Hanse: Rio Course Probably Has Its Test Event
/When three of the five families announced the start of the new Latin America Amateur Championship during PGA Show week and few paid attention because the golf world was thinking about their next driver or watching Phil and Tiger's season debuts, the ramifications of the LAAC announcement were not given much thought. 
I did note, however, that this seemed like a perfect event for the required-by-the-IOC test event and during today's appearance promoting the Doral re-opening on Morning Drive, Gil Hanse confirmed that the Latin America Amateur would probably be played in Rio.
Though it has not been officially announced, Hanse said that the test event for the Olympics likely would come at the newly announced Latin America Amateur Championship. Hanse has said repeatedly that the course should be completed in summer 2015, with a test event held soon after. A few weeks ago, when the 2015 Latin America Am was unveiled, it was said to be heading to Pilar Golf Club, near Argentina, on Jan. 15-18.
Hanse said that R&A chief executive Peter Dawson recently made a visit to the Olympic site and was pleased with the progress.
“It’s nice to get some affirmation from outside from someone who is knowledgeable about golf to say, hey, this is looking pretty good,” Hanse said.
Nothing like getting the admiration of a fellow architect!
