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RIO DE JANEIRO — When the International Olympic Committee (IOC) examines every event to decide its fate beyond 2020, golf will make a simple case to offset absent stars — remember the golden duel.
Golf’s 112-year hiatus from the Olympic line-up ended with Britain’s Justin Rose edging Sweden’s Henrik Stenson for the gold medal, pitching the ball centimetres from the cup on the 72nd hole to set up a title-winning birdie after a day of intense drama.
Australia’s top-ranked Jason Day, Americans Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth, and Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland — the world’s four top players — did not play. They headed a list of about 20 top golfers who skipped Rio, many
of them citing the threat of the
Zika virus.
But Rose, ranked ninth this week, and new world No4 Stenson, who won his first Major at July’s British Open, staged a shot-making classic in which the lead swung back and forth.
"I think it was very important for Olympic golf going forward," Rose said. "I don’t know who wouldn’t want to be a part of great competition.
"I love competition at the highest level and, for me, that’s what the Olympics is all about — the best of the best, going head to head."
Stenson settled for silver but like Rose gave precedence to the Olympics in a crowded schedule that offered two Major titles in three weeks in July.
"It’s a whole new experience," Stenson said. "It’s the opportunity of a lifetime and I’m thrilled I came here."
American Matt Kuchar, who took bronze after a final-round eight-under par 63, said the Rose-Stenson showdown spoke volumes about why golf and the Olympics were good for each other ahead of the 2017 IOC rethink.
"I’m not sure much more needs to be said except what transpired this week. What a great showdown for these two guys," said 15th-ranked Kuchar of his podium neighbours.
IOC president Thomas Bach questioned whether top players skipped Rio to rest for the US PGA’s season-ending play-offs and the chase for a $10m top prize, using Zika only as a convenient excuse.
"We see now in the discussion in the golf community, there are obviously very different reasons for not going to Rio, not related to Zika," Bach said.
"We are also following with interest the discussion in the golf community how they themselves are considering these decisions and what judgments they are making."
It could mean the IOC wants to see how a revamped Olympic-year events calendar might look to prioritise Games golf and better ensure participation by all top stars. That would mean golf governing bodies working to find a solution sooner rather than later for campaigns when the Olympics could pinch two Major tournaments, the tour play-offs and the Ryder Cup.
Golf predates the modern Olympics as a major sports offering, the first British Open in 1860 coming nearly 30 years before France’s Pierre de Coubertin considered the idea of reviving the multisport spectacle.
Scotsmen Old Tom Morris and Young Tom Morris were multiple Major winners well before Greece’s Spyridon Louis won the first marathon in the 1896 Athens Olympics.
So it is somewhat fitting that another Briton, this one passionate about the notion of his place and golf’s place in the pantheon of sport, made the case for bringing the two 19th Century ideas together again for the first time since Canada’s George Lyon won gold in 1904 at St Louis.
"I made it a big deal in my schedule," Rose said. "I made it a highlight. I felt very inspired this week. I felt very focused. It’s definitely something I’ve been looking forward to a long, long time. I was very motivated."
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Golf’s answer to absent stars is a dramatic duel
RIO DE JANEIRO — When the International Olympic Committee (IOC) examines every event to decide its fate beyond 2020, golf will make a simple case to offset absent stars — remember the golden duel.
Golf’s 112-year hiatus from the Olympic line-up ended with Britain’s Justin Rose edging Sweden’s Henrik Stenson for the gold medal, pitching the ball centimetres from the cup on the 72nd hole to set up a title-winning birdie after a day of intense drama.
Australia’s top-ranked Jason Day, Americans Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth, and Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland — the world’s four top players — did not play. They headed a list of about 20 top golfers who skipped Rio, many
of them citing the threat of the
Zika virus.
But Rose, ranked ninth this week, and new world No4 Stenson, who won his first Major at July’s British Open, staged a shot-making classic in which the lead swung back and forth.
"I think it was very important for Olympic golf going forward," Rose said. "I don’t know who wouldn’t want to be a part of great competition.
"I love competition at the highest level and, for me, that’s what the Olympics is all about — the best of the best, going head to head."
Stenson settled for silver but like Rose gave precedence to the Olympics in a crowded schedule that offered two Major titles in three weeks in July.
"It’s a whole new experience," Stenson said. "It’s the opportunity of a lifetime and I’m thrilled I came here."
American Matt Kuchar, who took bronze after a final-round eight-under par 63, said the Rose-Stenson showdown spoke volumes about why golf and the Olympics were good for each other ahead of the 2017 IOC rethink.
"I’m not sure much more needs to be said except what transpired this week. What a great showdown for these two guys," said 15th-ranked Kuchar of his podium neighbours.
IOC president Thomas Bach questioned whether top players skipped Rio to rest for the US PGA’s season-ending play-offs and the chase for a $10m top prize, using Zika only as a convenient excuse.
"We see now in the discussion in the golf community, there are obviously very different reasons for not going to Rio, not related to Zika," Bach said.
"We are also following with interest the discussion in the golf community how they themselves are considering these decisions and what judgments they are making."
It could mean the IOC wants to see how a revamped Olympic-year events calendar might look to prioritise Games golf and better ensure participation by all top stars. That would mean golf governing bodies working to find a solution sooner rather than later for campaigns when the Olympics could pinch two Major tournaments, the tour play-offs and the Ryder Cup.
Golf predates the modern Olympics as a major sports offering, the first British Open in 1860 coming nearly 30 years before France’s Pierre de Coubertin considered the idea of reviving the multisport spectacle.
Scotsmen Old Tom Morris and Young Tom Morris were multiple Major winners well before Greece’s Spyridon Louis won the first marathon in the 1896 Athens Olympics.
So it is somewhat fitting that another Briton, this one passionate about the notion of his place and golf’s place in the pantheon of sport, made the case for bringing the two 19th Century ideas together again for the first time since Canada’s George Lyon won gold in 1904 at St Louis.
"I made it a big deal in my schedule," Rose said. "I made it a highlight. I felt very inspired this week. I felt very focused. It’s definitely something I’ve been looking forward to a long, long time. I was very motivated."
AFP
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