Monday, July 14, 2014

THE DAY HE CRIED LIKE A BABY ALONGSIDE JACK NICKLAUS

FROM THE GOLFWEEK WEBSITE

Tom Watson speaks to reporters Monday in advance of the 2014 British Open at Royal Liverpool.
Tom Watson speaks to reporters Monday in advance of the Open at Royal Liverpool.

TOM WATSON SHARES HIS GOLDEN 

OPEN MEMORIES 
HOYLAKE: Tom Watson, a hard competitor for a long time, was waxing nostalgic about myriad topics. About emotional times playing with Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus in their last Open Championships at St. Andrews. About the best shot he hit in winning his five Open titles. 
About next year’s Open at St. Andrews, which he called the “Sistine Chapel of golf,” being his last.
“If I’m getting too sugary,” the five-time Open champion said at one point, “stop me.”
No one stopped him.
And in a matter of minutes he was talking about the emotional day when tears were running down his face on the 18th hole at St. Andrews. The year was 2010 and he was playing with Jack Nicklaus on Nicklaus’ last hole at an Open Championship.
“I was crying like a baby,” the 2014 U.S. Ryder Cup captain said here at Royal Liverpool, site of this week’s Open. “Off the tee, I started bawling.”
Why?
“Here’s the greatest player in the game (and) he’s finishing his career and he meant a great deal to me,” Watson said.
This was different because in competition Watson was a brawler, not a bawler. He says he hasn’t cried on a golf course before or since.
“I’m either pissed off or happy, one of the two,” he said candidly. “Tears don’t enter into that. But I did have a lot of emotion with Jack and Arnie.”
Watson was hardly surprised Nicklaus made birdie 3 on the Old Course closing hole. When Nicklaus’ long putt got within 10 feet of the hole, Watson said he thought, “He did it again.”
“He couldn’t have scripted it any better,” Watson said. “Jack Nicklaus has birdied the 18th hole more than any living professional golfer.”
Nicklaus, meanwhile, has some words of wisdom for Watson on the green. He told him to “stop crying” and make a putt and make the cut. He did.
Watson, 64, might not be a sentimental sap, but next year figures to test his tear ducts. The R and A extended his exemption to 2015 so he could finish his Open career at St. Andrews. He’s thankful and mindful of what emotion is coming.
“I just hope I can hold back enough of the tears to look presentable,” he said.
Like many, Watson didn’t like the Old Course and its blind shots at first, then grew to love it. He said he’d like to go out playing there with Nicklaus, though he knows that’s not happening.
“He meant a great deal to me,” he said of the Golden Bear.
When Watson joined the PGA Tour in the early 1970s, he asked several veteran players the same question: What one thing is going to help me? The answer was always the same: Watch and play with the best players.
So he did. He paid close attention to one particular blond-haired player who would end up with 18 major championship titles. In fact, one year on Hilton Head Island, Watson was off on a Sunday and followed Nicklaus for 18 holes – in the gallery outside the ropes.
What did he learn from Nicklaus over the years? That the Golden Bear was the best at hitting the “proper shot at the proper time.” That he minimized mistakes. That he out-prepared the competition. 
That he didn’t go long on approach shots after losing an Open by overshooting a green.
“I don’t know if you ever saw the movie Top Gun (with) Maverick and the Ice Man,” Watson said. “The Ice Man never makes a mistake. That’s Jack, the Ice Man.”
Watson touched on a number of other topics during a lengthy interview. Among other things:
• He’ll pick Tiger Woods for the Ryder Cup team if Woods is playing well and is healthy.
• After playing Gleneagles on Saturday with Keegan Bradley and Sunday with Jim Furyk, he said the Ryder course definitely favours long, high-ball hitters. He foresees a lot of birdies and a “shoot-out” and “fireworks” if the weather is decent.
• The best shot Watson ever hit at an Open was a 2-iron to within 15 feet on the 72nd hole in winning in 1983 at Royal Birkdale.
• And he’s not sure how he’s going to fare this week, saying, “My game sometimes shows up. But don’t ask me if it’s going to show up on Thursday or not. I don’t know. At 64 years old, it makes up it’s own mind. It really does.

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HARDING PARK, SAN FRANCISCO VENUE FOR 16 FOUR-MAN BRACKETS

WORLD MATCH-PLAY 2015 GETS A NEW 

HOME AND A NEW FORMAT

FROM THE GOLFWEEK WEBSITE
Officials have confirmed that next year's WGC-Match Play Championship will be staged April 29-May 3 at a new home, Harding Park in San Francisco – with a new format.
There will be 16 four-man brackets of round-robin play for three days, followed by 16 winners advancing to single-elimination match play Saturday and Sunday.

