko in the final round of KPMG Womens PGA Championship in Washington with a long eagle putt and a tough par, then won in a playoff by coolly stuffing her approach into 3 feet.They are Nos. 1 and 2 in the world. Nothing could lift the LPGA Tour like those two battling at CordeValle.What womens golf needs now are plenty of eyeballs and predictable weather. And for the USGA to do better than it did at Oakmont (Pennsylvania). http://www.authenticshopredskins.com/Authentic_Dexter-Manley_Redskins_Jersey/ .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. http://www.authenticshopredskins.com/Authentic_DeAngelo-Hall_Redskins_Jersey/ . -- If Henry Burris has his way, he will be the starting quarterback to lead the Hamilton Tiger-Cats back to the Grey Cup next year. http://www.authenticshopredskins.com/Authentic_Spencer-Long_Redskins_Jersey/ . Toronto has dropped games to Indiana and Miami since a five-game winning streak and closed out a three-game road trip at 1-2. http://www.authenticshopredskins.com/Authentic_Doug-Williams_Redskins_Jersey/ . Cuban testified Thursday that he was upset when the companys CEO told him news that would reduce the value of his shares, for which hed paid $7.5 million. But he said he did nothing improper when he sold those shares over the next two days. http://www.authenticshopredskins.com/Authentic_Perry-Riley_Redskins_Jersey/ . -- James Young couldnt wait to apply those tweaks to his jump shot, and the first one he made against UT Arlington told him it could be a good night.PITTSBURGH -- Yovani Gallardo has spent much of his career toying with the Pittsburgh Pirates. On Wednesday night, the Pirates finally found a way to flip the script on their nemesis. Neil Walker laced a two-run single off the Milwaukee right-hander in the sixth inning, Wandy Rodriguez pitched seven strong innings and the Pirates beat the Brewers 3-1 on Wednesday. Gallardo (3-3) came in 7-0 in his last eight starts against the Pirates but was outdueled by Rodriguez and outsmarted by Walker, who guessed right when he stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and one out. "He has to come to you," Walker said. "He has to throw strikes and if you stay in your own approach and dont go chasing pitchers pitches and more often than not youre going to at least hit a barrel." When the switch-hitting Walker, batting left-handed, saw the cutter he was expecting, he slapped it up the middle for his first RBIs in nearly a month. The second baseman came off the 15-day disabled list with a hand injury on Monday then gave the Pirates the jolt they needed to post consecutive victories over the Brewers for the first time in nearly four years. "These are important moving forward for confidence," Walker said. "But being at home here, we feel like it doesnt matter who we play, we need to take advantage of that home field advantage." The Pirates moved six games above .500 for the first time this season with the victory. Rodriguez (4-2), who was knocked around by the Brewers when he faced them last month, responded by expertly working himself out of trouble spots the first four innings before eventually giving away to Pittsburghs red-hot bullpen. Rodriguez (4-2) gave up six hits, walking one and striking out five then watched Jason Grilli worked the ninth for his National League-leading 16th save. "It was the start we needed, a little bit better than their guy," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. "Their guy was good too." Gallardo almost always is when he faces Pittsburgh. He entered the game with a 10-2 lifetime record against the Pirates and was solid enough to make it 11-2 after surrendering three hits over six innings, walking four and striking out four. He just received little help offensively. Rickie Weeks hit his third homer to provide Milwaukees only run. Norichika Aoki had two hits for the Brewers but couldnt stop Milwaukee from falling to 2-10 in its last 12 games. "Guys are giving it all they have," Gallardo said. "Its not like were trying hard. Its just the way the game is, sometimes. Youve just got to keep grinding it out." Milwaukee has dominated the Pirates over the last six years, winning 73 per ceent of the meetings between the two clubs and knocked Rodriguez around during his last start against the Brewers two weeks ago.dddddddddddd The left-hander was rocked for seven runs in 4 2-3 innings of an eventual 10-4 loss on April 29. Things were decidedly smoother this time around. Working both sides of the plate, Rodriguez kept the Brewers off balance and buckled down when pressed. Milwaukee put runners in scoring position in each of the first four innings but had nothing to show for it. No missed opportunity loomed larger than the one the Brewers created in the fourth when Jonathan Lucroy led off with a triple to right. Rodriguez induced Carlos Gomez and Weeks to hit harmless infield flies before Alex Gonzalez rolled a routine grounder to shortstop to end the threat. "He picked it up and laid it down for us and he battled from start to finish," Hurdle said. Gallardo was just as sharp. Pittsburgh managed just one hit through the first six innings before Starling Marte doubled to centre leading off the sixth. Andrew McCutchen and Gaby Sanchez worked one out walks to load the bases to set up Walkers tiebreaking single. The hit ended an 0-for-23 skid with runners in scoring position by the Pirates and was just enough to deal Gallardo a rare loss to Pittsburgh "The pitch was off the plate and below the knees," Gallardo said. "Sometimes, youve got to tip your cap to the hitter. I threw it where I wanted to throw." Weeks drew the Brewers within a run in the seventh with a homer to the bleachers in left field off Rodriguez but baseballs best one-two punch out of the bullpen shut the door. Set-up man Mark Melancon retired the Brewers in order in the eighth and Grilli did the same in the ninth as Pittsburgh remained undefeated (17-0) when leading after seven innings. The Pirates gave Grilli a little extra cushion in the eighth when McCutchen scored from third after Weeks threw wide of first after making a diving stop on a grounder by Walker. NOTES: Pittsburgh recalled INF Jordy Mercer on Wednesday after placing John McDonald on the 15-day disabled list with a bad back. Mercer started at shortstop and went 1 for 2 ... The Brewers plan to call up veteran reliever Francisco Rodriguez on Thursday. The 31-year-old Rodriguez signed a minor-league deal with the Brewers in April. The four-time All-Star went 2-7 with a 4.38 ERA in 78 games with Milwaukee in 2012 ... ... Umpire Fieldin Culbreth worked at third base on Wednesday night. He left Tuesday nights game after being struck in the neck with a ball ... The series concludes on Thursday. Hiram Burgos (1-1, 6.86 ERA) starts for the Brewers against Pittsburghs Francisco Liriano (1-0, 1.69). Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '