Mayweather Returns to the Ring for Final Fight

THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2015 SPORTS The Grand Slam bid is done; Spieth is not WHISTLING STRAITS: Jordan Spieth three-putts that round. He took four equipped to do just that. His goal at St. majors in the same season. “When did tations for 2015. “My goals for this year was on the 14th green and battling in putts on the eighth green in the final Andrews was to ignore what was at that start?” he said, already knowing the were to make the Presidents Cup team, conditions so severe the wind round. He also made a bunch of birdies stake and treat it like another major. Put answer. contend in at least one major and make approached 40 mph. “They pulled us off all week, and at the end of 72 holes, he the ball in play. Make putts. Get in con- No one ever talked about an the cut in all the majors,” he said. “In the course,” he said. Spieth wasn’t talk- needed one more. Simple as that. If tention. He said when it was over the American Slam until it was served up as 2013, they were tangible, specific goals I ing about St. Andrews. This was Sunday there was a hangover, it didn’t last long. historical significance never crossed his a consolation prize to Woods when his could shoot for. Right now, what’s big- at Whistling Straits, where he took a Spieth was playing golf in Dallas with mind even when he was tied for the shot at the Grand Slam ended in the ger than what we’ve done? We had a two-day scouting trip of the course that friends when his roommate mentioned lead with two holes to play. His wind and rain at Muirfield in 2002. chance to do something no one has will host the final major of the year. the “weirdest feeling” about watching approach to Whistling Straits isn’t much Woods made a strong run at the PGA done - win all four majors in a year.” Spieth was one shot away from mak- the Open. He told him that it seemed as different. Championship that year by making Part of the challenge is to finish ing the PGA Championship the most though Spieth had an off week at St. “I really don’t think it changes at all,” birdie on his last four holes, only to fin- strong. That’s what Spieth failed to do significant golf event since Tiger Woods Andrews, perhaps because he already Spieth said. “Like I said, the historical ish one shot behind Rich Beem. last season, when he finished out of the completed his sweep of the majors in had won the Masters and US Open. part never factored into my preparation Now the opportunity falls to Spieth. top 20 in six of his final seven events on 2001 at the Masters. The 22-year-old Maybe it was ingrained in everyone, or knowledge of the course or whatev- It’s still a chance to achieve something the PGA Tour. In his eyes, a new season Texan was trying to become the first Spieth included, that anything but a vic- er. All in all, I have the exact same feel- no one has ever done, though it feels starts this week at Bridgestone player to win them all in one season, tory at the British Open was not going ing. I may feel better. I knew what was hollow compared with what he was Invitational in Ohio, followed by the and he came closer than any of the oth- to be acceptable. at stake, and there was an added ele- chasing a month ago at the home of PGA Championship and then four FedEx er three greats - Arnold Palmer, Jack “We played good golf given every- ment to that off the course. Those were golf. Cup playoff events. “I would like to win Nicklaus and Woods - to getting the thing,” Spieth said. “It’s still good to play the questions everyone was asking. The Grand Slam is over. His season is one of these last six events,” he said. “I’d third leg of the Grand Slam at the British a major and lose by one shot. But that That’s what the crowd was saying as you not. Spieth knows what it’s like to adjust like to be in contention and close one of Open. was one shot from being the greatest go hole to hole in the practice round. goals during the course of the season, them out, stay focused on trying to win His three-putt on the 14th green at week of my life, instead of being on the ‘The Grand Slam is alive.’ just as he did as a rookie in 2013 when one of these six and forget about how St. Andrews, when the second round back burner. That’s what put it in per- “I wish they were still saying that,” he he started the year without a PGA Tour this year has gone. This is so new for us. resumed in wind so strong Spieth was spective for me.” said. “But since they aren’t, that might and finished it as the youngest It’s hard as a team for us to sit back and heard to say, “We never should have It was a memorable run, and now it’s ease the burden as far as practice.” He American (20) to play in the Presidents not want to soak in what’s happened.” A started,” is not what cost him a chance time to move on.Spieth already has laughed when asked about the Cup. lot has happened. And even in the final at the claret jug. He had four other shown at such a young age he is American Slam - winning the three US Looking back, he set modest expec- two months, there’s a lot left.—AP Miami lineman speaks of heatstroke ordeal CORAL GABLES: Hunter Knighton once was becoming very hostile. A symptom of went a week without sleeping, afraid to heatstroke is irritability. And they couldn’t close his eyes because the nightmares get my hands off the bench to get me on were inevitable. Panic attacks were com- the cart. They said I had a death grip, fight- mon. Memories were hazy. Breathing was a ing people and stuff.” With every second, struggle. The dark, scary moments are still his condition seemed to worsen. Knighton in the recesses of his mind. But he’s about was breathing but not responding to para- to take another step toward escaping medics. His temperature was soaring to them for good. 109 degrees. Golden could see in the para- A year and a half removed from nearly medics’ faces that the situation was sud- dying on the Miami practice field because denly very critical. of heatstroke, Knighton returns to that “The enormity of what we were getting same field Thursday for the start of hit with became apparent,” Golden said. Hurricanes’ training camp. The offensive “What I saw, it’ll never be erased.” lineman - after undergoing intense reha- Knighton’s parents were summoned from bilitation on both the physical and psycho- the family’s Pennsylvania home. They were logical fronts - has been cleared for a full- first told he was having seizures. Soon they fledged return to the team, something that were told that the situation was turning became official just days ago after success- dire. They were there when Knighton woke fully completing one last round of tests. up. He thought 12 hours had passed. It was “It is definitely a big weight off my actually 12 days. He was in a coma, losing shoulders and I’m so thankful that God has 55 pounds in his sleep and unsure of what given me a second chance to showcase happened. what I can do.,” Knighton said. “Once I take “The worst memory of the hospital was the field, I’ll just have a lot of joy. But at the when I first woke up I couldn’t breathe,” same time, I still have a long way to go.” Knighton said. “I had the tube in there; it But after working with both doctors was like I was suffocating. Every breath I and other officials at Miami, as well as thought was going to be my last. I was being evaluated and treated at the Korey trapped in my body. Couldn’t talk. Couldn’t Stringer Institute in Connecticut - the facili- breathe. Everything was fuzzy. It felt like I ty named for the Minnesota Vikings line- was dying.” man who died of exertional heatstroke in These were dark days for Miami. A day August 2001 - Knighton is back in the after Knighton collapsed former game. Hurricanes standout JoJo Nicholas was That’s victory in itself. “I get emotional involved in a horrible car crash in Miami LAS VEGAS: In this May 2, 2015, file photo, boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., celebrates his unanimous decision victory over Manny Pacquiao, from just thinking about it,” Miami coach Al Beach and eventually died from his the Philippines. —AP Golden said. “Words can’t describe. ... What injuries. Golden was going from one hospi- he went through, everything he’s done to tal room to the other for those days, trying get back. He’s had the best care in the to console two grieving families while try- world. Everything in terms of his integra- ing to hold his emotions together. Mayweather returns to tion has been handled from the highest Months later, Golden’s wife would have levels.

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