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BOTTLE OF £40,000 WINE DRUNK FROM THE OPEN CHSHIP TROPHY

MICKELSON'S JOYOUS YEAR WITH JUG
RandA chief exec Peter Dawson gets the Open Championship trophy back from 2013 Muirfield winner, Phil Mickelson.
Phil Mickelson once famously took the Masters' Green Jacket for a spin in the Krispy Kreme drive-thru. 
The most interesting thing he did after taking home the Claret Jug last July? Well, it turns out one of his friends emptied a bottle of 1990 Romanee-Conti – a $40,000 wine – into the oldest trophy in golf.
“One of the things that I stressed is that we have to treat the claret jug with reverence and respect that it deserves - and only put good stuff in it,” he said with a laugh today at Hoylake.

Video: Mickelson on celebrating with claret jug (Click here for full interview)

Mickelson said he didn’t know what the wine was when he drank it, but it apparently was well worth the price tag. 
It was all part of Lefty’s joyous year with the jug, as he shared the trophy with everyone from his friends and family to those at his corporate outings and home clubs.
“I think the reason this brought out a little bit more emotion was everybody had a chance to share in it,” he said.
 “Everybody has a chance to drink out of the jug or hold it and take pictures with it.
“There’s really not much you’re going to do with the (green) jacket, other than pull on the lapels. I think that’s why it was a bit more emotional.”

 JUSTIN ROSE NOW No. 3 IN WORLD
Justin Rose will enter this week's Open Championship at Royal Liverpool as the third-ranked golfer in the world after his victory Sunday at the Scottish Open.
Rose, who climbed three spots from sixth in the latest Official World Golf Ranking, has won two straight events, the Scottish and the Quicken Loans National. He was ranked 10th after a T-12 finish at the U.S. Open in June.
He was last ranked third after a T-12 showing at the 2013 Travelers Championship, which came a week after his U.S. Open victory at Merion. Rose has never been ranked higher than third.
Adam Scott and Henrik Stenson still hold the top two spots, respectively, while Bubba Watson (fourth), Matt Kuchar (fifth) and Jason Day (sixth) all dropped a spot.
Tiger Woods, who will play this week at Royal Liverpool, is seventh.

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AUGUST 31 DATE FOR RYDER CUP POINTS TABLES END


NO CHANGE IN EUROPE RYDER CUP   

POINTS TABLES

FROM THE GOLFWEEK WEBSITE
The European Ryder Cup situation is its nine projected automatic qualifiers remain the same after the weekend events.
The top four players in European Points and the top five players in World Points not already qualified earn automatic spots on Paul McGinley's squad. The automatic qualifiers will be named August 31, after the Race To Dubai ends. Three additional captain's picks will be selected by McGinley shortly after.
Here are the current European and World points standings.
European Points (top four automatic choices)
World Points (top five automatic choices)

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REILLY LONE SCOT AMONG SCOTTISH

YOUTHS CHAMPIONSHIP LEADERS

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Glencruitten's Robert MacIntyre kept the Golf Data Lab Scottish youths golf championship at home last year but it looks like being tough to prevent the Under-21s title  being "exported" at the end of this year's tournament which teed off with a big field over the Jubilee Course at St Andrews today (Monday).
Lee Shepherd (Sherwood Forest) has set a cracking pace over a course that many rate the best and most difficult of all the St Andrews Links Trust lay-outs.
He shot a three-under-par 69 to lead by a shot from Paul Reilly (Kilmacolm), the lone Scot in the leading five, and Englishmen Nick Marsh (Huddersfield), Christopher Kendall (Royal Lytham and Germany-based Philip Coles.
Title-holder McIntyre is in lying joint sixth place on 71 alongside Ben Kinsley (St Andrews), Lewis Bain (Turnhouse) Ewan Farquharson (Auchterarder), William Aldred (Brockett Hall) and Kyle McClatchie from South Africa.

