2016 Olympic Format Not Really Up For Review?
/Shocker of all shockers, but it sounds like Polo By Ralph Lauren Royal and Ancient Golf Club Chief Peter Dawson may have spoken too soon (once again), this time on the Olympic golf format review.
Rex Hoggard talks to the Dawson's International Golf Federation cohort Ty Votaw who says 2016 is almost assuredly going to be stroke play. But apparently there is a willingness to consider something else for 2020, which would seem to be an admission that the current format will not inspire.
“It’s unlikely it’s going to change because (72-hole stroke play) was the way it was presented to the IOC,” Votaw said. “Most Olympic sports are individual sports, not a team competition. But we are open to a different format post-2016.”
Paging the people who matter: Mark Lazarus and NBC, save us from this dull format! This is what you pay the big bucks for.
Meanwhile, Bruce Brothers is at the Champions Tour's 3M Championship and talked to players who were initially skeptical about Olympic golf, and now see the light. Former Masters Champion Bernhard Langer would like to see the format improved as well.
"They could have individual events. They could have team events. They could do both: have individual medals and have team medals," he said.
In 1904 in St. Louis, George Lyon of Canada won the individual gold while the United States won the gold, silver and bronze team medals.