es left to play, the Impact can save face with a strong showing in the Champions League. T

PINEHURST, N.C. -- Phil Mickelson spent five hours in the stifling heat Tuesday at Pinehurst No. 2 with a lot on his mind. He was trying to sharpen his game, figure out what it will take to finally win a U.S. Open and make enough putts with his claw grip to avoid losing to a pair of players whose combined age is younger than him. This major has a reputation as the toughest test in golf. Its every bit of that for Mickelson. "I really believe that this week is testing a players entire game," Mickelson said. "Because it forces you to make good decisions, to choose the right club off the tee, hit solid iron shots into the green and utilize your short game to save strokes. Its just a wonderful test ... the best test Ive seen to identify the best player." His definition of Pinehurst and its rugged, natural look would seem to require every ounce of concentration. And that could be his biggest challenge. On the golf course, Mickelson is trying to ignore the enormous expectations on him this week. He holds the worst kind of U.S. Open record with six runner-up finishes. He needs this major to complete the career Grand Slam. And hes a sentimental favourite at Pinehurst No. 2, where in 1999 he played the entire week knowing his wife was on the verge of delivering their first child. Payne Stewart made a 15-foot par putt on the final hole to beat him by one shot. Amanda Mickelson was born the next day. Stewart died in a plane crash four months later. "Payne and I had this moment where we talked about fatherhood, but he also talked about winning future U.S. Opens," Mickelson said. "Although I havent won one yet, Im still fighting hard, and this would be a great place to break through and do it. The flip side is that I tend to do well when its least expected. "I dont want to put the pressure on that this is the only week that Ill have a chance," he said. "I think Ill have a number of great opportunities in the future years. But this is certainly as good a chance as Ill have." Off the course, Mickelson has made headlines that threaten his clean image. He was linked two weeks ago to an insider trading investigation involving activist investor Carl Icahn and Las Vegas gambler Billy Walters over some timely trades of Clorox stock three years ago. FBI agents even came to the golf course to try to interview Mickelson. He referred them to his attorney, said he had done "absolutely nothing wrong" and that "Im not going to walk around any other way." It would seem to be a major distraction for Mickelson. Even though he hasnt won in nearly a year, and he has dropped to No. 11 in the world ranking, he is the centre of attention in the sand hills of North Carolina -- especially with Tiger Woods still out of the game while recovering from back surgery. Then again, it could be to Mickelsons advantage to be at a place such as Pinehurst. The course doesnt allow anyone to think about anything but the next shot. "We have so many players when they have a lot of stuff swirling around them that use that four or five hours on the golf course as a sanctuary," two-time U.S. Open champion Andy North said. "You can focus sometimes even better, which sound crazy, but its your place where no one can get to you. The phone cant ring. No one can ask you questions about whatever it is. And you get out there and find your little space. And sometimes that creates a situation where a guy can play exceptionally well." The investigation has not been a big topic since Mickelson said repeatedly at the Memorial that he had done nothing wrong, was co-operating and would not talk about it until it was resolved. There were no direct questions at his news conference Tuesday, only veiled references to coping with off-course distractions. Barclays, one of his biggest sponsors, declined to comment on Mickelson. KPMG, another major sponsor, said in a statement, "We have had a very strong relationship with Phil for a number of years, and we fully expect it to continue. We have great respect for him." While Mickelsons U.S. Open record is loaded with disappointment, he sees only opportunity. To have been the runner-up six times -- not to mention other U.S. Opens where he had a chance to win in the final hour -- means he must be doing something right. And he hasnt lost his sense of humour. "I feel as good about my game as I have all year," Mickelson said, pausing before he added, "Thats not staying a lot because I havent played well all year." He also said an analysis of his close calls in the U.S. Open revealed that it rained during the week in five of those second-place finishes. "So Im pulling for rain," he said. As for that other match? Mickelson carried the load as he and Rickie Fowler rallied from 3 down to tie the match, only for 20-year-old Jordan Spieth to make a 20-foot birdie on the 17th, and 21-year-old Justin Thomas to drill a tee shot on the 18th hole to set up a par for the win. Another close call. Its a U.S. Open. Mickelson should be used to that by now. Cheap Fake Jerseys Free Shipping . He just didnt expect them to be this good. Darrun Hilliard scored 19 points to lead No. 6 Villanova to a