SCOTTISH YOUTHS CHAMPIONSHIP
Jubilee Course, St Andrews
LEADING FIRST-ROUND SCORES
Par 72 CSS 74
Top 40 and ties at conclusion of Round 2 
will go forward to the final two rounds.
69 L Shepherd (Sherwood Forest)
70 P Reilly (Kilmacolm), N Marsh (Huddersfield), C Kendall (Royal Lytham), P Coles (Germany).
71 K McClatchie (SAf), W Aldred (Brockett Hall), E Farquharson (Auchterarder), L Bain (Turnhouse), R MacIntyre (Glencruitten), B Kinsley (St Andrews).
72 C Hill (Tantallon), A McDougall (St Andrews New), A Davidson (Charleton), A Fisher (Newmachar), J Rooney (West Lancs), H Young-Alls (Ratcliffe on Trent), G Duncan (Windyhill), R Tinker (Strathmore), S Burgess (Nairn), W Whiteoak (Shipley), C MacLean (Balmore)
73 J Douglas (Aberdour), R Paterson (Kilspindie), J Wilson (Balmore), C Fyfe (Cawder), C McAndrew (Germany), G Forrester (Lundin), F Davren (Williamwood), C Hill (Muckhart), S Wearing (Bishopbriggs), N McMullen (Lundin), C Chalmers (Cawder), J Holt (Wilpshire), S Robbins (Hull), J Ashman (Bognor Regis), J Harling (Banchory).
74 C Syme (Dumfries and Co), S Grant (Downfield), M Naysmith (Marriott Dalmahoy), M Napier (Turnhouse), S McCandless (Bathgate), D Wilson (Troon Welbeck), C Edgar (Cochrane Castle), S Donald (Eaglescliffe), J Jamieson (St Andrews), A Blaney (Liberton).
SELECTED SCORES
75 J Johnston (Ayr Belleisle), A McDougall (Elderslie), R McEwan (Troon Welbeck), A Collier (Balbirnie Park), R Brydon (Bruntsfield).
76 D McCreadie (Newton Stewart), A Ross (Fort William), R Malcolm (Muckhart), J Bryce (Bathgate), C Pirie (Millport)
77 C Howie (Peebles), M Brodie (Strathmore), D Thompsett (Aboyne), A Burgess (Nairn)
78 B  Craggs (Glenbervie).

TO VIEW ALL OF TODAY'S SCORES

CLICK HERE

WEST LANCS A TOUGH LINKS COURSE FOR UNDER-16s

 

DOUBLE BLOWS FOR JAMIE AND 
 
KIRSTY IN R and A JUNIOR OPEN
 
By COLIN FARQUHARSONColin@scottishgolfview.com
 Jamie Stewart (Old Ranfurly) and Strathmore's Kirsty Brodie, Scotland's representatives in the R and A Junior Open at West Lancashire Golf Club, shot 80 and 88 respectively when the tournament for players of 16 years and under, sent to the North-west England venue by golf federations from around the world, teed off today (Monday). 
Fifteen-year-old Jamie had halves of 38 and 42. He looked to be heading for a satisfactory score in the mid-70s over a tough links course until he ran up double bogeys at the 16th and 17th. 
He was sharing 29th place in the combined boys and girls field. 
Kirsty required 47 shots to cover the testing inward half. 
She had a triple bogey 8 at the 16th. She was joint 71st at the end of the day. 
Hugo Townsend (Sweden), son of the former Ryder Cup player Peter Townsend, leads the field of 132 with an excellent round of two-under-par 70. 
Hugo birdied five of the first six holes 
Ireland's Kevin Leblanc is in second place on 72 (36-36).
 England's Hollie Muse, playing over her home course, had a scintillating inward half of 34 for a 74 which included five birdies.
 US PGA Tour and LPGA Tour players of the calibre of Jordan Spieth and Paula Creamer have played in past RandA Junior Open championships so it is always interesting to see if one can detect latent star quality in the American representatives in this biennial 54-hole event. 
Today, both Americans, Trevor Phillips and Sierra Brooks shot 79 and are joint 22nd.
 Phillips was not alone in coming to grief over the closing holes. He crashed to a triple bogey 7 at the 18th.
 Brooks had halves of 42 and 37. She managed only one birdie (at the 12th) to two (second and fifth) by Phillips. The field will be cut to the leading 80 players for the final 18 holes. 

R and A JUNIOR OPEN 
West Lancashire Golf Club 
LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES 
Par 72
70 H Townsend (Swe) 
72 K Leblanc (Ire)
73 A Ashok (Ind)
74 H Muse (Eng), L Filippi (SAf), A Strobach (Peru) 
75 D Baillieux (Bel), R Wong (Sing), M Gilbert (Eng), Y Matsubara.  
SELECTED SCORES 
78 B Truman (Wal) 
79 S Brooks (USA), T Phillips (USA) (T22) 
80 J Stewart (Sco) (T29)
87 V Clancy (Ire)
88 K Brodie (Sco)
90 R Barton (Wal).

