SYDNEY, Australia -- New South Wales openside flanker Michael Hper has been named the 2013 Australian Super Rugby player of the year after receiving 21 votes, four more than his nearest challengers. The 21-year-old Hper finished ahead of ACT Brumbies veteran George Smith and Will Genia of Queensland, who won the award the previous two years. The Australian Rugby Union said in a statement Thursday that Hper polled votes in nine rounds of the competition, with four of those matches rated as man-of-the-match efforts. Smith led until the final two rounds of the season. The award was decided in voting by 18 Australian media members on a 3-2-1 points basis for each Super Rugby match involving an Australian team. Waratahs fullback Israel Folau was named rkie of the year after switching codes for a second time following two years in Australian Rules ftball, preceded by a successful rugby league career. Folau polled votes in six matches, including three man-of-the-match performances, and was also New South Wales leading try scorer. He became a dual international with Wallabies selection for the series against the British and Irish Lions. Former South Africa coach Jake White was named Australian coach of the year after the Brumbies finished in first place in the Australia conference and lost in the championship final. White was overlked for the Wallabies job when the ARU replaced New Zealander Robbie Deans with Australian Ewen McKenzie after the Lions series loss. White felt he was not given full consideration for the Wallabies job because he was South African and the ARU did not want another foreign-born coach.Detroit Tigers Shirts . -- Matt Ryan needed one of the best games of his career to lead the Falcons and their depleted offence out of their three-game losing streak last week. Detroit Tigers Pro Shop .ca lks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. https://www.cheaptigers.com/ . Those lessons were more than enough to overwhelm the Utah Jazz. Lou Williams scored 25 points and the Hawks continued their offensive upswing as they rolled to an easy 118-85 victory over the Jazz on Friday night, winning their third straight and for the fourth time in five games. Wholesale Tigers Jerseys . Its an influence in ftball and a big part of the game. Tigers Jerseys 2020 . To the surprise of many, it isnt the Wolverines but their in-state rivals the Michigan State Spartans.RIO DE JANEIRO -- Watching Aditi Ashok climb the leaderboard Thursday at the womens Olympic golf tournament, it was tough to decide what was more surprising.That an 18-year-old -- the youngest player in the field -- from a nontraditional golf country was playing so well while under so much pressure? Or that she plans to try and qualify for the LPGA Tour while attempting to take college courses -- in journalism -- back home in India?The hope here is that Aditi will put in the time on her short game -- which is exactly how she got introduced to golf when she was 5 years old at a course near her Bangalore home.Now shes an Olympian and, despite being ranked 462nd in the world, turning heads at the Olympic Golf Course after shting a pair of 68s to open the tournament. That put her tied for eighth, just 4 shots behind 36-hole leader Inbee Park from South Korea.Im obviously pleased with myself, said Aditi, who last year became the youngest player to win the qualifying event that put her on the Ladies European Tour. Three under on both days and thats pretty consistent for me. I dropped a few shots and could have done better, but Im happy going into the weekend.That sounds like a seasoned pro, and its pretty impressive for someone who grew up in cricket-mad India without a lot of golf idols.India has 1.5 billion people, but just 200 golf courses, many of them on military bases that make them inaccessible to the public.Yet almost on a whim, Aditi and her parents headed to the putting green at a course where they happened to be eating breakfast when she was 5. The golf bug hit, and by age 7 she was playing in junior tournaments with boys.We dont have a separate tournament for girls and boys, said Aditis father, Gudlamani, who is caddying for her this week. So girls and boys played together.dddddddddddd From an early age, she played with the boys. And I guess that helped her. She was a pretty short hitter, so shes worked hard on her short game. In fact, she worked from the green back to the tee box. Thats why you saw the nice up and down there on 18 for bogey.Gudlamani was taking no credit. He has caddied for his daughter occasionally, but says he tries to stay out of the way.I just carry the bag and clean the clubs, he said. We just keep talking. If you were watching on the green, I clear the ball and give it to her. She putts on her own.That is why he was filled with pride as his daughter teed off in the first round Wednesday.I was almost in tears, he said. I thanked her for giving me this opportunity, the honor. As kids, we all dream of being Olympians. She brought me to the Olympics.Noting that he is nowhere near as calm as his daughter when she is playing golf, Gudlamani gave credit to his wife, Mash. That doesnt come from me, he said. Its her mom. In fact, she is the pillar or our whole golfing journey.That journey will take them to the United States next week, when Aditi will take part in the first stage of qualifying for the LPGA Tour. She would have tried last year, but had not met the minimum age requirement of 18.So far this year, Aditi has had only modest success on the Ladies European Tour, but she seems to understand the patient approach and is using that to her advantage as she is in contention here.I didnt expect to be there, she said. I just wanted to follow my game plan and do the best I could. Its great to be there and Im lking forward to the weekend. ' ' '