thony Pettis during a championship fight week. Earlier this year, Punk and Koch went to a movie theater in Milwaukee while Koch was in the process of dropping weight. Instead of popcor

SHANGHAI -- In one year, Li Haotong has gone from being a contender in the HSBC Champions to a superhero.At least on the stage.One tradition of this World Golf Championship, billed as Asias major, is for the top stars to gather in downtown Shanghai for a photo opportunity showing off the culture. A year ago, the best players took part in a Chinese drum ceremony on a hotel rooftop in the Bund district. The theme this year was superheroes descending on Shanghai. Henrik Stenson was The Machine. Bubba Watson was The Magician. Dustin Johnson was The Heat.And tournament organizers also brought along the 21-year-old Li. He was The Force.Tall and wiry, rarely without that contagious smile, Li doesnt look the part. As for his exploits on the golf course, hes getting there.Its interesting that Ive been named as `The Force, Li said with a laugh. On the other hand, its an honor to be the first Chinese player to be participating in the WGC-HSBC Champions opening ceremony. I wish to do better, keep doing better continuously, and hopefully build up the image of China golfers.He appears headed in that direction.Li was one shot out of the lead going into the final round at Sheshan International last year before closing with a 72 to tie for seventh with Jordan Spieth, the highest finish ever by a Chinese player in a World Golf Championship or PGA Tour event.He was playing on the Web.com Tour early last year when he came home and won the Volvo China Open on the European Tour, securing a two-year membership. That victory also was enough to qualify for the Olympics in Rio.Li returned to the European Tour and posted a pair of top-20 finishes, moving him up to No. 42 in the Race to Dubai.Asked about being in such elite company, Li raised his eyebrows and said, Elite company. What does this mean? And then he broke into laughter, as he so often does. He then explained that being in the company of such great players -- Rickie Fowler and defending champion Russell Knox were on stage with him Tuesday night -- was not going to be good enough for him to feel satisfied.Still a long way to go, he said. So I think I just try my best. I think just keep working hard and one day I will be there for sure. So lets see.It could be quite the test at Sheshan International. After a summer of extraordinary heat, the course was drenched with 5 inches of rain on the weekend, and then the pro-am was cut short Wednesday with another deluge. More rain is in the forecast Thursday.The field is the strongest ever for the HSBC Champions with 40 of the top 50 in the world, including all four major champions for the first time since 2011.Li practically grew up with this event, dating to when it was a European Tour stop when it began in 2005 through its transition to a WGC in 2009. He took part in the HSBC junior program and received an exemption at age 19. He closed with a 67 and tied Spieth and Jimmy Walker in 35th place.The difficulty level to win a WGC-HSBC Champions is basically equal to all the four majors because they all have the best lineup, Li said.He used to live in Howey-in-the-Hills, a tiny town outside Orlando, Florida, but since has moved.Too crowded, he said with another laugh.His sister lives in Rancho Cucamonga, so he stays with her when his schedule brings him to the U.S. He hopes to get a few sponsor exemptions on the PGA Tour this year and earn enough FedEx Cup points to at least have a shot at the Web.com Tour Finals, his best path to a PGA Tour card. He still is exempt on the European Tour.I think this is a good way to go, he said. So lets see.A. J. Pollock Jersey . Lack made 20 saves for his third shutout of the season as the Canucks blanked the St. Louis Blues 1-0 in the first post-Olympic game for both teams night. Kirk Gibson Dodgers Jersey . -- Al Jefferson found a groove just in time for the Charlotte Bobcats. http://www.dodgerssale.com/dodgers-sandy-koufax-jersey/ . That gave fans outside Joe Louis Arena another chance to ask for autographs from the 19-year-old whose stardom in the NHL has arrived earlier than most expected. Chris Taylor Dodgers Jersey .In my heart and mind Im competing for India, luge competitor Shiva Keshavan told The Associated Press in an email interview. Every day Im flooded with messages from Indians all over the world telling me they are supporting me. Joe Kelly Jersey .C. -- Todd Fiddler scored a hat trick, including the overtime goal, as the Prince George Cougars survived an 8-7 win against the Kamloops Blazers in Western Hockey League play Sunday.This shouldnt come as a shock, considering his former line of work, but it usually doesnt take Phil Brooks long to make an impression.Take UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, for example. He first met Brooks, better known as former pro wrestler CM Punk, in January 2015, and thanks to pure coincidence, the two joined Roufusport martial arts academy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, around the same time.Punk, 37, was brand new to the sport at that point, signing with the UFC the previous month despite having no experience. Woodley was a veteran who, as it would turn out, was just 18 months away from winning a UFC title.Unlike some of his peers, Woodley never took issue with Punks fast track to the UFC. He wasnt necessarily a fan either. He was indifferent to Punks story at first, but quickly came to respect him, even learn from him.One of the first conversations we had, we were talking about the WWE, and he told this story about early in his career, a guy came down from the big circuit and asked if anyone knew how to ride a motorcycle, Woodley said. Everyone in the room started answering, No, no, no. Punk stood up and said, I can ride a bike. The guy said, Cool, were pulling you up for this show. After he left, everybody was like, Man, youre so lucky. If only I knew how to ride a bike, and Punk said, I dont know how to ride a bike, but Ill learn between now and then.He was telling this story like it was funny or a joke, but it was inspiring to me. Just that mindset: You dont have to have it all figured out.It has taken longer than some originally expected, but that same mindset has carried Punk to his Octagon debut against Mickey Gall (2-0) at UFC 203 on Saturday inside Clevelands Quicken Loans Arena.The impression Punk will ultimately have on MMA might take longer than the one he made on Woodley, Then again, maybe not. Perhaps Saturday will mark the start and finish of Punks career, or maybe hell fight into his 40s. Its hard to say.A celebrity with no experience making his MMA debut in the sports top promotion, against a 24-year-old opponent who was hand-picked during an internet mini-series -- theres no precedent for something like this.At the very least, one would assume theres pressure on Punk to look respectable Saturday. Many view him as a privileged star who has been gifted an opportunity he doesnt deserve. Punk is not a fighter but has been afforded the luxury of the UFCs promotional muscle. Hes taking attention away from the real athletes in Cleveland, and probably earning more than them. Those who see it thhis way want Punk to lose, badly -- enough that hell never venture close to a cage again.ddddddddddddPunk and his team claim hes not feeling that pressure though. As trite as it sounds, he just wanted to get in a fight, and it isnt more complicated than that. Placing it under a spotlight only made sense, but its not the main reason behind it.Punk gets hounded by people, but theyre not seeing it from his perspective, UFC lightweight and Roufusport teammate Erik Koch?said. Punk never asked to fight in the UFC. He said, Hey, this is something Id like to try, and when Dana White heard that, he jumped all over it. Punk said, Id feel like a jackass if I turned this opportunity down. People kill for this opportunity.I think a lot of people are under the impression theres this pressure on Punk, and in a way there is, but hes doing this to have fun. Hes doing it because at the end of his life, he wants to look back and say, Hey, I did that s---.In the last year, Punk uprooted his life from Chicago to Milwaukee to eliminate the daily drive to practice. At the peak intensity of his training, he was in the gym three times per day.He has been a teammate to former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis during a championship fight week. Earlier this year, Punk and Koch went to a movie theater in Milwaukee while Koch was in the process of dropping weight. Instead of popcorn, Koch brought what he thought were hard-boiled eggs as a snack, but mistakenly grabbed raw ones. When he cracked an egg all over himself in the theater, Punk nearly died laughing. In recent months, Punk has gone through the process of trimming weight himself.In the fight itself, anything can happen, and although he has hinted at fighting beyond Saturday, nothing is guaranteed. After UFC 203, though, Punk will have experienced the life of a professional fighter. In that sense, hes already comfortable with the outcome.I dont think it was ever questioned whether physically I could handle the training camp, Punk said. I think mentally was the question, but now we all know.[Regarding naysayers], if I set foot in the Octagon, Ive already won. Im doing something that a lot of people thought I couldnt do. At the end of the day, I dont want to walk in there and lose. I want to show up. I want to beat Mickey. Theres so many different variables, everything has to line up on that one perfect day, you know, and Im looking to that on [Saturday]. ' ' '