Czech Republic

Keegan Bradley had no thoughts about a course record, or the possibility of a 59, after consecutive bogeys in the middle of his opening round in the Byron Nelson Championship at Irving, Texas. Until his 136-yard wedge shot on his final hole Thursday. "It was going right at it. [A 59] crossed my mind for a second, and it would be unbelievable if I buried this," Bradley said. "But I had three feet to shoot 60. I was actually very nervous, uncomfortable over it and thank God I made it. " Bradley shot 10-under-par 60, completed by that short birdie at the 428-yard ninth hole, to break the TPC Four Seasons course record and match the best round ever at the Nelson.

WEST, Texas - Most every small town in America has a local eatery that embodies its heart and soul - not to mention its stomach - a place where workers know the first names and the orders of customers by heart. In this tiny community of 2,800, devastated by an explosion at a fertilizer factory that left scores injured and a yet-untold number dead, the Czech Stop is the place where locals and passers-through stop for the meat and fruit kolaches, (pronounced koh-law-chee,) a taste of the town's Central European roots.

The 44th International Film Festival opened Friday in the Czech Republic with a week of events planned, including an award for French actress Isabelle Huppert and a world premiere by Milos Forman. The festival in the spa resort of Karlovy Vary features 220 movies this year, including Czech-born Forman's "A Walk Worthwhile," which the Oscar-winning director adapted from a 2007 staging of a 1960s Czech musical. The film will show today. On Sunday, Huppert is to receive the Crystal Globe award for her outstanding contribution to world cinema.

Toni Williamson and her husband, Larry, traversed a significant chunk of the European continent by car in November. The couple traveled about 1,500 miles, visiting Italy, the Czech Republic, Austria and Croatia. During an unplanned excursion on the Istrian Peninsula, they happened upon the hilltop town of Groznjan. "We were on our way back to Venice and took a wrong turn up into the hills and looked back to see this beautiful sight," she said. The Valley Village resident used a Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS. To submit your photos, visit our reader photo gallery . When you upload your photos, tell us where they were taken and when.

Petr Jiracek scored a second-half winner to give the Czech Republic a 1-0 victory over Poland and a place in the quarterfinals of the European Championship on Saturday at Wroclaw, Poland. Poland, the tournament co-host, was knocked out with its defeat in the team's final Group A game. The Czechs finished top of the group and will now play the runners-up in Group B. Pushing forward in the 72nd minute, Jiracek collected a pass from Milan Baros in the box, cut right to clear past Poland's Marcin Wasilewski and slotted the ball inside the far post.

CZECH REPUBLIC This restaurant alone would make us want to go back to Prague. We were sorry we found it on the last night and not the first. It has fabulous food and atmosphere at a very reasonable price. Cervena Tabulka Restaurant, 4 Lodecka, Prague, Czech Republic; 011-420-739-682-219, http://www.cervenatabulka.cz . Main courses around $10. Bob and Jamie Carr, Arroyo Grande, Calif.

Martin Prochazka broke a tie with 19 seconds remaining after Robert Lang of the Kings scored two goals as the Czech Republic beat Canada, 4-2, Sunday to win its first gold in the world hockey championships since the country emerged three years ago from the split of the former Czechoslovakia.

Although hockey's global melting pot has erased most of the differences between North American and European players, Canadian players still claim one quality as uniquely their own. They call it grit, a deep well of resolve that fuels their belief hockey is still their game. And it was that kind of determination, not dazzling plays, that lifted them to a 4-3 overtime victory over a superior Czech Republic team on Saturday and into Tuesday's World Cup of Hockey championship game.

By beating up on a neighbor, the Czech Republic asserted its superiority over the world's hockey elite. The Czechs won their second consecutive World Hockey Championship by defeating Slovakia, 5-3, Sunday in the gold medal game. Finland took the bronze medal with a 2-1 victory over Canada. "It's always nice to play them and know we're on top," said Jiri Dopita, a member of the Czech gold-medal winning team at the 1998 Olympic Games in Nagano, Japan.

Historical Cycling International is offering a walking and cycling Jewish heritage trip through the Czech Republic from June 24 to July 2. The rendezvous site is Prague to visit the city and to explore Prague's 1,000-year-old Jewish cultural history. In Southern Bohemia, guests will pedal for five days along the Vltava River on country roads past the beer-brewing towns of southern Bohemia to Cesky Krumlov, one of the Czech Republic's most beautiful and best preserved medieval towns.

