Harrington, Wie Joining Pitch to Include Golf in 2016 Olympics

Oct. 5 (Bloomberg) -- Three-time major tournament winner Padraig Harrington of Ireland and Hawaiian teenager Michelle Wie will be among four golfers to make a final pitch this week for the sport to be included in the 2016 Olympics.
Suzann Pettersen of Norway and 16-year-old British amateur champion Matteo Manassero of Italy will join Harrington and Wie, 19, on Oct. 9 for the International Golf Federation’s final presentation to the International Olympic Committee in Copenhagen. The voting results will be announced the same day.
In August, golf and rugby sevens were recommended for inclusion in the Games.
Golfers, including European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie and top-ranked Tiger Woods, promised that professional players would take part. The sport was last in the Olympics in 1904. Rugby was proposed for inclusion for the first time since 1924, when the 15-a-side form of the sport was included.
The golf proposal features 72-hole men’s and women’s competitions played over four days, with medals being awarded to the three lowest scores.
The IOC selected Rio de Janeiro as the host city for the 2016 Games on Oct. 2, eliminating Chicago, Madrid and Tokyo.
To contact the reporter on this story: Michael Buteau in Atlanta at mbuteau@bloomberg.net.
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