DUSSELDORF, Germany -- If the story of Caroline Larssons life in 2011 were a film, you might exit the movie theater scratching your head, mumbling about far-fetched plots, because her tale involves fear, pain, loss and redemption, all prefaced by a terrifying natural disaster.But there is nothing fictional about her story, and despite the central incident of that year being the amputation of her right leg due to cancer, Larsson has no doubts: They took my leg, she says of 2011, but they gave me life.This week, had the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the International Golf Federation been on the same wavelength (their classifications of ability are out of sync), the Swede might have been preparing to tee it up in Rio de Janeiro at the Paralympics. Instead she competed in the pro-am of the Ladies European Tours ISPS Handa European Masters at GC Hubbelrath.Oh, yes: Larsson still plays golf. She didnt let cancer stop her from doing that -- or anything else for that matter.The story begins early in 2011, in the city of Christchurch, shortly after Larsson, then 22, had caddied for her sister, Louise, in the New Zealand Open. Louise was a rookie on the Ladies European Tour that year; Carolines great hope was to become one herself in 2012.Prior to flying home the two girls made an everyday decision that might have saved their lives: They chose one restaurant instead of two others. In the earthquake that hit the city during the meal, many buildings in the area collapsed while their restaurant, which they swiftly fled, stood standing.The streets were bobbing and weaving like the sea, explains Caroline. Sometimes they even cracked beneath us, opening wide like huge chasms. People were running, screaming and crying. Debris from collapsed and lurching buildings was falling to earth with ear-splitting crashes.We were led to an open area, away from buildings. There was this great mass of people standing in complete silence, staring at the city, a totally devastated landscape.For three nights, the sisters slept in their rental car, sometimes shaken by appalling aftershocks, desperately waiting for the airport to reopen, and eventually it did (not before another aftershock caused a final panicked evacuation).In all, 185 people died that day, over 2,000 were injured, 164 of them seriously. Larsson says: We were in shock, but we knew we had been so lucky.A month later, Larsson entered the hospital for the removal of a lump. She was daunted by the prospect, and it was painful, but she was assured it was a precautionary measure and remained appreciative of her good fortune. After all, 2011 still had much to offer.In April, the doctor called her back and all appeared well until a nurse entered the room with a glass of water and a handkerchief.I was immediately alert to danger, says Larsson. Then the doctor said chondrosarcoma, the word that shattered my world, a rare cancer.She was told amputation of her right leg was the only option after doctors found five malignant tumors in her thigh.Her initial reaction was panic.I could feel the blood in my veins sting and burn as my anger spread, she says, but the fury passed and she embarked on a startling journey that began with a trip to London, a weekend break with a very individual detail. I decided not to buy a card for public transport -- I wanted to walk and walk. To walk everywhere. I did everything on two legs one last time to appreciate it.Ahead of the operation she was determined not to be overwhelmed by the imminent loss and pain. In her blog she wrote: My gut feeling was calm. I did a little meditation exercise which helped me appreciate what was in front of me. I will not delve into it deeper, but I felt such peace. I felt I could handle it, that everything will be fine. Yes, I felt it 100 percent. I understand that people might perceive me as positive or suspect I am repressing bad thoughts every day and dare not be sad, but it really is not so.Larsson was emphatically not kidding herself.The news was good, she says. The cancer hadnt spread. If it had, then the amputation would have been pointless. But I had a golden chance to live on. Id paid a price, but what an opportunity. In those days there was no limit to my happiness. I was so thirsty for the world.Five days after surgery, when she spied a golf club in the gym during a recovery session, the physio warned her against swinging it. She waved the concerns away and immediately knew it. I still loved the game, she says. And I knew what I wanted to do -- it was two and a half months until the national championship, I wanted to defend the four-ball title with my sister.But before then she hit an unexpected wall -- the disbelief of others. Two weeks after the operation, she sat on her bed, devastated.I was surrounded by doubt and fear, but it wasnt that the doubters were wise about my misery -- they were the cause of it. I couldnt take the negativity. It was my loneliest moment, and then my mom came in the room to show me a magazine article about another amputee who had embraced life. It rebuilt my self-belief.And with it the process of returning to the golf course.I dont think anyone believed I would make the championship, she laughs. My family, coach, friends, they just thought it was a good target and Id eventually realize it wasnt going to happen.They were still coming to terms with Larssons newfound strength. It was tough, yes. The surgery and the cruel pain were a real struggle, but there were positives because I dared to see the problems, dared to feel the pain, dared to ask for help.When her mother expressed the wish that it had been her leg, Larsson told her: Mom, you wouldnt have coped and I have, so its fine.Larsson is easily approachable and open about her fears and resilience -- but she also has a sense of humor. After hearing that another article implied that losing the right leg was better for her golf swing, Larsson thought about the theory, then leaned forward.Yes, its true, she whispered with a smile that continued to grow. But I didnt really have a choice, did I?And then she laughed with delight.With the philosophy fear less, live more powering her ambition, Larsson -- just 10 weeks after the amputation -- teed it up alongside her sister in a group with the Hedwall twins, Caroline and Jacqueline.At this point, Caroline Hedwall was the No. 1-ranked golfer on the Ladies European Tour and was on course to make her Solheim Cup debut the following month, when she would be a standout performer in