The top names in golf, led by Tiger Woods, got together to lobby the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to include the sport in the 2016 Summer Games.
Eighteen of the game’s biggest stars are sending a brochure detailing golf’s bid for inclusion along with personal letters reflecting their support to IOC members from their respective countries. In addition, Jack Nicklaus and Annika Sorenstam have sent the 32-page pamphlet to IOC representatives from 75 other countries.
“As we have consistently stated from the outset of the bid process, it is imperative that the best players in the world support golf’s Olympic effort,” said Peter Dawson, joint secretary of the International Golf Federation.
“It also is important for us to demonstrate the international nature of golf, underscoring the fact that 60 million people play the sport in nearly 120 countries,” he said. “This personal outreach by international players is a continuation of that effort.”
Golfers sending material to their respective IOC representatives include the US’ Woods, Fiji’s Vijay Singh, Ai Miyazato of Japan, South African Ernie Els, Australia’s Karrie Webb and Sergio Garcia of Spain.
Golf is one of seven sports being considered for inclusion at the 2016 Games. The others are baseball, karate, roller sports, rugby sevens, softball and squash. The IOC will vote on the matter in October.
“We certainly appreciate the effort and support of these great players on behalf of golf’s Olympic bid,” Ty Votaw, executive director of the IGF Olympic Golf Committee, said in a statement. “We obviously believe there is a very compelling case as to why golf should be reinstated as an Olympic sport, and a large reason for that is the support from top players.”
Golf was last an Olympic sport in 1904 in St Louis when only the US and Canada competed.
SIBLING RIVALRY: Marc Marquez was locked in a duel with his little brother, falling behind at one point before recovering for his first season-opening victory since 2014 Six-time world champion Marc Marquez yesterday won the MotoGP season-opening Thailand Grand Prix to complete a dominant debut weekend at his new Ducati Lenovo Team, having also romped to Saturday’s sprint. The Spanish great took the 26-lap grand prix by 1.732 seconds for his 63rd MotoGP victory from younger brother Alex Marquez, who is still seeking a first checkered flag, with Francesco Bagnaia third to complete an all-Ducati podium. It completed a perfect weekend for Marc Marquez, who took pole position, the sprint victory and the grand prix win for a maximum 37 points to open the 22-leg 2025 campaign. He led from
AC Milan’s slender hopes of reaching next season’s UEFA Champions League took another hit on Thursday with a 2-1 defeat at Bologna which left them eight points from Serie A’s top four. Sergio Conceicao’s team sit eighth, some way behind fourth-placed Juventus after losing an entertaining contest at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, a match which was rescheduled from October last year due to torrential rain and flooding. Swathes of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy, much of which is fertile agricultural land, had been left under water following a massive autumn downpour. Dan Ndoye prodded home the decisive goal in the 82nd minute
Former Australian motorcycle gang member-turned-golfer Ryan Peake, who served a lengthy jail term for assault, yesterday produced a “life-changing” maiden win to qualify for The Open Championship. Peake held his nerve for a one-stroke victory at the New Zealand Open, earning him a berth at the major in Portrush, Northern Ireland, in July, pending clearance to travel as a convicted criminal. The 31-year-old from Perth celebrated animatedly and was showered with champagne by friends on the 18th green of the Millbrook Resort course near Queenstown after a redemption story rarely seen in the refined sport of golf. Peake held back tears as he
MILWAUKEE PREVAIL: Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 28 points as the Bucks withstood Nikola Jokic’s 27th triple-double of the season to beat the Nuggets Golden State star Stephen Curry on Thursday drilled 12 three-pointers in a scintillating 56-point display that carried the Warriors to a 121-115 victory over the Orlando Magic. Curry’s explosive performance helped the Warriors dig themselves out of a 17-point hole, with the point guard signaling the start of the fightback with a three-pointer from beyond the half-court line to end the first half that pulled the Warriors within 66-52 at the break. In the third quarter, he single-handedly outscored the Magic with 22 points to Orlando’s 21. The four-time NBA champion finished two three-pointers shy of former teammate Klay Thompson’s record for most
RSS