Jobs » d referee that is empowered to place his integrity and that of

CHONBURI, Thailand -- Anna Nordqvist won the LPGA Thailand on Sunday to end a five-year victory drought, holding off top-ranked Inbee Park at Siam County Club. Nordqvist, the LPGA Championship and LPGA Tour Championship winner in 2009, led wire-to-wire. The 26-year-old Swede closed with a 4-under 68 to beat defending champion Park by two strokes. "Im speechless to be honest," Nordqvist said. "Its been a couple years since I won. Ive been working very hard. Had my ups and downs. Just couldnt be happier to be here. It was such a hard push on the back nine." Nordqvist finished at 15-under 273 on the Pattaya Old Course. Park, making her first start of the year, had a bogey-free 66. The South Korean player won six times last year. "I feel good," Park said. "Today, my ball-striking wasnt as good as yesterday. I putted better than yesterday. So I feel like my putter is coming back. I played one shot better than last year and didnt win. Still a very good result. Tells me I improved a little." Scotlands Catriona Matthew was third at 11 under after a 65, and Michelle Wie was 10 under after a 69. "Inbee kept making birdies and Michelle was playing great," said Nordqvist, four strokes ahead of Park and Wie entering the round. "I couldnt really breathe until the last putt, so obviously I could just let go on the last putt." Wie cut the lead to one with a three-stroke swing on the par-4 fifth hole. Nordqvist had a double bogey on the hole and Wie made a birdie. Nordqvist rebounded with a 12-foot birdie putt on No. 7 to extend her lead two shots. She birdied five of the first seven holes on the back nine to open a three-stroke lead and closed with a bogey on the par-5 18th. "I just really had to stay strong," Nordqvist said. Projected to jump to 14th in the world ranking, Nordqvist changed equipment and started working with instructor Jorje Parada during the off-season after considering leaving the tour. "I surround myself with great people and friends and family," Nordqvist said. "I have a great coach that really inspired me the last couple months, couple weeks, just to believe in myself and keep going no matter what. It was a grind this off-season, but sitting here with the trophy it was well worth it." Yani Tseng, the winner in 2011 and 2012, had a 66 to tie for fifth at 9 under with Stacy Lewis (66), Lexi Thompson (68), Gerina Piller (66) and Julieta Granada (69). Lewis has 13 straight top-10 finishes, three off the LPGA Tour record set by Karrie Webb in 2000. Riley Ridley Womens Jersey .com) - The Tennessee Titans agreed to terms with running back Jackie Battle on a one-year contract Friday. Riley Ridley Youth Jersey . Linemates Ryan Johansen and Boone Jenner each had a goal and an assist in the first period, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 36 saves to lead the Blue Jackets past the Florida Panthers 4-1 on Saturday night. https://www.bearssportsgoods.com/Womens-Gale-Sayers-Inverted-Jersey/ . Leave it to Matt Niskanen, the newly proclaimed Eddie Haskell of the Washington Capitals. Brian Urlacher Jersey . It was well worth the wait. Manning and the Denver Broncos waited eight long months, then another 33 minutes to get the season started because of a lightning storm. Jim McMahon Jersey . -- Peyton Manning is the only player in this Super Bowl who has won the big game.Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn.ca. Kerry, I hope you address Ron MacLeans comment during the second intermission of Game 4 in Montreal-Tampa series. Basically, he suggested that the NHL should not have used a referee from Quebec, following the Game 3 disputed non-goal, because the referee could be biased towards Montreal. Thank you,Bobby Dodd ---- Hi Kerry, On Tuesday, the host of the other playoff broadcaster said that a referee from the area should not have been assigned Game 4 of the Tampa-Montreal series after a controversial call Sunday involving another francophone Quebec referee. Do you agree with that sentiment? Coming off a game like Sundays, should that have been done if it was an official from Ontario for a Leafs game? Or a referee from B.C. for a Canucks game? Jamie Walker Bobby, Jamie and to all Canadians: Ron MacLean offered a very contrite apology for his initial inappropriate comments during a follow-up segment in the Hockey Night In Canada broadcast when he said, "First of all, I want to say Im sorry. Its divisive any time you become about French and English in our country. But I didnt intend to go down that path." We all need to accept Ron MacLeans apology. I have always had the utmost respect for Ron and his sincere apology speaks to the quality of the man more than the personality you see on camera. I know what Ron intended, even though it came out all wrong. There have been many times when the NHL felt the need to alter an officials assignment in an effort to manage a regular season or playoff series based on an incident that took place in a previous game. I called Director of Officiating Bryan Lewis one time when there was a overlap in the assignment process that would have resulted in me working six of seven road games for the Montreal Canadiens. It was just an assignment glitch that was quickly adjusted to avoid overexposure of a referee to one team. Another time, VP of Hockey Ops Brian Burke assigned me as a last-minute addition in a Habs-Flyers game after Lyle Odelein threatened to get Eric Lindros following a fight between the two players in the first game of a home and home series. I was also reassigned to work a return grudge match between Ottawa and the Leafs following a major battle they had a couple of nights earlier in Toronto. In the 2004 Stanley Cup Final between Calgary and Tampa, an initial assignment schedule for the refs waas doomed to fail from the very beginning.dddddddddddd The referee pairings of Bill McCreary/Stephen Walkom and Brad Watson and I were assigned to work all of our games in the same venue. (Watson and I were assigned to Games 3, 4 and 6 in Calgary while the other crew was in Tampa for 1, 2 and 5). Series traditionally heat up as they progress and it was a suicide mission to have the same refs work in the same venue. Following Game 5 in Tampa a meeting was held in the officials room and I was informed by Colin Campbell and then Director of Officiating Andy Van Hellemond that Brad Watson and I were off Game 6 in Calgary. Nobody informed Brad Watson and he learned of the change the next day at the Denver Airport when Wats overhead members of the media talking about the assignment change as they were connecting onto his flight to Calgary! I returned to work Game 7 in Tampa with Bill McCreary. These kinds of adjustments in the assignment process are reasonable and necessary at times. Ron MacLean, as a referee himself, would certainly understand this type of logic. What Ron should have thought of before he embarked down a self-admitted "divisive" path is that whenever he pulls on his striped jersey, hes no longer from his hometown or even a star television host. In that moment, and in the performance of his duties, Ron is an impartial, unbiased referee that is empowered to place his integrity and that of the game on the line. He cares not what teams are playing or if they are from the town that he lives in. It matters not to Ron what colour their team jerseys are or the crest on the front. It is his duty as a "referee" to perform to the very best of his ability without prejudice or bias. I know that Ron MacLean performs those duties without question every time he pulls on that striped jersey. NHL officials are no different in this regard. When they pull on stripes they are professional people with strong character and integrity. They too perform their duties to the best of their ability and are paid to be impartial. We can criticize an official for a poor call or even our perception of their level of competency. What should never be brought into question is any perceived bias based on where an official might make his home or his family heritage. The referee in Ron MacLean understands these facts as well as I do. Ron - a consummate professional and a man of character and integrity - sincerely apologized for his slip up and brief act of misconduct. As such Ron needs to be forgiven. Time to move forward. ' ' '