Golf’s world growth, the support from international Golf organisations, as well as from the greatest male and female players, these were the main reasons for Golf to become an Olympic sport once again. Preliminary information about the first Golf tournament since the 1904 Olympic Games, when only the US and Canada competed for medals, show that 60 of the world’s greatest male and female players will attend the tournament.

The International Golf Federation (IGF) consulted with the players and proposed a stroke play format (counting the total number of strokes) for the competition, in a golf competiton with 72 holes (four rounds of 18 holes each). In the event of a draw, for the first, second or third place, a three-hole playoff is recommended as well. The 15 highest ranked male and female players will be eligible to take part in the Olympic competition where at least 30 countries from all continents would be represented.

These numbers still need to be approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and by the Rio 2016™ Organising Committee, as Walter Russo, the Group Sport Manager responsible for Golf, informed.

“This is an initial idea of the International Federation that still needs to be analysed. It is worth highlighting now that the fact that Rio de Janeiro will have its first official public golf course, where just any person will be able to play without being invited or being a member. It will be used for international Golf circuit events as well as by the general public. The development of social projects linked to the initiation of new people into the sport and the economic factor as another important pillar are both highlights of Golf’s return to the Olympic scene”, the specialist considered.

Golf competitions in the next two Olympic Games editions have been approved by the IOC. The massive presence of the current greatest players in the Rio 2016™ competition as well as in 2020 is one of the main assets for Golf to stay in the Olympic programme. “The sport will be evaluated after its Games comeback, meaning that every detail is important for it to be kept in the programme, and the participation of the main players is fundamental”, Russo said.

According to IGF data, there are around 30 thousand golf courses and 60 million players in more than 120 countries, making Golf one of the world’s most popular sports. In developing countries such as China, for instance, Golf is experiencing a booming moment. In the last four years, the number of golf courses in China increased three-fold.

To this, one may add the fact that many golfers are in the Forbes’ list of world’s highest-paid athletes, a magazine known for disclosing the fortunes of the greatest world personalities. Tiger Woods, from the US, topped the list between 2001 and 2011 and was third last year. Another golfer, Phil Mickelson, was seventh. The constant presence of golfers in the world’s highest-paid ranking strengthens the link between the sport’s image and professional success, attracting new players all over the world.

Apart from being the subject of articles in the sports and economy sections of the main media outlets, Golf stars can also usually be found in the social pages. For instance, the two best-ranked golfers, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, from Northern Ireland, are dating two of the world’s greatest sporting stars.

Tiger competed in the recent US Masters while alpine ski racer and Vancouver 2010 downhill gold medallist, Lindsey Vonn, watched. As for McIlroy, during the year’s first Major he was helped by Danish tennis player Caroline Wozniacki that served as his caddie, carrying his bag and clubs.

Ângela Park tries a LPGA Tour comeback

Women’s Golf is also a source of high earnings for the world’s greatest players. A 2007 sporting discovery, when she finished eighth in the LPGA ranking, Ângela Park, from the state of Paraná, earned more than 4 million Brazilian reais in prize money during her first two years as a professional.

However, personal problems caused her to distance herself from the sport in 2010, when she was only 22 years old. Ângela wanted to lead a “normal life” and started working as a trilingual receptionist for a hotel in Los Angeles, in the US, where she has lived since she was a child. Last year, she tried coming back to the sport and she played a few tournaments without success.

Park is a Brazilian of Korean origins and the possibility of competing at the Olympic Games makes her eyes shine: “I reached the top at a very young age and I believe this was a problem. I missed Golf and I learned that playing is what I like to do best. Until 2016, I will have three more years of training and I believe I have good chances of winning a medal. Being able to represent Brazil at the Olympic Games will be an honour”.