Will Golf Be Accepted In 2016 Olympics?

A decision on whether golf will be recommended as one of two sports added to the Games of the XXXI Olympiad will be announced on Thursday by the International Olympic Committee executive board.

If golf is one of the sports recommended, then it goes up for approval by the entire IOC membership in October.If golf becomes an Olympic sport in 2016, as many expect, chances are good Tiger Woods will be competing for the United States.

Provided golf becomes an Olympic sport, then Woods said Tuesday he would play if eligible.

"If I'm not retired by then, yeah," Woods said, smiling.

Woods will be 40 years old in 2016.

Ireland's Padraig Harrington, a three-time major champ who will defend his title at the PGA Championship starting on Thursday, also gave golf's Olympic movement two thumbs up. Literally.

"I'd love to be an Olympian," Harrington said, smiling broadly at the thought, his fists clinched and both thumbs pointing skyward. "Doesn't that sound good? Imagine us being Olympic athletes."

Woods said he thinks golf should already have been included in the Olympics because it is truly a global sport.

"If it does get in, I think it would be great for golf," Woods said. "Especially some of the other smaller countries that are now emerging in golf, I think it's a great way for them to compete and play and get the exposure that some of these countries aren't getting."

Harrington agreed. Among other things, the Irishman alluded to the integrity and purity of the sport where players police themselves.

"I think it would be fantastic for golf," Harrington said. "As a golfer, I would think we have all the credentials to be Olympians. ... It seems like it was always destined to be an Olympic sport.

"I'm sure there's a lot of athletes out there that would never put golf as a sport, but trying to explain that to somebody that doesn't play golf, they will never understand what goes into golf.

"Most golfers realize what goes into it and will see it as being a natural sport for the Olympics.

A decision on the site for the 2016 Summer Games is expected on Oct. 2. The candidate cities are Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.

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