Ireland Raises! Official Says Rory Would Have "Pole position to carry the Irish tricolour into the Olympic stadium in Rio."

The Telegraph's Justin Doyle on the "which country will Rory McIlroy represent" debate turning to the level of farce four years before the 2016 Rio Olympic games.

McIlroy subsequently insisted he had not made up his mind and Pat Hickey, the president of the Olympic Council of Ireland, has now attempted to sway the world No 1 by offering him the chance to be country’s flag-bearer in Brazil, where golf makes its first appearance at the Games on the Summer Games’ roster of sports since 1904.

“I will say to Rory that if he declares for Ireland, then he will automatically put himself in pole position to carry the Irish tricolour into the Olympic stadium in Rio,” said Hickey, who is also a board member on the International Olympic Committee.

This Hickey dude really knows how to entice a lad:

“You know it was over two years ago when Rory made some rash comments about representing Team GB. I think that he was perhaps a little immature back then and although he reiterated them again recently, in his present state of mind right now, I feel that he might be thinking differently.”

Translation: you were an immature plonker two years ago and kind of were again, but now with all of the hate mail you've received, maybe you've seen the light!

And one more ridiculous quote:

“Can you just imagine what something like this would do for Rory McIlroy,” Hickey added. “It would suddenly catapult him into the realms of being one of the most instantly recognisable sporting faces on the planet. Because make no mistake about it, that’s what carrying the flag does for people.”

Pop quiz: name Ireland's 2012 flag bearer. Actually, throw in Great Britain and the United States too!