Kommandozentrale » the 13th hole and followed with a wedge into 8 feet

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Two American Olympic swimmers landed in Miami on Friday morning after being pulled off a plane a day earlier to testify about an alleged robbery at the Rio Olympics that Brazilian police later deemed erroneous.The lawyer for a third U.S. swimmer said he would make a $10,800 payment and leave Brazil later in the day.The drama surrounding the alleged robbery of American swimmers -- and their ever-changing descriptions of it -- has shocked and deeply angered Brazilians, who said it cast a false negative shadow on their city and their Olympics. The story has also dominated Olympic headlines, overshadowing the worthy accomplishments of athletes who had trained for years just to get to Rio and set records during their performances at these Olympics.The rapid-fire developments early Friday came hours after police announced that Ryan Lochte and three of his teammates had not been held at gunpoint after a night of partying, as Lochte claimed. Instead, Brazilian police said the men, while intoxicated, vandalized a gas station bathroom and were questioned by armed guards before they paid for the damage and left.The saga has been an embarrassment for the U.S. Olympic team, which has otherwise dominated the games. It also deeply wounded a country eager to prove it could host the first Games in Latin America despite concerns it could not keep athletes and spectators safe from rampant street crime.No robbery was committed against these athletes. They were not victims of the crimes they claimed, civil police chief Fernando Veloso said during a news conference.As two of the swimmers, Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger, were whisked through airport security and onto a plane home Thursday night from Rio de Janeiro, their attorney insisted they had nothing to do with Lochtes story. Lochte himself left the country earlier this week.Bentz and Conger, who arrived at Miami International Airport around 6:30 a.m. on Friday, were heard only as witnesses. This has to be made very, very clear, lawyer Sergio Riera told The Associated Press. They did not make any untruthful testimony. They did not lie in their statements.A lawyer for another swimmer, James Feigen, said early Friday that the athlete had reached an agreement with a judge in which he planned to donate 35,000 Brazilian reals ($10,800) to an institution and leave the country later in the day.Attorney Breno Melaragno said under the agreement, Feigen will make the donation, get his passport back and depart.Melaragno did not specify where the money will go, but his use of the term institution can be taken to mean a charity. He said that under Brazilian law, a donation can be made to avoid criminal prosecution for minor offenses, but he did not say which charge was being contemplated.Although police appear mostly finished with their probe, the case may be far from settled. Police have said they are considering charges of falsely reporting a crime and destruction of property, both of which can carry up to six months in jail or a fine.Lochtes attorney has insisted the story wasnt made up -- but neither he nor Lochte commented on the police account after it unfolded.The saga began when Lochte said he, Conger, Bentz and Feigen were held at gunpoint and robbed several hours after the last Olympic swimming races ended. That claim began to unravel when police said that investigators could not find evidence to substantiate it.Then security video reviewed by police confirmed that the athletes vandalized parts of the gas station, leading to an encounter with station employees.The video shows one of the swimmers pulling a sign off a wall and dropping it onto the ground. A gas station worker arrives, and other workers inspect the damage. Veloso said the swimmers broke a door, a soap dispenser and a mirror.The swimmers eventually talk with station workers, and their cab leaves. In another sequence, the swimmers appear to briefly raise their hands while talking to someone and sit down on a curb.After a few minutes, the swimmers stand up and appear to exchange something -- perhaps cash, as police said -- with one of the men.The footage doesnt show a weapon, but a police official speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing said two guards pointed guns at the swimmers. Veloso said the guards did not use excessive force and would have been justified in drawing their weapons because the athletes were conducting themselves in a violent way.A station employee called police, and the guards and employees tried to get the swimmers and the taxi driver to stay until authorities arrived, some even offering to help interpret between English and Portuguese, Veloso said. But he said the athletes wanted to leave, so they paid 100 Brazilian reals (about US $33) and $20 in U.S. currency and left.Police said the swimmers had been unable to provide key details in early interviews, saying they had been intoxicated. The police official said officers grew suspicious when security video showed the swimmers returning to the athletes village wearing watches, which would have likely been taken in a robbery.Bentz and Conger told police that they felt Lochte had lied about the situation in media interviews, according to text of the statements released by Rio police.We got pulled over, in the taxi, and these guys came out with a badge, a police badge, no lights, no nothing just a police badge and they pulled us over, Lochte told NBCs Today the morning after the incident. They pulled out their guns, they told the other swimmers to get down on the ground -- they got down on the ground. I refused, I was like we didnt do anything wrong, so -- Im not getting down on the ground.And then the guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, put it to my forehead and he said, Get down, and I put my hands up, I was like whatever. He took our money, he took my wallet -- he left my cellphone, he left my credentials.The debacle prompted both wild speculation and social media mockery, which quickly turned to scorn after the official account went public. #LochteGate trended on Twitter, with users sharing video footage and posting comments about white privilege and rude Americans.David Fleischer, a political scientist at the University of Brasilia, said the incident touched a nerve in Brazil because of the countrys