TO VIEW ALL THE FIRST-ROUND SCORES
CLICK HERE 
 
REPORT FROM R and A WEBSITE 
Sweden’s Hugo Townsend raced out of the blocks and took the overnight lead on the first day of the Junior Open Championship at West Lancashire Golf Club where local favourite Hollie Muse also played her way into contention.  
Townsend made a dream start with five birdies in his first six holes and from there consolidated his position with the only sub par round of the day. He signed for a two-under-par 70 to lead by two from Ireland’s Kevin Leblanc in second and India’s Aditi Ashok in third (73). 
 “I had a great start, five-under after six holes, but knew I couldn’t keep that pace because it’s so tough out there, so I just tried to keep the ball in play,” explained the 15-year-old, who is the son of Peter Townsend, former Ryder Cup player (1969, 71). 
 “Stay out of trouble and be patient, that was my plan. I thought getting home in one or two-under would be a good score, especially as the last five holes are very, very tough,” added the two-handicap golfer of a testing links where Italy’s Matteo Mannasero won the Amateur Championship in 2009. 
 Although born in Ireland, Townsend has lived in Sweden for the last decade and enjoys the challenges of links golf. “You need all the shots to play links golf, it suits my game.”  

Leblanc was the early leader and his level par round was a fine effort considering he had never seen the course before. “I played well, especially as I didn’t get a practice round,” said the 15-year-old, who only arrived at the Lancashire venue the previous night after competing at the European Boys Championship in Norway.  
“The main objective was to hit fairways and greens and hole the odd putt. It’s a tough but fair course. Club selection, especially on the par threes, was difficult.  
“That said, I’m used to tough links conditions coming from The Island Golf Club (north of Dublin). I guess these conditions feel like home to me,” added the plus-two handicapper, who mixed four birdies with as many bogeys. Muse is equally adept with the vagaries of links golf and the 14-year-old also put her local knowledge to good use.
 Despite four-putting the ninth green, she rallied with a strong back nine to card a two-over 74 and share fourth alongside playing partner Luca Filippi from South Africa and Peru’s Anneke Strobach, whose twin Felipe (78) is also competing at West Lancashire. 
 “I can’t believe I four-putted the ninth but I’m proud of the way I came back in two-under,” said Muse, who holed a 20-foot putt on the 18th for her fourth birdie of the nine and was in much demand after her round.  
“It’s great to have such a prestigious event played here on my home course and to have the chance to meet so many people from different countries.”  
Like Townsend, Muse has thrived on the challenge and both are looking forward to watching their heroes later in the week. “I’m really enjoying it. There’s a lot of pressure - every player feels it. I just think if you can relax then you cope better with the occasion,” said Muse, who plays off plus one at the host venue. “It’s going to be nice to go and watch The Open as well.
“I can’t wait to get over to Hoylake and watch my heroes like Adam Scott, Phil Mickelson and Justin Rose,” added Muse. 
 There is still much golf to be played at West Lancashire before attentions turn to other side of the Mersey. A total of 75 countries are represented in the 124-player field. A cut after 36-holes will see the top 80 players and ties contest the final round of the 54-hole strokeplay event. 
 Among the players to have competed in the biennial Junior Open are Sergio Garcia, who won the first event in 1994, Francesco Molinari, Nicolas Colsaerts, Camilo Villegas, Paula Creamer, Patrick Reed, who won at Heswall in 2006, the last time The Open was staged at Royal Liverpool, and Jordan Spieth, who was runner-up at Hesketh in 2008. 

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FIVE-DAY TOURNAMENT STARTS AT SOUTHERNESS ON SOLWAY FIRTH

MALCOLM REID FAVOURITE TO BE 

SENIOR MATCH-PLAY TOP SEED 

Anglo-Scot Malcolm Reid looks set to be top seed in the Scottish senior men's amateur match-play championship at Southerness Golf Club on the Solway Firth.
Reid, picture by courtesy of Steve Ellis, held a three-shot lead with a round of 73 at the end of the first stroke-play qualifying round today.
Edzell's Jim Watt, the defending champion, opened with an 80.
The 32 players with the lowest 36-hole aggregates will go forward to the match-play..
There is a Super-Seniors' section for those aged 65 and over. Their qualifying and match-play will be played under handicap.The eight lowest net totals qualify here.


