Ireland Rio 2016

Steviemak

What do you think our chances in the Olympics are with Rory, Lowry, Gmac and hopefully Harrington representing us?

pistol_75

Steviemak wrote: »

What do you think our chances in the Olympics are with Rory, Lowry, Gmac and hopefully Harrington representing us?

I think there are only 2 players per country allowed which means Harrington won't be representing us. Rory & GMac or Lowry the most likely you would have to say?

rrpc

pistol_75 wrote: »

I think there are only 2 players per country allowed which means Harrington won't be representing us. Rory & GMac or Lowry the most likely you would have to say?

It's a bit more complicated than that.

The top 15 in the world qualify automatically (maximum of 4 from one country) with a further 45 from the highest ranked players that don't already have two players in the top 15.

So if GMac and Rory are in the top 15, no other player will qualify. However if Lowry were to get in the top 15 then he'd qualify too.

Alternatively if GMac and Lowry were outside the top 15 then the highest placed of them would qualify.

Ranking places will be taken from the table as of July 11th 2016

There'll be some scrap for places leading up to that date

Steviemak

pistol_75 wrote: »

I think there are only 2 players per country allowed which means Harrington won't be representing us. Rory & GMac or Lowry the most likely you would have to say?

Top 15 in the world automatically qualify (up to 4 per country). We can dream :-)

LinksLad

rrpc wrote: »

There'll be some scrap for places leading up to that date

I wonder if all of that will affect the Race To Dubai and the FedEx Cup.
Surely people will be altering their schedules to get an Olympics spot?

Russman

LinksLad wrote: »

Surely people will be altering their schedules to get an Olympics spot?

Will they though ? I'm not so sure. Maybe those from an athletics background or something, or where they've been exposed to another sport where the Olympics is the absolute pinnacle.

TBH I can't really imagine many of the US players turning down the chance to play FedEx for $10m, in their own country, in order to play for free (not sure if there's prize money in the Olympics golf) in a country a lot of them probably couldn't find on an atlas. Maybe I'm doing them a disservice, I dunno. Even a few years ago they were making noises about not playing Ryder Cup unless they got money.

rrpc

LinksLad wrote: »

I wonder if all of that will affect the Race To Dubai and the FedEx Cup.
Surely people will be altering their schedules to get an Olympics spot?

The guys at the top won't really care, it's the lads on the margin that will be fighting it out.

Currently it's

13 Phil Mickelson 5.4321


14 Hideki Matsuyama 5.0887


15 Dustin Johnson 5.0760


16 Zach Johnson 5.0606


17 Jimmy Walker 4.3801

But considering that there are already 4 US golfers above this group, they've no chance.

I'd like to see a bit of a European surge to take out a lot of these wasted places

Dbu

By all accounts they will be lucky to have the course finished by time it starts..building site

DirtyLeeds14

Delighted Rory declared for Ireland. The GUI put a lot into him I'm sure throughout the years.

But are the Olympics not just for amateur sports people? I would much prefer it to be the top amateurs in Ireland who get to go and represents us in Rio. Would also maybe keep a couple of the top Irish amateurs as career amateurs instead of becoming a struggling touring pro if they knew an Olympic spot is a real possibility.

coylemj

Russman wrote: »

TBH I can't really imagine many of the US players turning down the chance to play FedEx for $10m, in their own country, in order to play for free (not sure if there's prize money in the Olympics golf) in a country a lot of them probably couldn't find on an atlas. Maybe I'm doing them a disservice, I dunno. Even a few years ago they were making noises about not playing Ryder Cup unless they got money.

I'm pretty sure that pressure from agents and sponsors will make US players take part in the Ryder Cup because the US as a nation (and even the WAGs) seem to take it pretty seriously but I agree that the Olympics will be well down the list of priorities.

GreeBo

DirtyLeeds14 wrote: »

Delighted Rory declared for Ireland. The GUI put a lot into him I'm sure throughout the years.
But are the Olympics not just for amateur sports people? I would much prefer it to be the top amateurs in Ireland who get to go and represents us in Rio. Would also maybe keep a couple of the top Irish amateurs as career amateurs instead of becoming a struggling touring pro if they knew an Olympic spot is a real possibility.

As per the charter, there is to be no discussion of players declaring or not for any country.
Next mention is a ban.
No more warnings.

ArmaniJeanss

DirtyLeeds14 wrote: »

Delighted Rory declared for Ireland. The GUI put a lot into him I'm sure throughout the years.
But are the Olympics not just for amateur sports people? I would much prefer it to be the top amateurs in Ireland who get to go and represents us in Rio. Would also maybe keep a couple of the top Irish amateurs as career amateurs instead of becoming a struggling touring pro if they knew an Olympic spot is a real possibility.

Theres little point in sending an amateur if other countries are (presumably) being represented by the Kaymers, Scotts and Garcias of this world.
Within the rules you should be represented by your best (available and willing, some may see it as an inconvenience) players to maximise your medal chances.

As to whether the entire competition should be amateur - its an idealistic and admirable corinthian viewpoint, but its also completely a non-runner.

slave1

Olympics stopped being for pure amateurs a long time ago, basketball, tennis, soccer etc etc

DirtyLeeds14

I obviously didn't mean Ireland send a amateur team while everybody else sends there top pros.

I'm thinking more in-line with amateurs like boxing is at the Olympics, the Rory's of this world get enough glory travelling the world just would be great for a top class amateur golfer to be given the opportunity. Not that I begrudge Rory, 100% deserved but already has the Majors / Ryder Cup etc.

Take somebody like Robbie Cannon for example or any other Irish international amateurs that come out on top over a Qualifying process with points given at the Irish / British / South / West / East / North Amateur Championships over a two year period.

FixdePitchmark

Agree fully with above - golf and many of the other sports would be better as Amateur sports.

A great way - on a big scale, for us to see future stars and for the sport to be developed in other countries.

And, of all the sports you could have looked at - Golf lends itself so easily to the amateur option.

PARlance

DirtyLeeds14 wrote: »

I obviously didn't mean Ireland send a amateur team while everybody else sends there top pros.

I'm thinking more in-line with amateurs like boxing is at the Olympics, the Rory's of this world get enough glory travelling the world just would be great for a top class amateur golfer to be given the opportunity. Not that I begrudge Rory, 100% deserved but already has the Majors / Ryder Cup etc.

Take somebody like Robbie Cannon for example or any other Irish international amateurs that come out on top over a Qualifying process with points given at the Irish / British / South / West / East / North Amateur Championships over a two year period.

The problem is that boxing isn't in line with the Olympics.
Boxing is in the minority in the sense that it's an amateur sport in the Olympics.

Track & Field is pro.
Soccer is pro (albeit number limits on age)
Basketball pro
Cycling pro
Swimming pro
Volleyball (& beach) pro
The list goes on.

The Olympics hasn't had an amateur ethos in a long long time