history and cases of people committing crimes while impersonating police.The story did have some sense of validity, but it didnt bear out and it made them look bad worldwide, he said.That outrage was evident Thursday, as onlookers shouted liars and shameful at Bentz and Conger as they left a police station where they gave statements.Although Lochte has medaled often, his accomplishments have long been overshadowed by those of teammate Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian in history. Lochte, a 12-time medalist, won a gold in Rio in a relay race alongside Phelps.Lochte and the other swimmers could face sanctions from USA Swimming, including fines or suspension. The group, as well as Olympic officials, publicly expressed disappointment and said they would further examine the matter.We apologize to our hosts in Rio and the people of Brazil for this distracting ordeal in the midst of what should rightly be a celebration of excellence, the U.S. Olympic Committee said.Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.Cheap Salomon Shoes . "It doesnt get any better than that," Giambi said. "Im speechless." The Indians are roaring toward October. Giambi belted a two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the ninth inning to give Cleveland a shocking 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night, keeping the Indians up with the lead pack in the AL wild-card race. Wholesale Salomon Shoes . The Barrie Colts defenceman, who impressed many with his play for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship, is the top-ranked skater in the February rankings. He has 19 goals and 24 assists for 43 points in 45 games with the Colts this season. http://www.cheapsalomon.us/ . -- Mike Smith never saw his first NHL goal go in. Discount Salomon Shoes Online . -- Its been a long road back for Sean Bergenheim. Cheap Salomon Shoes China . To the surprise of many, it isnt the Wolverines but their in-state rivals the Michigan State Spartans.AKRON, Ohio -- Dustin Johnson sailed off to the Bahamas for a private celebration of winning his first major championship at the U.S. Open.He came roaring back at the Bridgestone Invitational. In the toughest conditions at Firestone in nearly a decade, Johnson made it look easy Sunday, when he closed with a 4-under 66 and rallied from a 3-shot deficit against the worlds No. 1 player to win another World Golf Championship.He needed some help from Jason Day, who collapsed on the back nine. Johnson did his part by making a tough par save on the 15th hole, when he got in range, and pouring in a 15-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole that made a bogey at the end meaningless.Two starts, two victories, and now No. 2 in the world.Its the first time Ive won two tournaments in a row, Johnson said after his 1-shot victory over Scott Piercy. I mean, thats big. Im excited and looking forward to going over to the British with the golf game in good form.Johnson looks like the player to beat at Royal Troon, with a frightening combination of driving, wedges and -- finally -- putts falling.Day was also looking forward to the British Open -- anything to take his mind off the finish. He had a 1-shot lead, then didnt hit a green in regulation over the last six holes.Far more damaging was the par-5 16th hole. He tried to play it safe off the tee on the 655-yard hole and hooked a 3-wood into the trees. He blasted through the branches and across the fairway and got a good break when a young fan picked up his ball, which allowed Day a free drop from behind a tree. Then, he tried to squeeze a shot from 200 yards around the pond. It came up short and rode the collar of the bank into the water, which led to double-bogey.I thought I had the right play, Day said. I was just trying to hit it up there to the left, get it just left of the bunker or just in the bunker there. ... Sometimes you take those risks, and it doesnt pay off. So it happens, but Im looking forward to the Open.Day rushed over to Johnson before signing his card to congratulate him.Piercy nearly overcame back-to-back bogeys, but two good looks at birdies burned the edges on the 16th and 17th holes, and a birdie on the closing hole made the deficit one shot and Piercy a runner-up for the second straiight week.dddddddddddd He tied for second behind Johnson in the U.S. Open.Inch here or inch there is kind of the difference between winning and finishing second or third, Piercy said.Johnson joined Tiger Woods as the only players to capture three of the four World Golf Championships. He won the Cadillac Championship at Doral last year and the HSBC Champions in Shanghai in the fall of 2013.His 66-66 weekend at Firestone gave him a 6-under 274 and matched the highest winning score at this World Golf Championship since Woods in 2005. Nine players finished under par, the fewest since Woods was the only player to break par in 2007.Day closed with a 72 and tied for third with Jordan Spieth (67), Matt Kuchar (66) and Kevin Chappell (67).Kuchar moved to No. 15 in the world, which could be important if he can stay in the top 15 and remain the sixth-highest American after next week, provided two Americans choose not to play in the Olympics. Bubba Watson is the only player of those eligible who has said for certain that he will go to Rio.Johnson was three shots behind when he rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt on the 13th hole and followed with a wedge into 8 feet for birdie on the next hole. Right when Day was getting into big trouble on the 16th, Johnson blasted a 9-iron out of the thick rough on the 17th to 15 feet and rolled in the birdie putt to take command.Johnson has 11 career victories in his nine years on the PGA Tour.I feel great, he said. I feel like my game is where it has been all year. I just havent been putting quite as well as Id like. The last couple of weeks, I just putted a little better.He made it sound so simple. It looks that way too. Key to his game was his decision late last year to go to a fade off the tee instead of the draw he has leaned on for most of his career. He has that dialed in, and Johnson said when hes driving it as well as he has been, then Im going to be very tough to beat.That certainly has been the case his past two tournaments. He is building a home in south Florida with one room dedicated to golf memorabilia, such as his trophies.Hopefully, he said, Ive got to make it bigger. ' ' '