Golf Makes the Cut for the Olympics
Tiger could become an Olympian
Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Paula Creamer and Michelle Wie striding in alongside Michael Phelps as part of the American team in the parade of athletes entering the main stadium for the Opening Ceremonies?
It came closer to a reality yesterday when the International Olympic Committee executive board selected golf and rugby for proposed inclusion in the 2016 Summer Games.
Meeting in Berlin, the Olympic leaders narrowed the field to two from a list of seven, which also included baseball, softball, squash, karate and roller sports.
Two of the game’s all-time greatest players, Jack Nicklaus and Annika Sorenstam, have been part of a global team lobbying on behalf of the International Golf Federation in supporting the IGF’s bid to reinstate golf as an Olympic sport. Their efforts have got them a step closer.
The sport proposes a 72-hole stroke-play competition for men and women, with 60 players in each field. The world’s top 15 players would qualify automatically, and all major professional tours would alter tournament schedules to avoid a clash with the Olympics. Final approval of the two sports will require a simple majority vote by the full IOC in October at an IOC session on Denmark where the announcement of the 2016 host city will be made.
Having been part of the competition programs at the 1900 Paris Olympics and 1904 St. Louis Games, golf’s backers say bringing the game back into the Olympics would help it develop worldwide, noting many governments only fund Olympic sports.
Tiger Woods and other top players have indicated they would play in the Olympics if golf gets the nod from the IOC.
“Golf is a truly global sport and it should have been in the Olympics a while ago,” Woods said Tuesday. “If it does get in, it would be great for golf and some of the other small countries that are now emerging in golf.”
Golf has Olympic roots
Yeah I’d like to see Wie and Natalie in US outfits.,
Doesnt seem globally that golf is the “everyman” sport with easy access to all compared to some other sports.
Well I guess the PGA will alter their scheudule more so than major league baseball for the sake of promoting their sport. smart
I think it is terrific, especially for smaller countries just getting into golf.
I think players like Ochoa from Mexico and Cabrera from Argentina would really have an impact the global gains the Olympics could offer for their country.
I agree with BagBoy that smaller countries would benefit from Olympic exposure to golf
Baseball-loser golf-winner
If nothing else it wil also bring higher profile athletes to the Olympics.
year round events, 4 high profile events- does golf really need the Olympics too?
Look any sport can benefit from the glow of Olympic coverage. Just ask baseball and softball.