dominating 77-59 victory over Georgetown on Saturday, preserving the Wildcats hopes of a No. Wholesale Custom Jerseys . Samir Nasris 88th-minute equalizer at Etihad Stadium will be of little consolation to City, which is now six points behind league leader Liverpool and four points behind second-place Chelsea. Third-place City has a game in hand but the surprise result against Sunderland, coupled with Sundays 3-2 loss at Liverpool, may be a setback too far in its bid for a second championship in three seasons. http://www.jerseyscheapcustom.com/ .com) - James Harden needed just seven made field goals to drop 35 points on the Philadelphia 76ers, leading the Houston Rockets to a 104-93 win on Monday. Cheap Jerseys From China ." Also, defencemen "were found to be at a higher risk of suffering a concussion than other players, perhaps due to turning their back to retrieve pucks along the boards, which leaves them vulnerable. Wholesale Authentic Jerseys .com) - The Calgary Flames were again involved in a game in which a team was held scoreless, only this time they came out on the winning side. MONTREAL -- It will be up to Frank Klopas to salvage something from an all-but lost 2014 season and try to build the Montreal Impact into a winning team. Club president Joey Saputo removed his friend and long-time Impact player, coach and manager Nick De Santis from his job as sporting director on Wednesday and handed control of the Major League Soccer team to Klopas, the head coach and director of player personnel. "Nick will have an administrative role, but will not be involved in the management of the technical team," said Saputo. Pressure from fans and the media had been building since the end of last season to replace De Santis, who seemed to be out of answers for a free fall that began with a 1-6-1 finish to the 2013 regular season and a 3-12-5 start to the 2014 campaign. De Santiss failure to make off-season changes other than replacing coach Marco Schallibaum with Klopas was his undoing, as the same weaknesses on defence and in the midfield that were exposed late last summer carried into this season. Now Klopas will have full control to decide who will play and who will sit out, and what trades or signings will be made. "He will have the responsibility to tweak this team according to what he feels he needs to be more competitive for the remainder of this season, the 2014 CONCACAF champions league and the 2015 season," said Saputo. The Impact have already made a handful of player moves since April, shipping out defender Jeb Brovsky, midfielders Collen Warner and Sanna Nyassi and forward Andrew Wenger. Midfielder Hernan Bernardello left in midseason to sign with a Mexican club. None of the moves made much difference as the Impact, now on a five-game losing run, sank further into the MLS basement. Saputo hopes to eliminate confusion over who is in charge, particularly among the players brought in by De Santis and those acquired by Klopas. "I want the message passed to the players that the person on top is Frank Klopas and not Nick De Santis. Its Frank who is the players boss," he said. Klopas is the Impacts third head coach in as manny seasons in MLS, following Jesse Marsch for the expansion season in 2012 and Schallibaum last year.dddddddddddd Saputo said he has assured Klopas, who signed in December for two years plus an option year, that he will have his job at least until the end of the 2015 campaign. "He has the security regardless of what happens this year, so if Frank decides tomorrow that he wants to start playing some of the younger players, I give him full responsibility, knowing that his job is not on the line," said Saputo. "Its obvious we need to change." The 47-year-old Klopas has extensive MLS experience as a player and as a former technical director and head coach of the Chicago Fire. It was De Santis who pushed for him to be hired. While reaching the MLS playoffs will be a long shot with only 14 regular season games left to play, the Impact can save face with a strong showing in the Champions League. They begin CONCACAF play Tuesday at home against FAS of El Salvador. One of the clubs high points came in 2009 when they drew more than 50,000 fans to Olympic Stadium for a quarter-final against Santos Laguna of Mexico. They also expect to have a second designated player, Argentine midfielder Ignacio Piatti, in camp starting next week. More player signings, although not a new DP, are planned for the off-season. Saputo did not say what De Santiss new duties will be. Montreal native De Santis has been part of the Impact since the team was formed from the ashes of the defunct Montreal Supra in 1993. The 46-year-old won an APSL championship as a player in 1994, won the A-League title as coach in 2004 and got a USL First Division championship as a manager in 2009. "He was a key element and architect of this organization and one of the reasons we are in MLS today," Saputo said of De Santis. "He is a friend, however, we are in a results-driven business and unfortunately, since July 2013, our results have not been what we expected them to be and hes paying the price for it." The Impacts next game is at home Saturday against Toronto FC. ' ' '