SCOTTISH SENIOR MEN'S AMATEUR MATCH-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
Southerness Golf Club
First qualifying round leading scores 
Par 69      
73 M Reid (Sonning)
76 L Pirie (Millport), M Townsley (Dumfries and Co), L Blair (Grangemouth).
77 I Brotherston (Dumfries and Co), A Harkness (Southerness).
78 D Miller (Kilmarnock Barassie).
79 D Gardner (Broomieknowe), D Dickson (Lochmaben), W Erskine (Kilsyth Lennox).
80 I Gillan (Bishopbriggs), James Johnston (Northumberland), J Watt (Edzell), J Emslie (Royal Aberdeen), T Patterson (Sunningdale), B Smith (Hamilton), John Johnston (Lanark)
81 I Taylor (Eyemouth), A MacGregor (Hazlehead), K Thomson (Bramhall Park), B Brooks (Meldrum House)
82 A Clark (Dumfries and Co), I Jeen (St Andrews New), G Doig (Southerness), D McQuade (Glenbervie).
83 G Rodaks (Pitreavie).
84 D Wilson (Clober)
85 D Taylor (Dunfermlline), G Thomson (Glasgow), J Russell (Monarch Dunes), J Bunting (Ballochmyle), A Lamond (Glasgow).
86 J McDonald (Cowglen), A Smith (Turriff)
87 R Gray (Irvine), G Kennedy (Olton), A E Raphael (St Andrews), K Ross (Beith), N Chisholm (Kemnay)
88 R Stewart (Tulliallan), C Halcrow (Windyhill).
89 S Miller (Cochrane Castle).
90 I Kerr (Kilmacolm), P Kinloch (Cardross).
91 K  Bruce (Edzell), J Kinloch (Cardross), J McManus (Uphall).
96 D Hunter (Southerness), D Lindsay (Kilmarnock Barassie).

SUPER-SENIORS (Aged 65 and over)
FIRST HANDICAP QUALIFYING ROUND
76 T Carson (Lockerbie) (6).
79 D A Millar (St Andrews New) (5), K Howie (West Kilbride) (5).
80 S Scott (Linlithgow) (8)
81 D Shamash (Kirkcudbright) (7), G Gray (Newmachar) (7).
83 I  Peddie (Tulliallan) (9).
86 J Broadfoot (Turnberry) (4).
88 R Goodale (Aberdour) (9).
91 D Nelson (Aboyne) (8), B Wallace (Prestwick St Cuthbert) (5).
96 M Mather (Ballater) (8).

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DRAW FOR PGA IN SCOTLAND SENIORS EVENT AT ARBROATH

Tee times for the PGA in Scotland Senior Tour competition at Arbroath Links on July 22 are:


 

 Tee  Time      Name


  1   10:30 AM  Andrew Crerar
                Neil Colquhoun
                Dean Vannet

  1   10:40 AM  Alastair McLean
                Lindsay Mann
                Robert Stewart

  1   10:50 AM  Gary Forbes
                Craig Everett
                Nick Walton

  1   11:00 AM  Colin Gillies
                Gordon Law
                Ian Taylor

  1   11:10 AM  Jacky Montgomery
                Lee Vannet
                Ian Howieson




Complete information is available at Tournament Information Page (TIP)

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CARD PLAY-OFF ELIMINATES THREE PLAYERS ON 80 MARK

AILSA SURVIVES SHOTTS 

COUNTBACK TO QUALIFY

Former Scottish girls golf champion Ailsa Bain from Peebles and 31 male assistant professionals qualified today (Monday) for the Shotts Young Professionals' 54-hole stroke-play tournament on August 17-18.
Ailsa, who did well to recover from a triple bogey 7 at the third and a double bogey 6 at the fourth with birdies at the 10th and 18th,  was one of five players on the 80 mark in the 18-hole eliminating competition at Shotts Golf Club and only two could qualify. 
Currently without a club attachment, she made it through on a card countback along with Allan Todd (Prestwick).
Top qualifier with a one-over-par 71 was Alan Welsh (Cathkin Braes), a shot ahead of Cameron Marr (Musselburgh), Kamran Zeynalov (Paul Lawrie GC) and Callum Beveridge (West Kilbride).

