The headline are the words of an ex Olympic champion, Russell Mark an Australian shooting two time golf medalist. So this year as we see Golf having been re-introduced after 112 years as a non Olympic sport is it back where it belongs?
Great Britain took Gold with Justin Rose going into the final round after having two eagles to place him one shot ahead of The Open Champion, Swede, Henrik Stenson. The pair battled it out throughout the last day and were tied at 15 under as they stood on the 18th Tee. Stenson under hit his approach shot to the green and finished after a three putt for a Bogey thus leaving Rose two putts to win, he only needed one!
This makes Rose the first player to have ever won Olympic gold and a major championship, having won The US Open at Merrion in 2013.
Rose was quoted to have said some years ago, that he “would play every major, every year, if there was no prize money”, and having arrived early to attend the Opening Ceremony and really getting behind the reintroduction of Golf to the Olympics with such eagerness, it somehow makes him the ideological winner.
In the Olympics players are out there for something bigger and better than themselves which I suppose brings to question the format, should it be team based to reflect a nation rather than individual?
So many of the top players opted not to take part, the main reason cited being the Zika Virus, but the press intimated money and status, as being primary reasons. The emotion, let alone the pride that was displayed by the medalists was certainly enough to convince me golf should stay and that maybe those that decided not to partake should perhaps rethink.
Here at TheGolfPA.com we would love to hear your thoughts after the games return to Olympic status, we were glued to the golf albeit ‘watch again’ due to the time difference between here and Rio!