Europes thrilling defeat of the United States.The other Caroline, in contrast, had yet to complete 18 holes since the operation and had lacked the time to have a sports prosthesis fitted; she was hitting on one leg (the field had happily permitted her to use a cart).On the first hole, Larsson not only gave herself a long look at birdie, but, with Swedish TV filming, drained it. The other three failed to equal her score and Larsson laughs at the outrageousness of it: I think Caroline Hedwall missed her putt because there were tears in her eyes.The Larssons went on to win, an achievement that can only be described as absurd and audacious in its brilliance. Since then Caroline has competed in disabled golf tournaments around the world, including America, and on the Scandinavian Nordea Tour (a feeder circuit for the LET).Playing with Germanys Sophia Popov, a Symetra Tour regular, in the pro-am this week, Larsson says: I played well even though I havent had much practice. I was a couple over par, so I was surprised and happy.She has inspired people and been inspired. A mystery benefactor, who read of her tale, purchased an expensive Genium prosthetic leg. An attached note read: I want you to have the chance to achieve your dreams. My wish is that you might have the opportunity to help someone else in the future.She achieves this with motivational speaking, which has taken on a growing significance in her life. In classic Larsson style, the talks, which focus on embracing loss as opportunity, also cover the difficulty of carrying glasses of water on one leg.She dearly wishes that golf was in the Paralympics this week, and she is involved with forcing change.Golf is such an accepting sport for people with disabilities, says Larsson, who is working with Allianz, a partner of the IPC, on a project called Golf to Paralympics to raise awareness. I just hope the rest of the world can cooperate together to figure it out.ISPS Handa, title sponsor of the European Masters, is a Japanese charity that is also lobbying for blind and disabled golf to be included in the worldwide festival of sport.Unfortunately it seems set in stone that even Tokyo in 2020 is out of reach for golfs Paralympic aspirations, but should that change, Caroline Larsson would grace such a stage.Cheap Nike Shoes Clearance . Already owning gold from competition in Vancouver in 2010, Loch posted a combined four-run time of 3:27.526. That included a track-record third run of 51. Cheap Nike Shoes Canada . President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest was fired Friday after 12 years with the Marlins. The move came as the team neared the end of its third consecutive last-place season in the NL East. http://www.wholesalenikeshoescanada.com/ . Andreas Johnson had a goal and two assists while Jacob de la Rose also scored for Sweden (2-0-0). Esa Lindell and Rasmus Ristolainen replied for Finland (1-1-0) Lindell opened the scoring for Finland just 41 seconds into the game, but the hosts quickly regained their composure and tied the score less than four minutes later on Wennbergs first of the game. Cheap Authentic Nike Shoes .J. Ellis hit two-run homers and the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 4-0 Saturday night. Nike Shoes On Sale Canada . Pettersen, winner of last years Evian Championships, had nine birdies and three bogeys, holding off a series of challengers led by Marion Ricordeau of France. The second-ranked Norwegian made her season debut after missing the LPGA Tours opening event last month in the Bahamas because of a shoulder injury.Expansion is officially back on the A-League agenda after a meeting between club chairmen and Football Federation Australia head honchos in Melbourne.According to a FFA statement, there was a broad agreement reached between all parties that expansion of the competition should be a strategic priority, but only if economically sustainable.Its believed FFA and the clubs see expansion as a way to add content, and thus increased value, to the A-Leagues new broadcast deal, which is currently in negotiation.Everyone recognises a new club needs to be successful in its own right, but equally importantly, should be a benefit to the entire game and help grow the pie for everyone, FFA chief executive David Gallop told AAP.It is a further sign the A-League is poised to grow in the near future after Gallop said at last weeks season launch that he wants to add new teams fairly quickly, but refused to set a timeframe for the process.The new A-League TV deal will kick in from the 2017-18 season, and a sizeable increase in money paid for the rights is the key to any form of expansion given existing clubs are unwilling to divide their current distributions any further.Expansion remains a hot-button topic in football circles, with Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou in his new book urging FFA to grow the league and rebuking the governing body for its over-cautious approach.The A-League has kept the same 10 clubs since the demise of Gold Coast United, replaced for the 2012-13 season by Western Sydney.Hoowever, there is a growing sense the competition is becoming stale and the sports boom in popularity is not being adequately catered for, with only nine of those clubs based in Australia.ddddddddddddThere is also increasing debate around the concept of promotion and relegation as well as the introduction of a national second division.Meanwhile, talks between FFA and the clubs will continue over finding the best operating model for the A-League following their recent power wrangle.A-League clubs want better representation in decision making at FFA and also an improved share of revenue, with some calling for the competition to be run independently.However, Gallop said that would not be happening.The suggestion that a break away from the FFA is imminent is off the mark, Gallop said.The recent FIFA/AFC visit has seen an in-principle agreement to make some changes and FFA is committed to work collaboratively with all the games stakeholders to reach a model that meets the games future needs.Adelaide United chairman Greg Griffin - also the head of the Australian Professional Football Clubs Association, formed last month to give owners more lobbying power - said the meeting was collaborative and productive.It included extensive discussion about exploring the optimum commercial model for the Hyundai A-League and its next phase of growth and expansion, he said. 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