On a long day of tennis in the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, fifth-seeded former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic was among the casualties in matches that finished during daylight hours. She lost in a three-set battle, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, to Maria Kirilenko of Russia. Kirilenko, seeded 15th and getting closer to a top-10 ranking, defeated No. 3 Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in her previous match and said afterward, "I can compete, and as you can see, I can beat them.

Tests of Ikea meatballs in the Czech Republic that revealed traces of horse meat caused the Swedish furniture giant to pull some of its frozen meatballs off shelves in stores in Britain and in other countries. The 1-kilogram packages of meatballs were made in Sweden and labeled as containing beef and pork, the BBC reported . The BBC said authorities in the Czech Republic found traces of horse meat in the meatballs as part of its testing program. In January, horse and pig DNA discovered in burgers sold to stores and restaurants including British supermarket giant Tesco sparked a scandal in Ireland and Britain that has since spread across Europe.

Game On Dude overpowered three rivals to successfully defend his title in the $200,000 San Antonio Stakes by 6 1/2 lengths at Santa Anita on Sunday. Ridden by Hall of Fame member Mike Smith, Game On Dude ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.53 and paid $2.10 and $2.10 at 1-9 odds. Trained by Hall of Fame member Bob Baffert, Game On Dude is co-owned by retired Dodgers manager Joe Torre, who was on hand. Game On Dude broke sharply and was immediately engaged by 12-1 longshot Basmati. "I got pressured, even more so than if it was a full field, believe it or not," Smith said.

What: Australian Open. Venue: Melbourne Park. When: Sunday-Jan. 26. Surface: Plexicushion 2012 MEN'S CHAMPION Novak Djokovic, Serbia TOP-SEEDED MEN 1. Novak Djokovic, Serbia 2. Roger Federer, Switzerland 3. Andy Murray, Britain 4. David Ferrer, Spain 5. Tomas Berdych, Czech Republic 2012 WOMEN'S CHAMPION Victoria Azarenka, Belarus TOP-SEEDED WOMEN 1. Victoria Azarenka,...

While the NHL and the players' association continue to exchange proposals in an effort to resolve their labor dispute and start a 48-game season by the league's Jan. 19 deadline, the world junior championships are winding toward a dramatic conclusion in Ufa, Russia. Team USA, which routed the Czech Republic, 7-0, in a quarterfinal game played early Wednesday morning Pacific time, will face Canada in a semifinal Thursday. The game will start at 1 a.m. Pacific time and will air on the NHL Network and stream live on Nhl.com.

There would be no five-set epic for John Isner on Sunday. He lost in four sets to the relentless David Ferrer of Spain and the 2012 Davis Cup campaign for the United States ended on the clay of Gijon, Spain. Ferrer defeated Isner, 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, to give Spain a 3-1 lead, clinching the Davis Cup semifinal. Spain, the defending Davis Cup champion, will play either Argentina or the Czech Republic in November in the final. Isner had two impressive clay-court wins in Davis Cup this year, beating Roger Federer of Switzerland and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France.

Hockey at its best: Sweden vs. the Czech Republic will feature the country that won the gold in 1994 in Lillehammer against the country that won in '98 in Nagano. In '94, goalie Tommy Salo stopped Paul Kariya of Canada in a shootout for the gold. In '98, Dominik Hasek played the starring role in goal for the Czech Republic. Both are expected to be in goal again today.

Print shop franchiser Sir Speedy Inc. said Monday that it has sold rights to open its shops in the Czech Republic and Poland--its first shops in formerly communist economies. The company, based in Laguna Hills, said its agreement with a Polish investment group in Krakow calls for the opening of 25 print centers in that country within the next five years. In the Czech Republic, U.S. expatriate Andrew Kauffman plans to open 10 centers within five years.

LONDON -- The United States has locked down at least one medal in women's beach volleyball, the color or colors to be determined, after two quarterfinal wins Sunday. Defending Olympic champions Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings quickly defeated Italians Greta Cicolari and Marta Menegatti in two sets, and Jennifer Kessy and April Ross beat the Czech Republic's Marketa Slukova and Kristyna Kolocova to advance to the semifinal round. The victories mean the American teams can finish no lower than third and fourth, ensuring the U.S. at least a bronze medal in the tournament at Horse Guards Parade.

LONDON — The amazing Olympic run of the Williams sisters continued Sunday when they teamed to win the gold medal in women's doubles. Venus and Serena Williams defeated Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic, 6-4, 6-4, in the final. The sisters' victory came a day after Serena had won the singles title, completing her career Golden Slam and, in the minds of many, separating herself from all other tennis players. No one else in the sport's history has won all four major championships and Olympic gold in both singles and doubles.