consistency, and consistency individually.For us thats not been the case this season. Were looking to try and finish positively, its difficult when youre not playing for anything, but were always playing for prid

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Those stars and stripes get her every time.Any time I talk about representing my country, and what it would mean to hold the medal for our country and hear our national anthem ... Im just so proud to be an American and I think our country is the best, U.S. golfer Gerena Piller said after the first round of the Olympic womens golf tournament Wednesday.Piller finished the day at 2-under 69 and in an eight-way tie for 11th, 4 strokes behind the leader Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand and sandwiched between Americans Lexi Thompson (3-under 68, tied for seventh) and Stacy Lewis (1-under 70 and tied for 19th).Piller, 31, had six birdies -- including a run on holes 9, 10 and 11, and another to finish at 18 -- to offset four bogeys. Ranked 28th at the start of the year with five U.S. golfers between her and a top 15 finish and spot on the Olympic team, it did not seem particularly likely that she would even be in Rio.In the end, nine-hundreths of a point separated her 15th ranking from the next golfer, secured by Pillers eighth-place finish that week in Julys U.S. Womens Open.To squeak in at the end, thats pretty cool, she said. And it wasnt like I finished 40th. I top-10d in the U.S. Open. So thats an accomplishment in itself.That achievement and the prospect that she might be standing on the medal podium Saturday, brought Piller to tears in a Tuesday team media conference.Growing up, thats not something that was ever in my mind, she said as she covered her eyes.For her mother Rita Stevenson, who walked the course Wednesday, it was difficult speaking of her daughters accomplishment without also tearing up.Gerina is my idol, shes my hero, Rita said. She has taken it to the next level. She had the opportunity and Im so proud of her.An elementary school P.E. teacher, Stevenson said she gives the same speech to her students every four years.Ive been doing this for 10 years and every times the Olympics come around, it just moves me, and I tell my kids at school, You know what, guys, you can be an Olympian. All you have to do is have a dream and put it in your heart, and it can happen. You just have to work hard and yes, its not going to be easy, but you can do it. And then ...And then she pauses, said Piller, and is like, Wow, my daughter is an Olympian. Its pretty cool to hear her say that.An all-around athlete growing up in Roswell, New Mexico, Piller played basketball, soccer, volleyball and Little League baseball because she didnt find softball competitive enough. She didnt take up golf until she was 15.Her stepfather, Alan Stevenson, whom Piller calls Dad, talked about hearing of some 200 womens golf scholarships that went unused for smaller schools.I said to Rita, This is an opportunity, something we may want to think about, said Alan Stevenson, who is also in Rio this week. Rita was a new teacher and I was a rookie police officer and we talked about it as maybe a way for her to go to school someday.He laughed about taking her to play nine holes with her brother Michael and Gerina shooting a 72.Some days later, she said, Dad, Im pretty good at golf. And I said, Yeah, youre OK. And she said, Well, I shot a 72 and those guys are shooting a 72 on TV, and I said, Yes Gerina, but you did it in nine holes. She fell in love with the challenge, her parents said. But more than that was the motivation that has driven her to consistently improve throughout her nine-year career.It comes from her early childhood and the sacrifices her mother made when she was a single mother raising our three oldest kids, Alan Stevenson said. Thats the foundation for Gerina -- where she came from -- that gave her the strength and character, the courage to go do stuff a lot of people may not have ever thought of doing.Its significant to her because she doesnt take for granted people who sacrificed their lives to protect us and our freedoms. She gets that. She gets it to her heart and to her core.Brian Dilley, Pillers caddie of the past year and a half, called Gerina one of the most patriotic people Ive ever been around and she lets it show whenever shes wearing the stars and stripes.Pillers latest and most notable accomplishment playing for her country came in September, when her 8-foot putt proved pivotal in the U.S. comeback victory in the Solheim Cup.It means more to her than anything to be an American and represent her country, her mother said.At 11, Piller recalled watching the 96 Olympics and the womens gymnastics team, the Magnificent Seven, that won the first gold for the U.S. in team competition. She rattled off the names of each team member.Shannon Miller, Dominique Moceanu, Dominique Dawes, Kerri Strug being carried off by Bela Karolyi, she said. Obviously I thought that would be pretty awesome to be in the Olympics, but its gymnastics. I cant even touch my toes, so that dream kind of went out the window ...I never thought I would be standing here giving an interview about being in the Olympics. Its just a dream come true.Married to PGA Tour golfer Martin Piller -- the only husband-wife combo on their respective tours -- Gerinas thoughts are also with her husband this week as he fights to keep his PGA Tour card at the Wyndham Championship, the final regular-season event in which to qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs.I know I would love to be there supporting him, Piller said. I know he would love to be here. I think Im