GOLF NEWS: GOLF'S INCLUSION in the Olympic Games programme "is the greatest thing to happen to the sport," according to world number two, Phil Mickelson.
Golf, which was played at the 1900 Paris Olympics and 1904 Games in St Louis, will be included for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and 2020 Games along with rugby sevens.
Mickelson, 39, took part in a promotional video alongside Jack Nicklaus, Ernie Els and world number one Tiger Woods, while Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie and three-time major winner Pádraig Harrington have since welcomed the development.
Ryder Cup hero Darren Clarke voiced his dissatisfaction over the decision insisting the Olympics should be reserved for amateur events, although he admitted he would take part given the chance.
“Everybody that I have talked to is excited about golf becoming an Olympic sport. It is the greatest thing to happen to our sport, it will allow the growth of the game on a global level,” said three-time major winner Mickelson.
“And with the Olympic foundations in all the countries in the world, I believe we will have a lot of money put towards the growth of the game in terms of educating juniors and teaching juniors proper fundamentals. I think the game of golf will finally get the recognition is deserves.”
At the Olympics, fields of 60 men and 60 women will compete over a traditional 72-hole stroke play tournament with the top 15 players in the world qualifying automatically.
Meanwhile, Mickelson is confident of continuing his recent run of form at this week’s Barclays Singapore Open as he looks to end a turbulent year on a high.
After finishing second at June’s US Open, Mickelson took a six-week break after his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer just over a month after his wife received the same news.
He returned at August’s Bridgestone Invitational and after struggling through the PGA Championship, improved throughout the FedEx Cup play-off series and claimed the season-ending Tour Championship ahead of Tiger Woods, although the world number one walked away with the overall title.
Mickelson then remained unbeaten as the US won the Presidents Cup and arrived in Singapore this week, where he led heading into the final round last year before being forced to settle for ninth, looking to make a solid start to his end of year Asian swing, which also includes next week’s HSBC Champions in Shanghai – now a World Golf Championships event.
“It has been an interesting year. The last few weeks I have started to play well. I played well in the Presidents Cup and I played well in The Tour Championship. But I have had some interesting things going on in the year that made this year unique,” he said.
“Fortunately, I have started to play well towards the end. Looking back, having won three times in the US, I feel as though it has been an okay year.
“I would liked to have had a victory in the majors. I felt like in the Masters and the US Open I had great opportunities and didn’t pull them through.
Mickelson puts his recent form down to finding a new-found faith with his putter after working with two-time PGA Championship winner and former USA Ryder Cup captain Dave Stockton.
