WGC Olympics To Learn Fate Thursday

At last year's PGA Championship, the USGA and R&A announced the U-groove rule change and the PGA Of America downplayed any suggestion that they were displeased by the news breaking at their event. As luck would have it, we'll find out Thursday if golf enters the Olympics and unless Tiger shoots 59 or says Dave Hill was charitable in his assessment of Hazeltine, the prospect of a new 72-hole stroke play WGC event at the Olympics news should overshadow round one coverage.

Veteran New York Times Olympic correspondent Jere Longman thinks golf is one of the two likely finalists for inclusion.

The Olympic men’s and women’s tournaments could take place on existing courses, and golf officials have agreed to not hold other events during the 2016 Games, according to the I.O.C. On the downside, some golf clubs have been criticized for being exclusionary toward women and minorities, and the Olympic competition would not be as important as, say, the Masters or the British Open.

Thankfully, no one involved with the Olympic process is part of any club with exclusionary practices! Whew, that's a relief. Can you imagine how embarrassing it would be if that was exposed after golf got the bid?