QUALIFIERS
Par 70
71 A Welsh (Cathkin Braes)
72 C Marr (Musselburgh), K Zeynalov (Paul Lawrie GC), C Beveridge (West Kilbride)
73 C Portiani (Turnberry), A Burns (Bothwell Castle), I Lowdean (Murrayfield)
74 S Craigon (Balbirnie Park), J Fraser (Renaissance)
75 R Pickard (Loretto School), S Watters (Balbirnie Park). R Scarafile (unatt), F Rummins (Canmore), P Mitchell (Stirling), R Mackenzie-Smith 9unatt), T Poyser (Renaissance), M Mackenzie (Edzell), C Goodwin (Duff House Royal).
76 C McManus (Kingsbarns), J Gallagher (Douglas Park)
77 D Stein (Ranfurly Castle), B Harvey (unatt), I McNab (Dundonald).
78 F Cramb (Crieff), R King (Carrick on Loch Lomond)
79 R Millar (unatt0, D Lee (Affordable Golf), R Stirling (Lanark), A Hutcheon (Douglas Park).
80 (after countback) Ailsa Bain (unatt), A Todd (Prestwick).
MISSED THE CUT
80 (after countback) R Mitchell (Paul Lawrie GC), A McCandlich (Kingsbarns), F Thomson (Turnberry).
Field of 45 players.


ROYAL ABERDEEN GATE ONLY JUST TOPPED CASTLE STUART 2013




Attendance figures 2011  2012  2013  2014




Pro Am
8,055
5,816
7,324
7,437

Round 1
11,835
11,343
10,658

11,532

Round 2
15,323
14,256
14,765
16,539

Round 3
-
15,360
15,549
13,947

Round 4
16,127
16,588
17,232
16,378
Total
51,340
63,363
65,528

65,833





















Venues: 2011 Castle Stuart
2012 Castle Stuart
2013 Castle Stuart

Colin Farquharson writes: Isn't surprising that Aberdeen, with a much bigger North-east population to call on, could not top the last-round attendance at Castle Stuart, between Nairn and Inverness,  the year before and only just headed Castle Stuart's 2014 total attendance.
Reason? Possible customer resistance to the admission charges.
2014 Royal Aberdeen

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MEN'S AND WOMEN'S FIELDS LIMITED TO 60 PLAYERS EACH

IGF LAY DOWN QUALIFYING SYSTEM 

FOR 2016 OLYMPIC GAMES GOLFERS

NEWS RELEASE
International Golf Federation officials confirmed today the qualification system that will be used for golf in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
 The announcement was made during a press conference at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, site of this week’s Open Championship, and follows ratification of the system by the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

As outlined by IGF President Peter Dawson, Vice President Ty Votaw and Executive Director Antony Scanlon, the following will apply:

In both the women’s and men’s events a field of 60 players will compete in a 72-hole stroke play format competition for the Gold, Silver and Bronze medals. 
The 60 positions available in each event will be allocated through an Olympic Golf Ranking (OGR) list published on the IGF website, based on the player’s respective official world golf ranking as follows:

  • Players within the top-15 on the respective women’s and men’s official world golf rankings as of 11 July 2016 will be eligible, except that there will be no more than four players from any one country eligible within the top-15.
  • The balance of the field will be selected in order from 16th place onwards on the respective women’s and men’s official world golf rankings as of as of 11 July 2016, up to a maximum of 2 players per country for those countries not already having more than 2 players within the top-15. 

A provision has been included for the host country, Brazil, which will guarantee that at least one Brazilian female and male golfer will compete in the Games if not otherwise eligible, based on position within the respective official world golf rankings. 
Another provision has also been included that each of the five continents of the Olympic Movement (Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania) will be guaranteed at least one athlete in each of the men’s and women’s events, if not otherwise eligible, based on position within the respective official world golf rankings.  
These provisions will not increase the field size beyond 60 athletes in each of the women’s and men’s competitions.

The two-year qualification period for the Olympic Golf Ranking will run from 14 July 2014 to 11 July 2016. Throughout that time, an OGR list will be published each week using the current women’s and men’s official world golf rankings at internationalgolffederation.org (showing the mock field for the event as if played that week using the rankings system).
 The IGF will publish the final OGR list as of 11 July 2016 following the conclusion of all eligible events.

“This is an important milestone on the road to golf's return to the Olympic Games in 2016,” Dawson said. “We are pleased to confirm the eligibility criteria and to give the athletes, National Olympic Committees and National Federations clarity on the qualification process. The world's best players now know what they must achieve to be part of golf's historic return to the Games in Rio de Janeiro." 

For more information visit internationalgolffederation.org.

Ends.

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