HE’S SAID THE pressure of choosing between Great Britain and Ireland ahead of the next Olympics would be enough to force his withdrawal.
But golf’s bosses have indicated they’ll take the decision out of Rory McIlroy’s hands… and will tell him to represent Ireland in Rio.
That’s according to Peter Dawson, chief executive of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R & A), the sport’s governing body.
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Dawson, who played a key role in golf regaining its place at the Olympics when it was voted back in four years ago, said it was unfair placing the pressure on the 23-year-old Northern Ireland-born golfer to make up his mind.
McIlroy could play for either Great Britain or Ireland at the Olympics – where golf last featured in 1904 – as being from Northern Ireland he is also eligible for the British team. McIlroy told the BBC in January that he might even skip the Games so as not to cause offence to either side of the sectarian divide.
“Play for one side or the other — or not play at all because I may upset too many people. Those are my three options I’m considering very carefully,” he said.
Dawson, though, speaking on Tuesday to a select group of journalists, said he hoped that the decision would be taken out of McIlroy’s hands.
“Because of Rory’s history of playing for Ireland at amateur level and at World Cup level there may be a regulation within the Olympic rules which would determine who he would have to play for,” said Dawson.
“We are still looking at the matter but under that regulation he could play under Irish colours. It’s quite ambiguous as there are regulations within the IOC (International Olympic Committee) that if you play previous world championships for a certain country that has to carry with you.
“So the question is, is the World Cup of Golf a world championship and so on. Golf isn’t structured in the same way as it is with other sports. But I would very much like to take this burden of choice away from the player, if possible, because it’s not fair.
“I think Rory has made it pretty clear, and what I have heard privately he is worried about it and the last thing we want is a player worrying about it.”
I think Gavin let the players down. Sending on goal-getters so early in second half telegraphed an all out request to get a goal.
That only strengthened Donegal’s resolve that if they kept Dublin goalless then they were through.
Not a case of defending poorly – they just sacrificed defence in order to get he elusive goal – a goal which would’ve awakened the silent sky blue contingent.
Last Sunday showed how important Ger Brennan is to this Dublin team. Fair play to Donegal for the result however I don’t think they would have scored three goals if Ger was playing. His presence adds a bit of strength and steel that was sadly missing last Sunday.
Fair point, but if Dublin had put away their two early goal chances we wouldn’t be talking about Donegal’s resolve being strengthened. Fine margins sometimes, plus Donegal were set up superbly after that.
What’s to say they couldn’t come back from 8. No one would’ve given them a chance of coming back from 5 given their history of results- they were never behind by more than a point or two in any game they’ve won in the past few years. This was unchartered territory so maybe that goal wouldn’t have mattered – they had the inner belief to turn the tide. Belief in their system and belief in their class.
Did Jim Gavin and Felipe Scholari go to the same school of coaching,their teams performance through their relevant championships are remarkably similar?
Dublin did not do their homework well. Midfield was ways going to be a huge factor in the game Dublin lorded midfield early in . That all changed when Christy Toye came on. Once Donegal came on Murphy was pushed forward in to a more attacking role and Donegal exploited the spaces left in Dublin’s defence . Donegal’s game plan was exactly as it had been in The Ulster Final and the game v Armagh . Win possession and break at pace, in numbers, from deep . The long kick out to Neil Gallagher with the half backs leaving space in front of him has been a Donegal go to kick out all summer yet Dublin looked as if they had never seen it before . How two half back were not left in the space between midfield and Donegal’s front two beggars belief . Nor did Dublin track Donegal’s runners from deep . They conceded three goals as a result if that. None of this was new . It has been Donegal’s game plan all summer . Yet Dublin could not counter it. The homework was not done . Yes Diarmuid Connollys attempt on goal was saved but these things happen in matches . From that moment on Dublin were annihilated by a team playing to a game plan that has been in full view all summer .
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I think Gavin let the players down. Sending on goal-getters so early in second half telegraphed an all out request to get a goal.
That only strengthened Donegal’s resolve that if they kept Dublin goalless then they were through.
Not a case of defending poorly – they just sacrificed defence in order to get he elusive goal – a goal which would’ve awakened the silent sky blue contingent.
Last Sunday showed how important Ger Brennan is to this Dublin team. Fair play to Donegal for the result however I don’t think they would have scored three goals if Ger was playing. His presence adds a bit of strength and steel that was sadly missing last Sunday.
Fair point, but if Dublin had put away their two early goal chances we wouldn’t be talking about Donegal’s resolve being strengthened. Fine margins sometimes, plus Donegal were set up superbly after that.
What’s to say they couldn’t come back from 8. No one would’ve given them a chance of coming back from 5 given their history of results- they were never behind by more than a point or two in any game they’ve won in the past few years. This was unchartered territory so maybe that goal wouldn’t have mattered – they had the inner belief to turn the tide. Belief in their system and belief in their class.
Did Jim Gavin and Felipe Scholari go to the same school of coaching,their teams performance through their relevant championships are remarkably similar?
Dublin did not do their homework well. Midfield was ways going to be a huge factor in the game Dublin lorded midfield early in . That all changed when Christy Toye came on. Once Donegal came on Murphy was pushed forward in to a more attacking role and Donegal exploited the spaces left in Dublin’s defence . Donegal’s game plan was exactly as it had been in The Ulster Final and the game v Armagh . Win possession and break at pace, in numbers, from deep . The long kick out to Neil Gallagher with the half backs leaving space in front of him has been a Donegal go to kick out all summer yet Dublin looked as if they had never seen it before . How two half back were not left in the space between midfield and Donegal’s front two beggars belief . Nor did Dublin track Donegal’s runners from deep . They conceded three goals as a result if that. None of this was new . It has been Donegal’s game plan all summer . Yet Dublin could not counter it. The homework was not done . Yes Diarmuid Connollys attempt on goal was saved but these things happen in matches . From that moment on Dublin were annihilated by a team playing to a game plan that has been in full view all summer .
#graingerspebblebeach
SuperDubs will be back.
In Jim Gavin we trust!