more concerned with me not being there for him because its a big week for him and hes had his card before and hasnt kept it. Im just praying that he has a good week and hes just content with whatever comes at him and he just plays to his best ability. If he does that, I think the good results will come.As for Piller, she has eight top-10 finishes this year, tied for sixth on tour, but hasnt broken through for that first career victory.I dont think there are any limits for her, said Dilley, a longtime caddie on the LPGA Tour. Its all between her ears and shes just gaining confidence. She knows she should be in that last group, she knows she should win tournaments. Before, it was I just want to get a top-10 or a top-15 or be in contention but now she knows she belongs in that last group every Sunday. And its only a matter of time.If the time should come this week, dont expect Piller to be dry-eyed.I couldnt be more proud and more blessed to be an American, she said. So any time that I can represent our country and succeed and stand on the podium, it just gets me every time. Samuel Morin Jersey . -- Al Jefferson found a groove just in time for the Charlotte Bobcats. Eric Lindros Flyers Jersey . Rousey will put her perfect 8-0 record and hardware on the line against another undefeated fighter, 7-0 Sara McMann in the main event of UFC 170, which will be held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas Nevada on February 22nd. http://www.flyersteamstoreonline.com/authentic-ron-hextall-flyers-jersey/ . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. Nolan Patrick Jersey . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. Michael Raffl Jersey . Third-seeded Murray had the easiest path to victory on New Years Eve, barely breaking a sweat during his 6-0, 6-0 win over 2,129th-ranked Qatari wildcard recipient Mousa Shanan Zayed.Gary Cahill admits losing John Terry would be a blow as the defenders career at Chelsea seemingly draws to a close. Terry has been at Stamford Bridge for his entire career, winning four league titles and a Champions League, and revealed in January that his contract would not be renewed at the club.He has since expressed his desire to stay at Chelsea, but with new manager Antonio Conte not arriving until after Euro 2016, his future still remains uncertain. Gary Cahill was appearing at an SSE Next Generation event at Surrey Sports Park His team-mate Cahill doubts anyone will achieve what Terry has during his 18-year spell at the club, and insists replacing him would be difficult.Cahill exclusively told Sky Sports: It is [difficult to imagine the dressing room without him]. I suppose there was always going to be a time when that happened, but for me it was always going to be a blow.No player is going to play on forever, and there comes a time where you have to move on, or retire, or move clubs, or whatever it is going to be.But to replace someone like him is going to be difficult, not only as a player but as a character too, in the dressing room. But like I said, there is a time where that happens, and that is natural. You see that with the likes of Steven Gerrard at Liverpool, these players are very hard to replace. Terrys time at Chelsea looks to be coming to an end To achieve what he has achieved at this football club, and to achieve what he has achieved in his career, is phenomenal.Will anyone achieve what he has achieved as a captain at Chelsea Football Club? Probably not. Its something remarkable. Of course in all the fans eyes he will be thought of for many years and obviously never be forgotten.Terry is suspended for the visit of champions Leicester on the final day of the season, meaning he may have already played his final minutes for the club.But Cahill insists there will still be celebrations for the 35-year-old, adding: I am sure there will be celebrations in that respect from the players, fans, management staff. Chelsea fans display a banner in support of Terry during their 1-1 draw at Liverpool For mee hes been one of the best centre-backs the Premier League has seen.dddddddddddd He has consistently performed season after season, which is difficult at a club like Chelsea, to fight off that competition year after year. Of course hes hugely popular.Chelsea were crowned Premier League champions under Jose Mourinho this time last year, but currently sit mid-table after a poor campaign which saw the Portuguese manager sacked in December.Cahill insists he does not want to experience this feeling of underachievement again, and hopes it is a learning curve towards future success at Stamford Bridge.Its been disappointing, its been one not to remember. Not too many positives this year, which is quite obvious. We are used to challenging and used to winning trophies. Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink thinks Terry is fit enough to continue playing at the highest level There have been times when we look like were going to do something, and then slip back down. We know more than anyone its all about consistency, and consistency individually.For us thats not been the case this season. Were looking to try and finish positively, its difficult when youre not playing for anything, but were always playing for pride and you have a professional responsibility.We definitely dont want this feeling next year, so if weve learned anything its that.[Sunday] is not going to be a celebration day for us. Its like a time where we are handing the trophy over.Gary Cahill was appearing at an SSE Next Generation event at Surrey Sports Park. Also See: Hazard will regain best form Mersons predictions WATCH: Hazards stunning solo goal Hiddink hopeful over Terry deal ' ' '