Monty to campaign for Olympic golf

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June 5, 2009

European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie is throwing his weight behind golf’s Olympic bid – and will do so in person.

European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie is throwing his considerable weight behind golf’s Olympic bid – and will do so in person when he meets with the International Olympic Committee next week.
Having discovered that softball and roller sports were competing with not only golf, but also rugby sevens, squash, karate and baseball for two spots in the 2016 Games, Montgomerie said today he felt it was “my time to step up”.
He is flying to IOC headquarters in Lausanne after an approach by Royal and Ancient Club chief executive Peter Dawson and US Tour commissioner Tim Finchem to step in and help the bid.
Montgomerie revealed he would be briefed on what to say, but added that he will “Montify” it.
Golf was last in the Olympics in St Louis in 1904, but of the 77 competitors 74 were Americans and three from Canada.
An attempt to have the sport included in the programme for London 2012 failed, but drug-testing has since been introduced and hopes are much higher this time with many more leading players having spoken out in favour of Olympic inclusion.
The IOC will announce its decision in Copenhagen in October.
The plan put forward is for professional men’s and women’s 72-hole stroke play events, each involving fields of 60 with a limit on how many players from one country can compete.
Dawson told PA Sport in April: “I’m optimistic, but I have no particular reason for optimism other than I think golf has a particularly strong case.”
He is joint secretary of the International Golf Federation, the body charged with putting together the bid.
“We’ve had no feedback from the IOC so far and nor would we expect any,” he added.
“But we’ve had a very good series of meetings and all the players are very excited about it.”